The teaching team
OUR TEACHING
TEAM
At the International Montessori Esclaibes School of Marseille we enhance the diversity of our profils. The teaching team either comes from the Education Nationale and has a professor training and several years of experience in the public school system, plus a Montessori teacher training or they directly have a Montessori teacher training followed in France or abroad for our english teachers.
We do not recruit resumes but people who are capable to bring the best to our students by always creating a joyful, benevolent and clever learning environment. Each member of the team has to follow a training in our official center Apprendre Montessori before starting their work in class. They are also constantly trained throughout the year, in order to constantly develop their knowledge and skills, to always be at the cutting edge of the pedagogical innovation and to be able to answer in the best way possible the needs of each child.
You can find the french version here
Ioana - Head of the Marseille school and of H.R for the Montessori ESclaibes school group
How long have you been working in education and what is your background ?
After a bachelor degree in hospitality management and a master in public relations, I worked for 10 years in 4 and 5 stars hotels in Bucarest and Paris. Hospitality and tourism still interests me very much.
It is with the birth of my first child, in 2015 that I started looking into alternatives pedagogies and I discovered the wonderful project of Céline Alvarez and the books of Maria Montessori.
The child is the book that opened my eyes on the extraordinary potential of each child and our mission to help them blossom and grow with strong human values for a peaceful world.
Then I found out about the deeply touching story of Sylvie d’Esclaibes that I invite you to listen to here : https://youtu.be/CqEOveZsjdk
Determined to change my career path, I was happy to discover ,when moving to Marseille in 2016, that Sylvie’s son just opened a school very nearby my house. I went to the open day where I met Marie and Alexandre and then I trained during a year to learn about the Montessori pedagogy for the 0 to 6 years old children in their school that soon became my second home.
After the training, I was hired as a teacher in the 3-6 years old class. Even if I love working with children, my former job as hotel manager soon made me involved in the day-to-day management of the school and the optimisation of its functioning. Today I get satisfaction by supporting Marie and Alexandre while taking part in the life of the pre-school and elementary school classes. I still train myself to the pedagogy Montessori by learning more about the 6 to 12 years old pedagogy.
What are for you the benefits of a Montessori education ?
Definitely the central place we give to the children, the awareness and realisation of his individuality and the suitable follow-up we give to each one of them. The prepared environnement in which the child can evolve following a precise path where the adult intervene only as an observer and adapts to its particulars needs allow the learning process to be something that adapts to its particularities. Working like this allow the learning process to complete a need and works smoothly with an intertwined motivation. For me, seeing children being happy to come to school every morning, having the joy to learn, not wanting to leave at night and finding holidays too long is more significant than any other explanation.
What are essential elements of a successful education for you?
With no doubt the alignement with values and the transparent collaboration and complete trust between the school and the family.
Can you share with us a life changing moment during which you realize you wanted to work with children?
My meeting with Marie and Alexandre.
A reading recommendation for children between 3 and 6 years old?
Hard to say.
For readings I would say « The colour of emotions » by Anna Llenas, a much needed step. Working on emotions is not easy for young children and this book makes a first approach simple, ludique and easily understandable.
Your favorite activity to present to children ?
I love mathematics and seing how children are amazed by the way they learn with the Montessori activities. I would say that my favorite activity are the coloured beadles by starting with the small staircase.
You can add anything you feel like sharing, a fun story…
We are extremely lucky to evolve in a school where we follow the rhythm of the child. We are with children all day long, during break times, naps times…
We follow them for servers years, most of the time starting at 2 and half years old and it is wonderful to see them evolve, grow and blossom. It allows us to create a particular, unique and loving relation with each one of them and their families. For me, and for the rest of the team, this school is our second home, a huge family. I am happy to see my own children grow there with all the trust, love and kindness in the world.
Amanda - Head of educational programs and french teacher for the 6-12 years old class
How long have you been working in education and what is your background ?
After starting my career in the pharmaceutical industry, I quickly noticed my need to create strong human social connections that are more authentic. That is how I decided to pursue a career in education.
After I obtained my degree as a school teacher, I worked for 4 years in Seine-Saint-Denis public schools. It was a very important experience for me because I learned a lot from it.
Back then I was very interested by the Montessori pedagogy but with the lack of finance of the schools I worked in, it was hard to implement. It is after the birth of my daughter that I learned more about it and I decided to join a Montessori school.
It has been two years since I teach at the Internationale Montessori Esclaibes School of Marseille and help children grow and develop their full potential.
My professional tasks are now meaningful and became life duties.
What are for you the benefits of a Montessori education ?
You can acquire knowledge only if it is meaningful and if you truly understand the way it works. The Montessori pedagogy is intuitive. The prepared environment helps to create the need and desire to learn. This pedagogy unveil to the child the ability to develop his potential.
What are essential elements of a successful education for you?
The child needs to feel great and safe in his environment. In order to succeed it is necessary for him to trust himself and to have the pleasure to learn.
Can you share with us a life changing moment during which you realize you wanted to work with children?
It is not one experience that led me to this job but my daily ones that are constantly reminding me that I made the right choice.
