As a college-educated mother of five, I have always valued family AND education. However, being independent-minded and curious, I kept myself open to and even sought out, different ideas and methods to help me in raising and teaching my children. When I realized public education was going in a direction that did not support family values and broader opportunities in learning (such as trades, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurship) I chose to homeschool my children. I see in MONTESSORI learning opportunities that are missing in public schools, that even excellent teachers in those settings cannot provide. I enjoy working with young children, and I am excited to have this opportunity to learn and teach the MONTESSORI method.