megan@themontessorihouse.org

I have dedicated my life and work to understanding the holistic development of the child. I am committed to partnering with families and communities to cultivate an awareness of the incredible potential within every child.

I began my career teaching in public schools before discovering Montessori education, earning an AMI Montessori Primary Diploma and a Master’s Degree in Education (M.Ed.). Since founding The Montessori House in my home in 2009, I have expanded from a single classroom to three preschool classrooms and one toddler environment. What began as a one-person effort has grown into a dedicated team of 20 educators and staff members serving the St. Johns community. Along the way, I became a certified director and a master trainer, offering trainings to parents and educators on Montessori philosophy and how to create environments that nurture human potential. I have found such joy in working with adults to create thriving environments for the children in their lives.

Above all, I am the proud mother of two fantastic children, who continue to inspire my work every day.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Amazing staff

• Amazing kids

• Amazing families

bella@themontessorihouse.org

Hey my name is Bella! :) I am an AMI Montessori 0–3 trained lead guide. Having been raised in a Montessori environment myself, I have a deep-rooted appreciation for the philosophy of fostering independence and a love for learning in young children. I have grown up working in an in-home Montessori setting, volunteering there for most of my life. After graduating, I became an assistant in the Children’s House. I then moved to Portland, where I worked as a toddler guide before finding my new home at The Montessori House.  It has brought me so much joy observing how each child grows and discovers their passion for learning. 

When I'm not in the classroom, my happy place is being on the beach.  I enjoy photography, hiking, yoga, traveling to new places, and spending time with my friends and family.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Seeing each child grow and discover their own unique voice

• Being a part of a beautiful community

• Everyday being a new adventure to learn and grow in our classroom

Hola, soy Obdulia Hernandez Canseco. Me gusta mucho mi trabajo, trabajo en la Casa Montessori desde 2012. Me encantan los niños y también el personal, me siento muy agradecida de formar parte de esta comunidad. Cuando no estoy trabajando, me dedico a un jardín que tengo en la comunidad—me siento muy feliz aquí en Oregon.

Hello, I am Obdulia Hernandez Canseco. I like my job very much, I've been working at The Montessori House since 2012. I love the children and staff, I'm very grateful to be part of this community. When I'm not working, I dedicate myself to a garden that I have in the community—I feel very happy here in Oregon.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Valoro la calidad humana del personal

• Respeto y unidad de la comunidad

• Me encantan mis estudiantes y me encanta mi trabajo

• I value the beautiful humanity of the staff

• Respect and unity of the community

• I love my students and I love my work

I grew up in La Grande, OR, and moved here to Portland for college. After graduating with a degree in Psychology, I was fortunate to find a place in The Montessori House’s toddler community in 2017. Working in this role has shaped me beyond words, I still feel so lucky to be here—to be able to support these children as they grow and come into themselves, and to watch as they foster relationships and learn what it means to be a part of a community. On weekends I enjoy puzzling over crosswords, backpacking, riding my bike, and playing around with whatever musical instruments I can get my hands on.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Such a patient and encouraging learning environment, especially when I first started; more experienced coworkers have always been very willing to share knowledge, advise, and support

• Being part of a thoughtful and caring community

• Watching these children grow, and getting to be a small part of it

ashley@themontessorihouse.org

I grew up immersed in Montessori education while attending my mom's Montessori school in Michigan from toddlerhood through my elementary years. After studying environmental science at the University of Michigan and spending time leading rock climbing trips for an outdoor education program in North Carolina, I decided to move to Portland in 2006 to pursue my Masters Degree in Education and take the AMI Montessori teacher training. I have been a classroom guide for 3–6 year olds ever since! Outside of school, I enjoy camping and biking with my husband and daughter (who is a recent Montessori House graduate), exploring new trails and neighborhood parks with our dog Stella and dabbling in various crafty projects around the house.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• I love the strong community at MH and working with a team that shares my commitment to early childhood education.

• I love the school wide focus on fostering a love of learning and care for the environment and others.

• The Montessori House is just a fun place to work and I love seeing kids and families thrive here! 

lara@themontessorihouse.org

Born and raised in South Africa, I spent five years living and working in the UK before love brought me to the US in 2003.  It was on a visit to my home country that I first heard about Maria Montessori. As a friend described her work, something resonated in me and I felt compelled to discover more. Over the next few weeks my life took on a new direction. I visited the local Montessori College, fell in love with it and enrolled to study the Primary Course. Since then I have worked as a preschool teacher and nanny both here and abroad, joining the Montessori House in 2012. I’ve had the privilege of working in both the Toddler and Primary environments and am grateful to be in the magical presence of children every day. When not at work I love hanging out with my family and friends, growing food and gardening, nature adventures and traveling.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Strong community presence

• Connected staff who value and support each other

• Megan’s leadership. She cares about staff, students and parents alike

muriah@themontessorihouse.org

I had a unique childhood growing up in a small artist town in the Ozark Mountains of NW Arkansas. I then spent three incredible years living, traveling, and working throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. After my time abroad, I settled in Portland in 2002. Throughout my studies, I worked as a floral designer. After pursuing a degree in Human Studies at Marylhurst University and completing my AMI Montessori teacher training in 2006, I have worked in multiple Montessori schools throughout the Portland area. I am delighted to have found a new home working at The Montessori House of St. Johns!

I bring a deep understanding of child development and am a detail-oriented person with a natural capacity for organization, self-motivation, and open communication. I am looking forward to sharing my love of flowers and plants, true stories, and passion for Montessori education with my students.

