Welcome to the Primary TOT Seminars
in Iași, Romania!

As you begin to embark on this endeavor, please find below some useful information for your training in Iași.

Romania is at the heart of three regions: Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans.

Exuberant, cultured Iaşi clearly enjoys being the biggest city in Moldavia. Once dubbed the ‘city of the hundred churches’, Iaşi is indeed bursting with centuries of architectural creations. Yet besides the monasteries, theatres and other historic buildings, this eclectic place has botanical parks, big squares and gleaming modern shopping malls.
Deeply rooted in history, Iasi has been the main center of Moldavian culture since 1408. The city prides itself with publishing the first Romanian newspaper and establishing the first Romanian university and to the first engineering school. Iași is one of the most important education and research centres of the country, and accommodates over 65,000 students in 5 public and 6 private universities.
Iasi is the most important political, economic and cultural center of the province of Moldavia as well as one of the oldest cities in Romania. Located in the northeastern part of the country, Iasi was for many centuries the crossing point of the most important commercial routes linking Poland, Hungary, Russia and Constantinople.

Motel Bucium (www.motelbucium.ro) is situated outside Iasi, on a very beautiful hill. It is located 20 minutes from the city center, and 25 minutes from the airport.
Located in an oasis of greenery, surrounded by a natural enchanting, peaceful and relaxing environment, Motel Bucium rises above the city, on the most beautiful hill of Iasi, offering a panoramic view of the capital of Moldova. Motel Bucium is the perfect choice for whatever reason you are in the capital of Moldova.

Irene Fafalios (MA Social Anthropology, AMI 0-3, 3-6, (London) 6-12 (Bergamo) 1st Assembly of EsF (Italy)) grew up in London. She ran several small Community schools for 15 years for children of the Greek speaking community in London (from 3 – 12 years of age) and set up a bilingual (Greek-English) Montessori school in North London. During that time she also lectured and tutored at the Maria Montessori Institute and worked for the Montessori Society AMI (UK). She has been involved in several projects to do with the teaching of bilingual children and the training of teachers who work with bilingual children. She spent several years as Editor to the International magazine Montessori Today. She is currently living and working in Athens, Greece. After having run 3 Associated Courses in Athens, she is currently Director of training of the first AMI 3-6 Training Centre in Athens “To Montessoriano Ergastirio”. Fluent in English and Greek, (speaks French and italian) Irene Fafalios is the educational consultant for a non profit organisation in Athens, which has set up its first Casa dei Bambini in Athens and continues to lecture widely in order to develop and sustain the interest and awareness in the Montessori approach in Greece.

Janet McDonell is the Director of Training of the Primary Training at the Washington Montessori Institute at Loyola University Maryland. Furthermore, she is co-directing a summer primary course in Milwaukee (2010-2012). Janet holds a Master’s degree in education from Loyola College as well as AMI diplomas at the Primary, Elementary age levels of training, and Special Education.She has over 20 years’ experience in teaching and administration, is a member (and former coordinator) of the AMI Training Group, an AMI Examiner, a member of the AMI/USA board, and a school consultant.

Molly O’Shaughnessy is an AMI primary trainer, lecturer, consultant, and national and international speaker. Since 1996, she has served as Director of Training at the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota (MTCM) and as an adjunct professor for Loyola College in Maryland, as well as Community Faculty for Metropolitan State University in St Paul. Molly earned her AMI Primary (3-6) diploma from the MTCM in 1976 and holds a M.Ed. from Loyola College in Maryland. She is a member of the Board of the Association Montessori Internationale in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is a member of the AMI Training Group. Molly has dedicated her life to education and children having served as a founding board member for the Minnesota Children’s Museum and currently serving on a number of school and community boards.

Judi Orion is Co-Director of Training in Denver and has directed A to I courses in many countries. Judi serves as Chair of the Training Group, the AMI committee that oversees the training of new trainers. Judi is also a Primary trainer and worked at that level for a number of years before becoming a 0-3 trainer; Judi was a student on the first AMI 0-3 course, given in Rome by Silvana Montanaro and Gianna Gobbi. Judi also directed the first ever 0-6 course, given in Japan a number of years ago.

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