Book an event with Jesse McCarthy of Montessori Education.
“Best talk I’ve ever been to. I’m serious. I own three schools, I’ve seen it all, and I’ve never been to something like this.”
“Your parent talk on Montessori was truly inspiring. You have a unique way of making big concepts feel simple and relatable. The way you explained Montessori education was not only clear and easy to understand, but also filled with real-life examples that made it feel practical and meaningful. Your lighthearted and approachable style made the talk enjoyable, while still being incredibly informative — and our parent community engaged so much more because of that. I personally left feeling more confident, encouraged, and excited about supporting my own child’s Montessori journey. Thank you!”
“Thank you. ... I wish all my family, friends, and co-workers could hear you speak!”
“Your workshop was profoundly helpful and uplifting. Thank you!”
We hosted Jesse as a keynote speaker at a seminar for a group of Acton Academy school owners and educators. Jesse’s speech was the highlight of the week!
Jesse’s talk was on Montessori and the heroic things children are capable of. It was both insightful and inspiring. He brought several attendees to tears. I was especially impressed that Jesse had given so much thought to our unique audience. He designed his talk specifically for us. (Some attendees knew a lot about Montessori, while others knew very little.) At dinner the night after his presentation, the first thing I said to him — and what I genuinely felt — was “Wow!”
We were lucky to host Jesse for a talk before he was in such high demand, as what he delivered would have been worth it at twice the speaker fee!
David K., Parent & Host | Washington, DC
“Thanks to Jesse’s talents as a speaker, I was able to enroll many students into my new school and turn my dream of offering Montessori elementary in San Francisco into a reality.
Jesse knows how to get parents excited about their child’s education, and he has an especially effective way of communicating what is so unique about Montessori.
He’s an engaging, fun, and authentic speaker. I *highly* recommend him.”
Signature topics
Montessori in Action - at School & Home (for parents)
Handling Strong Emotions, the Child’s & Our Own (for everyone)
Parent Communication and Connection (for staff)
“Jesse is an incredible speaker. I had him at our school to give a parent talk on the importance of staying for the “kindergarten” year and on the value of Montessori elementary. His presentation was informative and inspiring for our parents, and just a pleasure to attend.
We had at least four families re-evaluate their decision to move their children to public school. I highly recommend Jesse to anyone wishing to communicate the benefit of a Montessori education to their school community.”
“THANK YOU for your visit last week! There were so many good takeaways from the talk on Thursday night, and many more the next day when we got to chat with you. We’ve been spending this week doing more observations and trying to keep the ‘altitude’ when things feel rocky. I also spoke with a couple of parents this week who were so appreciative of your insights. ... We’re so grateful to you!”
Jesse's knowledge of Montessori philosophy and understanding of our school made the presentation very powerful and tangible to the parents. ... Montessori is the same world wide and when its authenticity is honored it is magical. Forever grateful.
Joan R., Parent & School Owner | Miami, FL
“I know it sounds corny, but your pedagogy speech was one of the times I’ve felt the most inspired in my whole life!”
Host your own event
To inquire about having Jesse McCarthy speak, send an email or complete the form below.
Jesse is doing limited virtuals and in-person events for the remainder of 2025. All other bookings are for 2026 and beyond. Current fee schedule, from chats/Q&As to full workshops, is $2000 to $7500.
If budget doesn’t allow having Jesse out for an event, he has years of content online for free, including filmed talks such as Is Montessori Worth It?
For over 20 years, Jesse McCarthy has worked with thousands of children, parents, teachers and administrators — as a principal for infants to 8th graders, an executive with a nationwide group of private schools, an elementary & junior-high teacher, and a parent-and-teacher mentor.
Jesse received his B.A. in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and his Montessori teacher's diploma for ages 2.5 to 6+ from Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), the organization founded by Dr. Maria Montessori.
Jesse has spoken on education and parenting around the globe, from Midwest America to the Middle East, as well as at popular organizations in and outside of the Montessori community: from AMI/USA and AMI/Canada to old-school Twitter. Jesse now lives with his family in South Florida where he heads MontessoriEducation.com and, alongside his wife (and young son), runs La Casa, The Schoolhouse.