At the heart of Manzanita Montessori School are AMI Montessori trained guides. Dr. Montessori believed that the role of the adult is to provide for each child the fullest opportunity possible in order to enable the development of their unique potential.
Juniper has dedicated over 20 years of her life to working with children and continues to meet them each with excitement, kindness, playfulness and an infectious love of learning that they can’t help but return. She completed her AMI Montessori Primary Directress training in Denver, Co. in 2003 and has been in the classroom ever since. Before teaching in the classroom, Juniper ran a successful art and garden program for Montessori students ranging in age from 18 months to 14 years old.
Juniper has a gentle and engaging way that she meets each child where they are. Her classroom is full of focus, empathy, willingness to work toward mastery, independence, creativity, curiosity, and the desire to be helpful. She enriches the classroom with music, arts and crafts, and is especially gifted at opening the doors to literacy both in language and mathematics. Her appreciation of the natural world permeates all aspects of her classroom environment.
Imelda was born and raised in Zacatecas, Mexico for most of her life, where she worked as a kindergarten teacher for twelve years and as a school director for two years. She has been an early childhood educator for thrity-one years. Imelda has taught at Ojai Meadows Montessori since 2016. Previously, she taught for the Ojai Unified School District, Ojai Community Nursery School, and Noah’s Arc Preschool.
Imelda has a bachelor’s degree in Educative Psychology with a minor in Neurolinguistic Programming. She also holds an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Development. In 2005, Imelda completed the Montessori Teacher Training Program in math and language. She currently holds a California teacher’s credential and is enrolled in the Education Through Music Program at the Richard’s Institute of Education and Research. Imelda loves working with children and believes that the first years of their lives are the most important in their development.
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Michael is a passionate childcare provider enjoying his 12th year working with children in the United States and abroad. Michael began his work as a classroom assistant before earning his AMI diploma at the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee in 2009. From there, he enjoyed leading classrooms in Germany and France. In addition to his classroom work, Michael trains future Montessori teachers in music at the Centre de Formation Montessori Francophonie in Archamps, France. A lifelong musician, Michael authored the book Making Music in Montessori, in which he shares with Montessori teachers his techniques for bringing the joy of music into the Montessori classroom. Michael has conducted Making Music in Montessori workshops at schools in France, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and the United States. As a native speaker of American English with proficiency in French and Russian, Michael has harnessed his enthusiasm for languages to engage with a range of internationally diverse children, families, and colleagues over the years. In applying the Montessori approach, Michael draws on the educational philosophies of Alphie Kohn, John Holt, Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish, Jane Nelson, and Zoltan Kodàly to develop individuality, creativity, musical literacy, critical thinking, socio-emotional intelligence, inquisitiveness, thirst for knowledge, and independence in the children under his care.
Justine was born and raised in the United Kingdom. She graduated and was awarded a highly recommended distinction from the renowned St. Nicholas Montessori Training College in London in 1997. She embarked on her teaching career at the Roche Montessori School, London as Lead Teacher for 3 - to - 6 year olds, where she remained for several years.
Justine moved to Santa Barbara in 2004. While raising her own family, she volunteered in her children’s classrooms throughout their elementary years , assisting with reading and mathematics as well as the art curriculum for grads 2nd through 5th. Wanting to utilize her education and love of children she began nannying and tutoring where she incorporated Montessori methods such as practical life skills and early reading comprehension.
Justine’s genuine fondness for children is evident in her caring and nurturing rapport, along with her desire for developing and shaping young minds through education. Justine moved to Ojai in 2020 where she began her work of teaching in Montessori classrooms again, this time as an elementary guide.