When I moved to Florida, from Ireland in 1993, I already knew that I needed to change my career focus from business to something that nourished my soul. I began my Montessori Primary teacher education the next year. I discovered that I am a Montessorian in the same way that I am Irish – I was born that way. A few years back I decided to get my Florida teaching certificate and taught a year in the traditional model in a Title 1 (high poverty) school. I learned, first hand, the challenges that accompany teaching in a traditional school. It was one of my most enlightening and challenging teaching experiences, and lI earned that when I applied the “Montessori magic” children learned happily and eagerly. It solidified my belief that Montessori should be available to all children, not just those whose families can afford tuition. The next year I joined a Montessori charter K-8 school, and spend two years teaching in public Montessori. In that time I also graduated with an M.Ed in Educational Leadership, and became Assistant Principal at that wonderful school.

I have many teacher friends, both traditional and Montessori and our conversations invariably turn to what is wrong with education today; a lot. I feel the revolution has begun, but it needs to be fervently supported by those who believe that our children deserve better than being treated as cogs in a machine, subjected to unrelenting standardized testing. I believe that teachers deserve to be treated as the important contributors to humanity that they are, rather than being constantly undervalue and penalized for choosing to spend their days, nights and weekends tending to our children.

This blog shares my thoughts on education and the profession of teaching, as well as my experiences parenting my three fantastic (mostly) children. For a more varied selection of writings, please visit my other blog, The Cork Woman.