Hi! My name is Beth Mayberry, and I will be a Montessori Homeschooling Collective Educator beginning in the fall of 2022. I was a founding lead educator for five years at Asheville Primary School, a free public Montessori preschool and elementary school in Western North Carolina. I have served as a Montessori Early Childhood (multi-age PreK and Kindergarten) educator at Asheville Primary for the past three years. Previously, I was a Lower Elementary (1st-3rd grade) lead educator at Asheville Primary for two years.
Asheville Primary School was the ONLY Montessori school in Western North Carolina that was free and accessible to all students. This past December, the Asheville City School Board decided to close Asheville Primary at the end of this school year in a 3-2 vote. Our school is really something special, and our community is truly devastated by this decision. While some families can send their children to private Montessori schools in the area, many of my students don't have that option. My heart is in teaching Montessori in a way that is accessible to all, and so I am starting a Montessori Homeschool Collective for anyone who has been displaced by our school closure.
Let's give these students the best possible start we can. This Go Fund Me will go directly toward purchasing Montessori materials and making sure that the students' full needs are met. For example, lunch and snacks will be provided to any student who needs them. I would like to bring in music, art, and wellness teachers to support students as well. A church in downtown Asheville has generously offered to host our homeschool collective next school year, and we are incredibly grateful for their support!
A little more about me:
I have my Lower and Upper Elementary Montessori Certification (1st-6th grade) and a state public elementary and preschool teaching license. Through mentorships, observation, and independent study, I have gained experience in Montessori Early Childhood Education, and I hope to continue my certification studies in this area.
I began my education career in Washington, DC, as a bilingual instructional assistant at a Spanish-immersion and project-based learning public charter school focusing on sustainability. Previously, I worked with international non-profit organizations on education, health, and early childhood development programs in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. I was a Peace Corps youth development volunteer in Honduras and Ecuador. My educational experience includes a Bachelor's Degree in International Economics and Social Work from Texas Christian University (TCU) and a Master's Degree in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
I believe in the importance of nature connection, place-based learning, community connection, and social justice in education. I value the holistic development of a child, including supporting their social-emotional, spiritual, and academic needs. I believe that children can develop intrinsic motivation, independence, and persistence through self-chosen work that is meaningful to them. I also think that social-emotional skills are developed through supporting children's organic interactions with peers and adults.
I speak Spanish fluently, and I hope to include Spanish lessons. I also enjoy gardening (both native plants and fruits and vegetables), and I enjoy integrating gardening with children's work. I enjoy backpacking, hiking, trail running, reading, singing, and playing guitar in my free time.
Asheville Primary School was the ONLY Montessori school in Western North Carolina that was free and accessible to all students. This past December, the Asheville City School Board decided to close Asheville Primary at the end of this school year in a 3-2 vote. Our school is really something special, and our community is truly devastated by this decision. While some families can send their children to private Montessori schools in the area, many of my students don't have that option. My heart is in teaching Montessori in a way that is accessible to all, and so I am starting a Montessori Homeschool Collective for anyone who has been displaced by our school closure.
Let's give these students the best possible start we can. This Go Fund Me will go directly toward purchasing Montessori materials and making sure that the students' full needs are met. For example, lunch and snacks will be provided to any student who needs them. I would like to bring in music, art, and wellness teachers to support students as well. A church in downtown Asheville has generously offered to host our homeschool collective next school year, and we are incredibly grateful for their support!
A little more about me:
I have my Lower and Upper Elementary Montessori Certification (1st-6th grade) and a state public elementary and preschool teaching license. Through mentorships, observation, and independent study, I have gained experience in Montessori Early Childhood Education, and I hope to continue my certification studies in this area.
I began my education career in Washington, DC, as a bilingual instructional assistant at a Spanish-immersion and project-based learning public charter school focusing on sustainability. Previously, I worked with international non-profit organizations on education, health, and early childhood development programs in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. I was a Peace Corps youth development volunteer in Honduras and Ecuador. My educational experience includes a Bachelor's Degree in International Economics and Social Work from Texas Christian University (TCU) and a Master's Degree in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
I believe in the importance of nature connection, place-based learning, community connection, and social justice in education. I value the holistic development of a child, including supporting their social-emotional, spiritual, and academic needs. I believe that children can develop intrinsic motivation, independence, and persistence through self-chosen work that is meaningful to them. I also think that social-emotional skills are developed through supporting children's organic interactions with peers and adults.
I speak Spanish fluently, and I hope to include Spanish lessons. I also enjoy gardening (both native plants and fruits and vegetables), and I enjoy integrating gardening with children's work. I enjoy backpacking, hiking, trail running, reading, singing, and playing guitar in my free time.