I started assisting in Montessori classrooms when I was in 5^th grade. My mother, who was a teacher for 30 years, had a Montessori classroom in my elementary school in Ft. Worth, Texas. I was able to assist in her classroom certain afternoons after completing my class work. From that early age I realized I liked teaching and working with children. I also attended a Montessori school for my early childhood and kindergarten years and was familiar with the materials.  

My first paid teaching jobs were as an assistant in 3 and 4 year old classrooms in a Headstart program in Ft. Worth, Texas. After graduating from High School I moved north to attend St. Olaf College in Northfiled, MN. After graduating from St. Olaf I assisted in Children’s House (ages 2 ½-6) in private Montessori Schools. I took a short break from teaching to help with a developmental research project at the University of Minnesota with children 8month- 4 years old. Observing children and working with child development at the University brought me to the realization that Montessori Education was a brilliant method and that I wanted to be part of this work.

 I earned a M.A. in Education with an Early Childhood Specialty from the College of St. Catherine’s in 2003. Since graduation I taught as a lead teacher for a Children’s House Classroom at Little Voyageur’s Montessori for two years and have been at JJ Hill Montessori for 10 years.

I am thankful to be on the staff at JJ Hill Montessori. I have a great team of E1 teachers around me and the children and families of JJ Hill make it a great place to work.