Hi! Thank you for checking out this GoFundMe. I set it up to raise funds for initial start-up costs for a Montessori school in the foothills of Costa Rica's Chirripo mountains. I am an AMI trained primary guide (specializing in the 3-6 age range), and have recently returned to the town I grew up in here in Costa Rica with my own little family. This building became available to rent recently - and I know it will be a beautiful location for a small school. Currently there are no programs for children under the age of four in this little town. Aside from offering class for primary students, my dream is to offer a once a week toddler program for babies- 2.5 years old as well.

Montessori education is a passion of mine because I have seen firsthand how well the curriculum works for the individual child. We offer real life activities, giving small children the chance to learn abstract concepts with hands on tools. Uninhibited movement, freedom of choice, and one on one lessons make the method successful and pleasurable for the children who attend. They like school. It is a place for them to learn, grow, create, and explore. They take pride in the classroom and the work they do there.

Our school will be bilingual, as I plan to give lessons in English while hiring a local person to assist me in Spanish. The Montessori method has deep roots in the development of language, which I believe will greatly aid bilingual immersion.

The building needs a little TLC- which luckily the owners are agreeing to complete before the lease begins. They will add a wooden fence along the edges of the yard for the safty of the children, flatten the side yard to make a lovely play area, and have agreed to paint the interior. Once these things are complete, the space will be useful but not totally ready for school to open. A complete list of the things that need to be done are as follows:

Build small tables and chairs for the children (3 -4 of these total)

Build or buy a few shelves for the classoom.

Put in a small play structure on the side yard.

Put in a couple small garden beds outside for the children to tend to.

Purchase and make materials to get started with (I will make what I can and hire local craftsmen/women for what I cannot).

I am enclosing some images of the inspiration behind my vision for the space.

Any money raised will help immensly- GoFundMe asks for a goal amount and with $5,000 I know we could do all of this and have funds leftover to help in hiring an assistant + setting up a financial aid program for families who need it. All proceeds will go towards these startup costs and getting the school off the ground (so to speak).

I go sign the papers for the lease on Monday- wish me luck!

If you live locally- I am also accepting donations of useful materials (wood, time, art for the walls, etc). Someone already donated a refrigeterator which is awesome because we do love food prep in the Montessori environment!

Thank you so much!

Chelsae

I will post pictures of progress during the set up of the space! Be sure to follow me on Instagram @montessori_mas_o_menos to see videos of progress as well!