ERIKA OHLHAVER M.Ed.  

Ms. Ohlhaver has been a Montessori teacher for the past 30 years. Starting with the youngest age group, she has received three separate levels of Montessori certification (Early Childhood, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary). Ms. Ohlhaver, a second generation Montessori professional, has worked in both private and public school Montessori programs at all age levels. Since 1992, her association as a faculty member of several training centers and some of the top Montessori training programs in the nation, has afforded her the opportunity to work with many prominent people in the Montessori community. Ms. Ohlhaver has worked extensively with the development of the Montessori math and geometry curricula, which is predicated on discovery learning.

 

Facilitating Montessori philosophy and material presentations across all age groups, (early childhood through middle school) provides Ms. Ohlhaver the opportunity to instruct many Montessori student teachers each year. In addition to her duties at the Training Centers, she has written curriculum for science, math, and geometry programs that are available and used nationwide in Montessori classrooms. As well, Ms. Ohlhaver has presented many workshops at local and regional conferences.

 

ANN WILSON 

Ms. Wilson earned a B.A. in Geography and Sociology from the University of North Alabama, AL. She holds an American Montessori Society credential at the Elementary I level through the Houston Montessori Training Center, TX, and Elementary II level through the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies, MD. Ann also holds a Level I credential in Montessori Applied to Children At Risk for Learning Differences (MACAR) through the Shelton School in Dallas, TX. She brings many years of experience from both private and public schools as a teacher, Head of School, Principal of a Charter School and Montessori teacher educator. She has served on school accreditation teams for Middle States Association and AMS as well as task forces associated with the Massachusetts Department of Education. More recently she has served on MACTE accreditation teams for teacher training centers. She is Vice-President of the New Jersey Montessori Administrators' Council.

 

Ann is actively involved in the partnership between the Princeton Montessori Society and the Ukrainian Department of Education. She oversees Parent Education and Staff Development for Princeton Montessori School. Ms. Wilson is the Director of Princeton Center Teacher Education.

 

MARSHA STENCEL

Ms. Stencel holds an M.A. in Supervision and Curriculum from Wright State University, OH, and a B.S. with a specialization in Special Education from Vanderbilt University, TN. She holds an American Montessori Society (AMS) credential in Early Childhood through MECA-Seton, IL. She is certified by the State of New Jersey to teach Special Education K-12. Her teaching experience includes Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Levels. She is a Commissioner of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CES) and an American Montessori Society Commissioner for School Accreditation. She served on the board of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS). She volunteers time to the Ukrainian Project to develop a viable Montessori system of education in Ukraine.

 

Ms. Stencel is the Chief Operating Officer for the Princeton Center Teacher Education, and has been the Head of Princeton Montessori School for the past 30 years.

 

TERI CANADAY

Ms. Canaday earned a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Elementary Education from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She holds an American Montessori Society credential at the Early Childhood through Xavier University, OH, and Elementary I level through the same university.  Furthermore, she also holds credentials as an Elementary I Auditor, through the Columbus Montessori Center (COMET) in Columbus, OH. Teri brings years of experience not only as a consultant, but also faculty member at several prominent universities and Montessori training centers. Her experience as a teacher in both private and public schools, and more recently as founder of the Montessori Center of Jackson, gives her the unique ability to understand the dynamics involved in a Montessori school and the complex processes associated with growing and maintaining a successful program. She has served on several educational boards, curriculum development councils, and lectures extensively on brain research and its effective implementation in the Montessori classroom.

 

Teri also brings to ETC not only her experience as an AMS school accreditation consultant, and a MACTE evaluation member for teacher education programs, but also her experience in team leadership, peace education, program modification for special needs, and her innovative approach to problem solving. Currently in addition to being the founder and head of the Montessori Center of Jackson, she is also actively involved with the Memphis Montessori Institute as the administrator for the Elementary level training program.

 

MUNIR SHIVJI

Mr.Shivji has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and has credentials in sociology and behavior therapy from the University of Houston. He also has an Early Childhood AMS credential from the Houston Montessori Center. He is currently the executive director of The Institute of Montessori Education in Houston, Texas.

