Moulding Montessori

Winnipeg

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This article was published 26/07/2023 (1021 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Angela Izzard has been close to the Montessori curriculum since 2013.

Now, in what she described as both a stressful and exciting new transition, she is settling in as owner and director of the Guiding Minds Montessori School, projected to open on Sept. 4, at 280 Caron Rd. on the edge of Headingley.

Montessori is a specialized form of education that focuses on independence and individualized learning. Its curriculum covers practical life and sensory learning, and can include math, arts, science, and more.

Izzard has been working in childcare for 28 years and has lent her experience to Bright Tikes Preschool and Daycare and River Heights Child Care, among others. She also has children of her own.

She is partnered by her mother, Phyllis Byer-Kohanchuk, who has described the specialized program as a “family away from family.” They are keeping closely to the original philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, who developed the original curriculum in 1907 — an individualized, one-on-one style of education that has benefited Izzard both in her teaching experience and childhood education.

“When I was younger and going to school, I didn’t have that one-on-one support,” Izzard said. “I was mixed with a bunch of other students, and a visual learner, so I fell behind.”

Izzard said that, by working with a tutor, she was able to catch up and excel in classes going forward, but she has kept her childhood close when working with kids throughout her experience in Montessori as an adult.

“It really sits well with me, as every child gets one-on-one lessons, and they are taught so they are able to excel at their level … I could have a three year old that knows colours, but a five year old that doesn’t know any colours,” she said.

“I’m always giving them new ideas to trigger their interests.”

One student who has connected with Izzard is autistic, and when the two first met she was selective non-verbal. Because of that, she lacked educational support.

“I was able to form a connection,” Izzard said. Now, the child is very talkative, she added.

“It (the education) is to build relationships. My heart is so happy to see children engaged.”

When putting Guiding Minds together, Izzard and Byer-Kohanchuk travelled to Italy to visit the original Montessori school, the Casa dei Bambini, in Rome.

What was most surprising to them was its physical size. The original Montessori school was basically an outdoor clearing, Byer-Kohanchuk said, and locations that followed were “very intimate.” It was almost hard for them to recognize when they were at the right place.

“Montessori was a gifted young lady … She saw these children in a back alley,” Byer-Kohanchuk said. “She saw children with different abilities, and she got a friend to make little chairs, little tables, and natural furniture.”

All the original furniture was made of wood, essentially, Byer-Kohanchuk said, which Izzard took inspiration from upon returning home. All the furniture in Guiding Minds is produced by local businesses.

Apart from gleaning some design tips, the trip solidified the passion she already had, Izzard said.

“I have a lot of support from so many people — it’s really amazing,” she said. “People see the passion when they meet me.”

She hopes to expand Guiding Minds to multiple locations in western Winnipeg. For the moment, though, the focus is on opening in September. At deadline, there were still some spots available for toddlers (ages two and three) and preschoolers (aged three to six).

For more information on Guiding Minds Montessori, the curriculum, or to join the waitlist, visit www.guidingmindsmontessori.com or call 204-294-2999.