Lisa's Key- Birth to Grade 3

I have worked with the pre-school/kindergarten age group all of my life. As a teen I observed and was interested in the rapid learning development of young children. My own first pre/k class was in 1980. In 1990 I founded a Montessori school with an annual enrollment of 40 families. In 2013 I moved to a position as education director of a school with 50 staff and 200 children. Teacher training, problem solving and communication are key to directing duties. In 2016 I helped start a new Montessori pre/k school, establishing materials, schedules, teacher training and educating new families to theories of child development and the Montessori Method.

I come from the Montessori philosophy and methods, but have respect for all teaching modalities. All Montessori environments are different and unique with the vision of those that operate the program. My classrooms have emphasized the arts and promote the curriculum of music, art mediums, drama, dance, storytelling and languages. The creativity from these expressions emerge into all other academic subjects.

The biggest honor for me is to have our grown students and families visit the school with expressions of love and appreciation! I often hear how their Montessori experience was their favorite classroom and has guided their childhood learning.

Gustavus Adolphus College. St. Peter,MN 1975-77 Associate degree from AMI, Perugia, Italy. 1977-79 Early Childhood studies from the U. of Minnesota 1980-1985 Child Psychology degree from Metropolitan State University 1990 Hundreds of workshops, seminars, and conferences in child development, behavioral and learning disabilities and more. I have led teacher training and parent education workshops in many topics of child development and the Montessori Method

Married with two grown sons, a daughter-in-law and a rambunctious dog. Hobbies include travel, swimming, skiing, yoga, guitar, poetry, reading and nature.