About Me

A string of seemingly inconsequential coincidences have marched me down a path from which I've never looked back. As a high school student, I saw a group of young children playing in the hall and thought, 'That seems like a fun way to earn credits!' It was there that I first discovered the name 'Montessori.' A local school was looking for help in their aftercare program. I worked there throughout my senior year, and while I knew it was a special community, this was lost on an 17-year-old about to begin college.

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I began college at Rutgers University in New Jersey and set out to study psychology. I was also excited to continue my love of mathematics at a collegiate level. I took courses for enjoyment through my freshman year and also became interested in sociology. While I embarked upon these three majors, I also participated in a sociology research lab and two psychology research labs. Torn between potential paths after graduation, I decided to gain experience to help make decisions about my future. I was connected back to the Montessori school by a friend that continued to work there.

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I started working in the Toddler and aftercare programs, and as a new Primary classroom opened, I began assisting in that classroom. During this time, I was told "Just wait until you see the math materials!" or "Have you seen the [insert a math material]?!" The reputation of Dr. Montessori's materials were highly established before I truly walked into the classroom. And of course, as a math fanatic, these were captivating! What really left it's mark was the reverence and love with which children were treated. This was a way of being unlike any I had experienced before. All other ideas of a profession fled away, and I knew immediately what I wanted to be doing.

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After my first year, I started my Early Childhood certification at Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE). My understanding of the Montessori philosophy and my approach in the classroom were shaped by two amazing champions of children. In the mornings, I worked with my supervising teacher, Elizabeth Garrett, and in the afternoons, I worked with Teresa Garrett. At a time, when it is easy to be fixated with the lessons and educational standards, these two amazing Montessorians made it simple to see that the goal of our work far exceeds traditional learning. I am extremely fortunate to witness their conversations with young people, the honor they held for them, and most importantly, how they spoke of children when they were present.

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Following my third year in primary, I began my Elementary I-II certification at PCTE. This was a special journey as I was able to follow many the children that were three-years-old when I began in Primary. I was able to observe them transition into the Second Plane of Development and become the social beings that Elementary-aged children are. My first-year of Elementary began focused on Language Arts, Reading, and Writing, but by the end, I was drawn to the expansive cultural curricula that introduced the children to the Universe.

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I opened the school's Upper Elementary classroom the next year. I was excited to introduce as much geography, history, botany, zoology, and more as possible. To support this goal, a great deal of materials needed to be made. Fortunately, my Early Childhood years prepared me for this undertaking, and I had the ultimate support in my coworker, Ghislaine Mahoney. She saw the same vision I had and wanted to find every way to achieve it. She supported me in planning out our work, the pros and cons of what to do, editing my work, and most importantly, cutting/gluing/laminating/and cutting again! Over this first year, the Upper Elementary classroom blossomed and filled with dozens and dozens of new materials.

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I have worked with in Elementary-aged classrooms spanning 6-9, 9-12, and 6-12 as well as some nontraditional combinations. During these years, I developed a 6-12 scope and sequence, curriculum maps, unit planners, and observation tools, and many record keeping formats. I also began working with West Side Montessori School Teacher Education Program (WSMS-TEP) in 2018. My first year there was filled with wonderful opportunities to learn and grow as a Montessorian, guide, and person. I wouldn't have been able to embark on this journey without the endless support of the Elementary coordinator, Sheba Kapur. She saw in me traits that I never had, and she helped me become an instructor and field consultant.

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At WSMS-TEP, I have taught and field consulted at the Elementary I and II levels. I have taught ELI Practical Life, Mathematics, Biological Sciences, Geography, History, & Geometry, the Elementary I Overview for ELII adult learners, and ELII Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Geography, History, & Language. When the ELII level was beginning, I wrote the albums for Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, History, and Geography.

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In recent years, I have been especially fortunate to be the mentor/supervising teacher for four Lower Elementary interns. We have worked together to discuss broad-scoping topics such as Dr. Montessori's pedagogy, classroom management and finer-points such as liberty and independence, the needs of individual children, and parent communication. I have learned a tremendous amount about the classroom, Dr. Montessori's pedagogy, and most importantly, myself from this work. It has been a truly remarkable experience to watch these four interns (and the many interns I have field consulted with) grow over the first-year as a Montessori guide.

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I'm excited for my next steps working with children and adults. Ultimately, I hope to be an active member of this wonderful community and to help spread this work to all that are interested!