Greetings from Director
Hello, my name is Jennifer Kim and I am excited to announce the opening of Avocado Montessori Academy in this beautiful city of Bellevue.
I am a certified Montessori teacher/teacher trainer of 19 years. Ever Since becoming certified in 2003, my Montessori journey has taken me to unique adventures and unexpected discoveries in Canada, California and Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Maria Montessori was a keen observer and all of her knowledge and wisdom about children came from the day-to-day observations. I believe each child holds a key to unlock their own potential when we let them.
I also believe in partnership with the parents because we are the most important environment itself for children's cognitive and social emotional development.
When I am not at school, I enjoy gardening, running and reading.
I am grateful to be part of the new journey AMA is embarking on and ready to grow with the children and families I will be meeting along the way!
Director's Bio
1998 BA in Linguistics, BS in Speech and Hearing Science from University of WA
2003 Montessori Teaching Certificate in Early Childhood (MACTE Accredited)
2009-2017 Program director / Parent Educator
2018 -Current Montessori Teacher Preparation of Washington Field Supervi
Director assistant/Toddler Lead
Hi，我是Lily， 从事幼儿教育工作已经有22年了，实践蒙特梭利教育也已经有12年的时间。在这之前，接触过瑞吉欧、华德福、Problem Basic Learning等其它优秀的课程体系。我认为优秀的教育原理都是相通的，唯一不同的是孩子这个主体。我喜欢研究孩子的情绪，个性，接纳每一个不同的孩子，并与她们建立联结, 是我一切“教育”行动的开始。正如蒙特梭利所说：“儿童是成人之父”，和孩子在一起的每一天都是自我教育的历程。非常开心能够加入牛油果蒙特梭利学院，我也准备好和这个大家庭的孩子、父母、老师一起成长！。
Hello, I am Lily Jing, and I have been engaged in early childhood education for 22 years. It has been 12 years since I started Montessori education. Before that, I have been exposed to other excellent curriculum systems such as Reggio, Waldorf, Problem Basic Learning, etc. I think the principles of excellent education are all the same, the only difference is the child. I like to study children's emotions and personalities. I believe that accepting every different child and connecting with them is the beginning of all "education". As Montessori said: "Children are the father of adults", I also believe that every day with children is a journey of self-education. I am very happy to join the Avocado Montessori Academy. And I am also ready to grow with the children, parents, and teachers in this big family!
Director assistant Bio:
1999: China Women's College Bei Jing, China Preschool Education Majors
2012: Montessori Teaching Certificate in Early Childhood AMS (2.5-6) BEIJING
2020: Montessori Teaching Certificate in Early Childhood AMS (0-3) MEIPN
2005-2015: Preschool Director / Parent、Teacher Educator
2015-2020: Eyas Montessori School Chinese Program Lead
2017: Certified Positive Discipline teacher trainer in the United States.
2020-2021: Shamrock Montessori School Toddler Lead
2021-2022: Little Steps Education Owner/ Lead
Supervisor/Lead Teacher: Sun Wenru
大家好！我叫孙文茹。从事蒙特梭利教育21年了。我非常荣幸今年能够加入Avocado团队。我非常爱孩子。对我而言，每一个孩子都是天使。希望在新学年能和我的同事们一起伴随孩子的快乐健康的成长，用我的专业和职业操守赢得您的信任。
Hello, I am Wenru Sun. I have been working in Montessori field for 21 years since 2001. I am so proud and honored to join the wonderful team of Avocado Montesssori school this year . I love children very much. To me, every single child is an angle. I would love to accompany them to grow happily and healthy with my colleagues. I would like to win your trust by my professional experience and responsibilities.
Supervisor Bio:
1997: Nan Jing University Postgraduate Diploma in Economic
2001-2004 :MIA Teaching Certificate (Level 2 1/2 to 6) in Seattle
2007 : Montessori Trainer Training in Beijing
2007-2009: Principal/Lead Teacher Montessori School of Shanghai (MSS)
2010-2015 Founder/Academic Director Evergreen Education Group
2013-2018: Montessori Trainer in Philippines and Vietnam
2013-Present:
Founder/Owner/Director Wenru Education & TechnologyCompany Ltd
Founder/Owner/Director Montessori International Society of Asia(MIS ASIA)
Toddler Lead /Founder
Greetings! I am Coco, the founder of Avocado Montessori. Hailing from the coastal city of Tianjin in northern China, I moved to Seattle in 2010. My profound Montessori journey took flight with the arrival of my first daughter, as I sought to build a deeper connection with her as a person, transcending the traditional role of a mother. In my quest for guidance, I stumbled upon the Montessori method and was captivated by its transformative philosophy.
In 2018, driven by my passion and commitment, I embarked on a rigorous training course, earning the AMS certification from the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest. This training solidified my dedication to observing and nurturing young minds, tailored to their individual needs and interests.
At Avocado Montessori, we warmly welcome parents to join our community. It is an honor to be entrusted with the opportunity to spend invaluable moments with your children, fostering their growth and embarking on a shared journey of exploration and learning.
Lead Teacher: Ms. Dan
Hello, My name is Dan Peng. I am from Changsha, Hunan. I have been in Seattle for five years; my son is seven years old. I have a degree in Dance Education and used to be a Dance teacher in China. I enjoy teaching kids and love being with them. I was curious about Montessori when my son attended a Montessori school in Atlanta. Lots of research and volunteering help me to understand how this education help child to be successful. I have been a Montessori teacher for three years. I am taking my second Montessori credential at the Infant Toddle level in AMS. I love Montessori ways of leading children to be independent, academic, and confident. I am so excited to join the AMA community.