 

Munir has developed curricula and educational enhancement programs for various organizations including (PSIP) Private School Improvement Program. Munir is a facilitator and teacher spectator for the CDA – Child Development Associate teaching certification course. He has trained teachers and administrators on brain development, child psychology, the Montessori Method, effective communication and classroom management at numerous events, socials, and instructional clock-hour trainings. He has created family workshops for parents to discuss parenting styles, effective discipline and the importance of parental involvement in education.

 

Munir has established three private Montessori schools in Houston, Sugar Land and Katy, Texas. He has written articles about Montessori Education and Child Development for the Houston Family Magazine, Texas United, and various newsletters. He has been featured in ICON Magazine, Mikel Marketing Newsletter, UPCLOSE Magazine, the Houston Chronicle and Katy Lifestyles. He also has been interviewed by Public School Montessorian, Channel 11 KHOU, Channel 2 NBC, and Fox 26 News.

 

On a volunteer basis, he has been a program manager for Learning Centers for Parents and Children, Director of a head start learning center and school community education center principal for ITREB. He chaired and co-produced the Houston Montessori Centenary event, 100 Years of Maria Montessori Celebrating Peace and Culture and Global Village Children’s Festival with honorary chairs including, the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Honorable Bill and Andrea White and the City of Houston. He also serves on the Board of APAHA (Asian Pacific American Heritage Association), Hashoo Foundation, Communities in Schools and Cooperative for School Enrichment.

 

KATHERYN MILLER

Ms. Miller has taught at Montessori schools for over 30 years and is also an instructor at the Houston Montessori Center for Teachers focusing on Early Childhood. Her mission in life is to make a difference for children through education and positive discipline. Each year she conducts classes of Positive Discipline for small groups of parents. Kathryn has a passion and a knack for helping parents and teachers in regards to developmentally appropriate parenting and teaching. Ms. Miller is currently the program director for The Institute of Montessori Education in Texas.

 

Kathryn is a prolific writer and has written numerous articles for schools and for the Houston Montessori Center’s newsletter. Some of her favorite topics include A Peaceful Classroom, Positive Discipline in the Classroom and at Home, Nutritious Lunches that children will eat, and how to have a happy team in the classroom. Over the past 20 years, Kathryn has been a presenter at the American Montessori Society’s conferences for teachers. She has kept the audiences intrigued with topics on Parents as Volunteers, Science in the Classroom, Around the World with Practical Life, and Cultural Geography in Early Childhood.

 

KRYSTAL McGUIRE

Mrs. McGuire currently serves as lead teacher for the early childhood program at Wilson Montessori, and is the program coordinator for the Elementary Gifted and Talented. Her ability to effectively train teachers in the implementation of such new programs as "Academic Rigor", "Icons of Depth and Complexity", "The Renzulli Online Program", and the "Texas Performance Standards Project" have allowed her to become a well known presenter. As a field consultant, Mrs. McGuire has been able to successfully aid several schools in the implementation of new curricula in the early childhood level,  she has also been instrumental in establishing guidelines for effective student behavior, and self management techniques. As a team leader, and member of several decision making committees in early childhood programs, she has been able to formally implement a number of courses geared at poor and underprivileged students.

 

Mrs. McGuire holds degrees and teaching certificates in Psychology and education from Texas A&M University, Houston Montessori Center, and the American Intercontinental University.

 

MICHELLE BATTISTONE 

Ms. Battistone is a nationally recognized expert in Montessori education for infants and toddlers. A field consultant for Montessori Education Center of the Rockies (a Montessori Infant/Toddler teacher training school), Ms. Battistone also is part of the site inspection and evaluation team for Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (an autonomous accrediting association for teacher education). Co-Founder of Montessori Mentors, Ms. Battistone has spent almost fifteen years teaching infants, toddlers, and the adults who work with them. She is currently Head of School at Oaks Adventist Christian School in Houston, TX. AMS-credentialed: Infant Toddler.