In my class I have a child with a disability. Doctors said to parents that he wouldn’t be able to follow a normal school path. At our school this child blossomed. He is 6 and half years old and knows how to read complexes sentences, how to count and manipulate big numbers easily and start learning grammar rules. The doctors were impressed by his progress, his aptitude and fulfilment. They even asked to know more about our methods.
A reading recommendation for children between 3 and 6 years old?
Reading : The glove by Florence Desnouveaux. During winter this album can help children learn in many different ways. The anaphores used in the book help to develop the easy memorisation of the story that can be transformed into a play by children.
Song : La sorcière Grabouilla… they love it !
Your favorite activity to work on with the children?
The Kamishibai : It is a Japanese technique to tell stories with images by using a butai (a wood theatre). It can be presented to children of all ages
You can add anything you feel like sharing, a fun story…
I have the best job in the world.
Nitha - English teacher for the 3-6 years old class
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How long have you been working in education? What is your background?
I have been working in the teaching field since 2008. I have a Master’s degree in Science, and a
Diploma in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). After my Montessori training in India, I
worked there as a substitute teacher. Then, I had an opportunity in an Art and Science College in
Kerala (India) as a science lecturer for 1 1⁄2 years.
What are for you the benefits of a Montessori education?
The Montessori philosophy has always been one that resonated with me. This method of
education truly shows in each child’s joyful eyes, in each teacher’s inspiring voice, and in
each classroom’s inviting warmth. I fell in love with the Montessori system of education
because I love how this method does not only focus on Language or Math. While the children
learn these concepts seamlessly through the carefully thought out lessons, the Montessori
method provides an emphasis on helping to develop the whole child. I think that all children
have an innate sense of wonder and curiosity Montessori encourages and expands upon that.
The children learn grace and courtesy lessons such as The soft voice and practical life
activities like Pouring water, Sweeping the floor etc. The breadth of lessons in Montessori
help to guide the child into becoming a responsible, capable, kind-hearted human being who
is ready to take on the world and make it a better place.
What are essential elements of a successful education for you?
The most important factor in a child’s education is keeping their natural curiosity and love of learning from being diminished or squashed by force-fed information/academics of which they may as yet have no interest.
“Education cannot be effective unless it helps a child to open up himself to life” - Maria Montessori
Can you share with us a life changing moment during which you realize you wanted to work with children?
I knew from my young age that I wanted to be a teacher. My mother was a teacher then a
headmistress. Therefore, from my childhood, I have grown up with this environment related to school.
It was also through her that I came to know about the Montessori method of education. Fascinated by
the little ones and their desire to explore their environment, I decided to work with children.
A reading recommendation for children between 3 and 6 years old?
For Parents with children between 3 and 6years old I would recommend reading :
How to talk so kids can learn by Adele Faber.
This book is centered around creating conversations with your children that inspire an excitement to
learn. It offers various practical examples on the following topics:
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How to deal with feelings that interfere with learning
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Tips that invite kids to cooperate ( particularly helpful if you are not authoritarian)
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Alternatives to punishment that lead to self discipline
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Problem solving that engage child’s creativity and commitment
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How to praise and criticize in a constructive way
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Parent-teacher relationship
Your favorite activity to work on with the children?
“Simon Says” : This is an excellent game for helping kids learn to pay close attention to instructions.
The Simon Says Game has always been the ‘go to’ activity for teaching kids body parts and other
vocabulary. You can also play it with objects in the house or even saying common expressions or
phrases that you would like to review.
Rachel - English Teacher for 6-12 years old class
How long have you been working in education and what is your background ?
When I graduated University in 2008, I moved to France and began teaching in primary schools as an English language assistant. I worked in primary schools in the Gers, in Majorca in Spain, in Marignane and then Endoume before finally finding my own classroom at the École Internationale Montessori Marseille. Aside from teaching children, I also have experience teaching English to adults and translating.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in French, Translation and International Studies. I have also completed the Master1 MEEF (métiers de l’enseignement, de l’education et de la formation) and the Montessori Esclaibes trainings : 0-3, 3-6, and 6-12.
What are for you the benefits of a Montessori education ?
I love the Montessori material. As adults we sometimes forget how abstract some of these concepts can be for children ; Montessori material makes it more concrete, comprehensive and engaging!
What are essential elements of a successful education for you ?
Curiosity!
Can you share with us a life changing moment during your professional or personal life that allowed you to realize you wanted to work with children ?
I started learning French when I was in high school and have always been fascinated by the building blocks of language learning : vocabulary memorisation, syntax, listening comprehension, phonology, translation and more intricate parts relating to culture. After being a language student for many years, I decided to become the teacher. The moment that I realized I wanted to teach language to children was when I was living in Majorca. The city where I taught, Santa Ponça, had a large international population and I was so impressed how children were learning and speaking Spanish, Catalan, English and German at school. What I love about teaching children is how they can just soak up so much!
A reading recommendation for children between 3 and 6 years old and a song ?
My boys love their Highlights magazines from the States and any Julia Donaldson, Pete the Cat, or Dr. Suess books. As for songs Baby Shark is a favorite but I can also recommend Raffi!