Primary Lead
Ms. Hannah
Hi everyone! My name is Hannah, I’m an AMI 0-3 &3-6 trained Montessori educator, I’ve been a part of Montessori since 2016. The first time that I discovered the Montessori approach when I was doing an observation in a school and became passionate about this philosophy, so I decided to devote myself to my passion since then. I’ve always enjoyed working with children over the last 6 years. I’m very excited to join our Avocado family this year, to share both language and cultured with our little ones, providing them with positive and meaningful experience in the environment.
In my spare time, I enjoy outdoors, cooking, knitting, and exploring nature with my family and my dog Juju!
Primary Lead
Hello, My name is Joy, and I am excited to join Avocado Montessori Academy. I'm originally from South Korea, where I used to work as a social worker. After I moved to Seattle 5 years ago, I decided to pursue my passion in early childhood education. While taking the Montessori teacher training, I fell in love with the Montessori method. I have been working in a Montessori classroom for three years now, including two years as a lead teacher. I love observing each child and figuring out what they need to be successful. I believe that all children deserve to be happy and enjoy learning independently. The Montessori method respects and guides children differently from traditional education.
I'm confident that your children will benefit from their experiences here at AMA, and I look forward to working with them.
Toddler Assistant
ZQ拥有多文化背景经历。大学时代留学日本，专攻语言学。精通中、英、日语。因家庭原因往返于欧，美，中，日之间。作为两个中英混血女儿的妈妈，一直从事语言类教学。 多样的经历让她不仅注重孩子多语言的培养，更能深入认识到多样文化的重要性。ZQ相信一个充满了快乐与安全感的童年是带给孩子们自信、幸福与无限未来的第一步。
ZQ is one of our teachers with a multi-cultural background. She grew up in China and went to university in Japan, where she majored in linguistics. She is fluent in Chinese, English, and Japanese. ZQ has also lived the UK, the Netherlands, and now the USA. She is the mother of two children of mixed heritage.
Her various experiences have inspired her to specialize not only in teaching kids to speak Chinese in an anglophone environment, but also to understand and appreciate the value of contributions from different cultures. ZQ believes kids are the bridge to the future, they need to have both self-awareness and confidence; and with those as a foundation—in a fun and safe environment—they will get a solid
first step towards a confident, successful, and happy life.
Assistant Teacher: Ms. Guo
Ms. Guo
郭老师，2004年毕业于湖南师范大学汉语言文学专业，2004年取得中国普通话二级甲等证书，曾实习于长沙芙蓉幼儿园。 这些年经常与在全国各学校任教的同学一起讨论儿童教育理念及方法等问题，深被孩子们天真和可爱所吸引。
Toddler Assistant
My name is June and I really enjoy working with young children. I got my degree in Early Childhood Education from South Korea and worked as a Kindergarten teacher for 6 years. While majoring in Early Childhood Education, I learned that 0 to 3 years is the most important period in child development. I believe that being an early childhood educator is more than a job, to me it is my calling.
I am currently taking a teaching certificate course from Montessori Teacher Preparation of Washington which is MACTE accredited. I enjoy preparing the environments and materials for children and helping them grow in their independence and confidence.
I am excited to be part of Avocado Montessori Academy and to grow with the school community.
Primary Lead
Ao Zhang, primary class Co-Lead Teacher in Avocado Class.
With a degree in broadcasting and an early childhood Montessori credential, Ao Zhang works in our primary Avocado classroom. “As the mom of two young kids, I understand what children need, how they think, and how they feel,” she said. Before joining AMA, Ao worked at a Montessori school for five years; even earlier than that, she was a correspondent for a Beijing TV station. Her favorite part of AMA is that it feels like a family. Outside of the classroom, Ao enjoys playing the piano and doing photography. With family on two different continents, Ao loves to travel and camp around the Seattle area.
Toddler Assistant
Ms. Youngju Kim
I was born and raised in South Korea and graduated from Sogang University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. After working in the finance sector for five years, I started my own clothing export business in New Jersey. Upon moving to Seattle, I found my passion in Early Childhood Education and now, I am excitedly embarking on a new chapter at Avocado Montessori Academy. Outside of work, I am happily married for 13 years and a proud mother of two children. We love traveling and spending quality time together.
Primary Assistant
Ms. Michelle Lee
Hello, my name is Michelle, and I am very excited to be a part of the team at Avocado Montessori Academy. I am a graduate of the University of California, Davis and studied Theatre, Dance, and Education. After getting the degree, I have worked with children in various settings and my passion for educating young children grew. My admiration for people who showed me what life is all about led me here. I hope to be able to guide children to excellency in life-long habit, perseverance independence and creativity. During my spare time I enjoy conversations, yoga, hikes, reading books, singing and playing guitar, So happy to be here!
Nido Lead
Ms. Choyeon Han
My name is Cho, and I am originally from South Korea. I received a BA from a university in Seoul, Korea, and took TESOL courses at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. I have worked with pre-k and elementary school students in the US and Korea since 2008. It was always a fun journey to work with kids because each child is unique and different.
I am so excited to join Avocado Montessori Academy and to see the kids grow and develop in such a supportive and caring environment.