Outside of school, I enjoy working in my garden in my Arbor Lodge home, discovering new natural swimming areas, and cooking with my family. I am a proud mother of two wonderful sons who continually challenge, love, and help me grow.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:
– Intention for a strong community
– Warm and welcoming staff and families
– Being part of a school that is committed to creating space for children to flourish

lauraj@themontessorihouse.org

I first moved to Portland in 2009 with plans to become a Middle/High School science teacher. I received my Master’s Degree in Teaching (MAT) from Lewis and Clark College and worked briefly as an 8th grade Physical Science teacher before discovering the Montessori method. In 2012, I completed my AMI Montessori Primary Diploma and began working with 3-6 year olds as a Montessori aftercare guide as well as summer school guide. I bring my love of animals, science, and the outdoors into my work in the classroom. On the weekends, I enjoy exploring nature with my two dogs, Echo and Josie. I am also an avid runner, certified yoga instructor, and beginner gardener.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Small community with no/low drama

• Great families who attend! Parents are easy to work with

• Supportive staff members

Hello! My name is Antonia. I’ve been living in Portland for almost two years now. I was raised in Miami and born in Colombia 🇨🇴! I was fortunate enough to enroll in a Montessori program at four years old, thanks to my mother being a Montessori teacher at the school.

Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I spent my summers working alongside my mom as soon as I was old enough, but it wasn’t until after high school that I truly decided to dive deeper into the Montessori method. As I explored it more and researched training institutes, I enrolled at SMTTI, a teacher training institute in Miami, Florida, accredited by the American Montessori Society and MACTE. I completed my training in October 2022 and have been leading primary classrooms ever since! Teaching is truly my passion! I’m deeply dedicated to fostering independence, supporting emotional regulation, and helping children develop a lifelong love of learning. My goal is always to create a nurturing environment where each child feels empowered, respected, and inspired. Recently, I decided to continue my education and enrolled at PCC, where I’m currently working on transferring to pursue a psychology degree. In my downtime, I enjoy nurturing my plants and cat, crocheting, hiking, watching movies and TV shows, and reading.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Supportive community

• Authentic Montessori environment

• Witnessing children’s growth firsthand

I had my own in-home daycare for six years before Megan offered me a position at The Montessori House in 2012. Working in childhood education is my passion. Growing up on a walnut ranch in Central California provided me with lots of room and adventure. My family and I worked hard to keep the farm running, and balancing that with school and friends wasn’t always easy. When I was a child, I loved cooking, baking and gardening with my dad, mom and grandmother. I don’t drive tractors any longer but I bring the other aspects of my childhood to my work. I live with my husband, our two young-adult kids, a fantastic dog, fish and chickens. With our Montessori kids I love to garden, craft and read.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• The community in our school and how it’s connected to our neighborhood community

• The amazing staff—we are close, warm, welcoming to newcomers

• Admin is always there to support, encourage and help facilitate ideas

I first joined The Montessori House in 2017 after having worked as a nanny for several years, which was my first experience working with preschool-aged children. Before that, I worked as a special education assistant for nearly 10 years, primarily with Portland Public Schools, with children of all ages—Kindergarten-aged students in elementary schools, through 18–21 year-olds in vocational programs. I've known Megan since before she started The Montessori House, and I'm happy that I was able to observe the original Montessori House classroom when it was in Megan's home during her first year of operation. In my free time, I enjoys taking walks, riding my bike, tinkering on my computer, and reading.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• My co-workers

• The cozy atmosphere

• The funny things the kids do and say

I grew up in Fairfax, California where I attended a Montessori preschool myself. At that same preschool, I volunteered in the summer program for many years before becoming a substitute in 2021. I also volunteered with my local Early Head Start program, and in the summer of 2019 I volunteered in Peru with a kindergarten program, both experiences reinforcing my love of working with children and speaking Spanish. I graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 2024 with a degree in Hispanic Studies and Sociology/Anthropology. When not in the classroom, I work for Ropeadope Records doing publicity; play my ukulele, guitar, and electric bass; watch movies; read novels; do puzzles; draw/paint my favorite album covers; and bake delicious treats for my friends and family!

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• The amazing community of staff that work together so closely and with such heart

• Watching the kids care for each other and learn together in their own unique ways

• The students are so truly and unapologetically themselves all the time

Hello, my name is Vee!

I grew up on a couple of different farms across Wisconsin, California, and Oregon, before settling down in Eugene for nine years. I moved up to Portland for school and have lived here since 2024. I am currently studying Early Childhood Education and Sociology at Portland Community College. I am on the path to get my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education with a focus in Community Studies. I have experienced a lot of different types of education, and the Montessori school I attended was by far the most impactful, even in the short amount of time I was there. I have a great appreciation for how Montessori teaching helps kids find their own voice, values, and boundaries. When I’m not at The Montessori House, I love to enjoy music, draw and paint, cook for my loved ones, garden when I can, and take care of my plants! 

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• The strength and support within the community 

• The care and support the staff have for the students and families

• The space each student is given to foster independence

I’m thrilled to be working as The Montessori House chef and to be surrounded by passionate individuals who are working to make a difference in our community. I’ve lived in North Portland my whole life. I have a Bachelor of Science in nutrition with an option in dietetics from Oregon State University. I believe a healthy relationship with food starts at a young age and am excited to contribute to the kids’ love for vegetables and fruit. When I’m not messing around with recipes, I love to craft, practice mindfulness, and spend time with loved ones.

Three things I value, enjoy, or love about The Montessori House:

• Community

• Supportive environment to foster healthy eating habits

• When the kids walk by the kitchen and say “Hi Quinn!”