Welcome to Our Class Page

Ms Jeanne Sauder, Primary Teacher I grew up here in Charlotte. I am so fortunate that my parents and two sisters still live here, too. I majored in German at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee and graduated having never even heard of Montessori. A short while later I met someone who was a Montessori teacher. When she described to me what she did, I think a light bulb literally appeared over my head as I realized that helping young children learn according to the Montessori philosophy was exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I took my Montessori Primary training in Washington, D.C. and eight years later took the Montessori Infant-Toddler training in Denver, Colorado. I taught for ten years at a private Montessori school before joining CMS when the first public Montessori school in North Carolina opened at Amay James in 1992. That means I have been teaching for over 30 years, but I really don’t feel that old! My husband and I have one daughter who is currently a junior at Myers Park High School. We also have one tail-less cat who gets into more trouble than a child ever could.

Ms Jill Owens, Primary TA After growing up near the coast in eastern North Carolina, I attended Appalachian State before ending up in Charlotte. I was first introduced to Montessori through Mr. Curt’s wife after I had worked with her son in a program at the YMCA. I worked for three years as a lower elementary assistant with Anna Hurdle at Amay James Montessori until I had my daughter. Returning to Montessori five years later , I joined Ms. Jeanne’s class at Park Road. The days I am not at PRM are usually spent helping out at the Dilworth Soup Kitchen. I also enjoy reading, cooking, and spending time outside with my family James, Grace , and our husky Sobaka.

Our Classroom

Our Typical Weekly Schedule

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Music	Media Center	Art & PE	Natural Envir.

Resources for Parents

For toys and learning materials that are compatible with Montessori, I recommend the following catalogs:

• For Small Hands (a partner of Montessori Services)  –  www.forsmallhands.com
• Chinaberry (books specially chosen for their kinder, gentler, more peaceful content)  –  www.Chinaberry.com
• Magic Cabin (emphasis on toys made of natural materials)  –  www.magiccabin.com
• HearthSong (toys that foster creativity)  –  www.hearthsong.com
• MetKids (from the Metropolitan Museum of Art store, for beautiful art supplies)  –  www.store.metmuseum.org
• Museum Tour (great for science and geography)  –  www.museumtour.com

Recommended books for Montessori parents

• MONTESSORI MADNESS by Trevor Eissler  (all about the Montessori philosophy from a Montessori dad’s point of view)
• CHILD OF THE WORLD: MONTESSORI GLOBAL EDUCATION FOR AGE 3-12 by Susan Mayclin Stephenson  (concise descriptions of the activities in a Montessori classroom)
• MONTESSORI READ & WRITE—A PARENT’S GUIDE TO LITERACY FOR CHILDREN by Lynne Lawrence  (great suggestions for literacy activities at home)
• CHILDREN THE CHALLENGE by Rudolf Dreikurs  (an oldie but goodie: how to discipline lovingly and humanely)
• LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS by Richard Louv  (discusses the importance of children spending time in nature)
• PUNISHED BY REWARDS by Alfie Kohn  (rewards are detrimental to a child’s self-motivation)
• MITTEN STRINGS FOR GOD: REFLECTIONS FOR MOTHERS IN A HURRY by Katrina Kenison  (my personal favorite when my daughter was primary-aged)

Classroom BLOG / Site

https://msjeanneprimary.shutterfly.com

(Note: You must request permission to view and post to this private site for Ms Jeanne’s class only.)