“What is the greatest height of a Montessori teacher’s success? To be able to say:
“Now the children work as if I did not exist,” She has become nothing and the children have become all…
“I have served the spirit of these children so that they have achieved development
and I have accompanied them in all their experiences,”
-Dr. Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, The Montessori Teacher
Our Team
Joy Wilder | Director and Founder
Catherine Lawson | Montessori Lead Teacher
Ms. Catherine Lawson is a veteran teacher entering her thirty-sixth year of teaching Montessori. She graduated from Curry College in Boston, Massachusetts with a BA in Preschool Education and then completed her American Montessori Society (AMS) training at the New England Montessori Teacher Education Center. Ms. Lawson has a passion for early childhood and a particular love for teaching reading and practical life materials. Her favorite materials to present in the classroom are pouring and hammering works.
Ms. Lawson enjoys life with her husband, Richard, and her cat, Ginger. She is immensely proud of her two adult daughters, Robin and Megan. In her free time, Ms. Lawson enjoys searching for treasures for her classroom at estate sales and garage sales. She also enjoys reading, swimming in her pool, and cross stitching.
Ms. Lawson enjoys life with her husband, Richard, and her cat, Ginger. She is immensely proud of her two adult daughters, Robin and Megan. In her free time, Ms. Lawson enjoys searching for treasures for her classroom at estate sales and garage sales. She also enjoys reading, swimming in her pool, and cross stitching.
Daniela Crespo | Assistant Teacher
Daniela studied Psychology and Spanish at George Mason University. She discovered her passion for teaching young children while working at a local preschool. Before becoming interested in the Montessori Method, Daniela worked as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) specializing in children with Autism.
Daniela loves to practice self-care, devour true crime podcasts and enjoy a myriad of movies with her husband. She also travels as often as she can to visit family in Bolivia.
Lizzie Noble | Part-Time Assistant Teacher
Lizzie Noble is currently pursuing her associate's degree in Social Sciences, with plans to obtain a Bachelor of Social Work later on. Serving as a nanny for many families over the past couple of years, she's been able to experience a variety of kids and their individual needs. One of the most challenging being a family with ten kids under the ages of 13! While she has enjoyed these abundant adventures, she's excited to become immersed in the Montessori community. Lizzie enjoys reading, drinking coffee, and spending time with her nieces and nephews
Kulsum Omer | Substitute Teacher
Ms. Omer comes to us with thirty-five years of experience in classroom teaching, in addition to being an honorary board member of The Institute of Montessori Education and an AMS teacher trainer and mentor. She is a 20+ time AMS and school workshop presenter, has held school educational director positions and sat on two different schools’ Montessori Accreditation Committees. She is a major asset to our teaching team. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, helping to care for her young grandchildren and gardening.
Kulsum Omer | Substitute Teacher
Ms. Omer, our resident substitute teacher on our team, comes to us with thirty-five years of experience in classroom teaching, in addition to being an honorary board member of The Institute of Montessori Education and an AMS teacher trainer and mentor. She is a 20+ time AMS and school workshop presenter, has held school educational director positions and sat on two different schools’ Montessori Accreditation Committees. She is a major asset to our teaching team. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, helping to care for her young grandchildren and gardening.
Esther Hyun | Substitute Teacher
Esther touts a teaching credential from San Francisco State University with an early childhood development K-3rd grade. However, after teaching in elementary school for a number of years, she transitioned into middle school, where she enjoyed helping children discover and grow in math and science. In 2005, she moved to Northern Virginia where she taught math at a private school. After several years, Esther decided to homeschool her children. She had homeschooled until her oldest graduated from high school. Esther enjoys reading, taking walks with her children, and exploring new places.
Katie Perschbacher | Substitute Teacher
Would you love to join our all star team?
Email info@montesshare.org to discover how you could join our team as a substitute.
Katie Perschbacher |
Substitute Teacher
Substitute Teacher
Katie Perschbacher studied Early Childhood Education at the University of Dayton and found the Montessori method to be a unique, effective, and refreshing approach to teaching. She incorporated it into homeschooling her own children, who are now 10 and 13 and are thriving in their classrooms. She is very excited to be joining the Montesshare team!
Katie holds true to the belief that any environment can be a teaching environment. This belief was tested and proven true when Katie found herself teaching in her RV in the mountains of New Mexico for a few months, along with their two dogs and two cats, and managed to stay ahead of schedule with her daughters’ schooling! The nomadic military lifestyle has certainly kept her family on their toes over the past 19 years, and they have appreciated all the many experiences their different home states have had to offer.
Katie’s husband is a retired Colonel in the US Air Force and their family is now looking forward to settling down here in Alexandria, Virginia. Although Katie has had many different careers, including a firefighter, EMT, photographer, baker… She has always, first and foremost, been an advocate for children and a cheerleader for every child’s desire to learn.
When Katie is not setting up challenges, experiments, and art projects for her daughters, she enjoys tending to her plants, going on hikes with her dogs, tackling construction projects around the house, solving crossword puzzles, and losing track of time in her craft room.
Would you love to join our all star team?
Email info@montesshare.org to discover how you could join our team as a substitute.
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