I started my Montessori journey 13 years ago after leaving my career as a traditional primary teacher in Hong Kong to come to London and study at Montessori Centre International (MCI). After receiving my International diploma in Early Childhood Education 3-6yrs, I moved to Dharamsala, India to help turn a traditional kindergarten for Tibetan refugees into a Montessori school. I spent a year fundraising for Montessori materials, setting up classrooms, working with children and training local Tibetan women in the method. After my time in India, I returned to Hong Kong and helped to open a new early years Montessori setting as well as delivering workshops for parents and professional development seminars for other teachers.
In 2013 I moved to Istanbul, Turkey to open up the first Montessori Parent cooperative in Turkey. I led the school as academic director for four years. In Turkey I also had the opportunity to create and lead workshops for women working in low-income neighbourhood crèches, as well as instruct a short course for University students studying early-childhood education in Turkish Universities. I had the pleasure of addressing a UNICEF assembly in Ankara to discuss how the Montessori Method could benefit education in developing countries. In 2016 my first book, Following the Child (Cocugun Ayak Izinden) was published in Turkish.
I moved to London in 2017 to join MCI as a full time academic lecturer in the Montessori curriculum areas and continue to enjoy learning and developing my Montessori practise with future Montessori practitioners. After my empolyment ended with MCI in 2021, I have just completed a year working in Malta, mentoring new Montessori teachers. I am now happy to be joining AMS as the new Director of Learning and Professional Development, and have recently moved to Brooklyn, NYC.