Staff Spotlight: Samantha Zanville
Samantha is a Lower Elementary teacher who feels that children who attend a Montessori school develop a lifelong love for learning because it's enjoyable and hands-on.
𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟? 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫
𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬?
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞?
Back
𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬?
I grew up in Perrysburg, OH and studied at BGSU. I grew up playing soccer and eventually coached the high school JV girls team at Perrysburg. Prior to West Side, I worked with adults and high schoolers with developmental disabilities. In my spare time I like to spend time with my husband, Taylor and our three-year-old son Dylan. We enjoy spending time with family, swimming, gardening and exploring.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞?
"Let us give the children a vision of the universe."
Maria Montessori discovered that at the elementary level the children are ready to understand the universe and all of its working parts. She believed the universe holds all of the answers to our questions. When we give the children these five great lessons at the elementary level it sparks their imagination and guides them to find their inner love for learning and creativity.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?
Maria Montessori discovered that at the elementary level the children are ready to understand the universe and all of its working parts. She believed the universe holds all of the answers to our questions. When we give the children these five great lessons at the elementary level it sparks their imagination and guides them to find their inner love for learning and creativity.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?
Kindness and Peace. We are human and at times we make mistakes, have accidents and have bad days. It is so important in my classroom that the children understand this and are able to openly express how they are feeling without judgement from their peers. Random acts of kindness will be incorporated throughout the year because we all need more of that in our world!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢?
EVERYTHING! I am not sure if I can pinpoint one thing exactly. Maria was such an influential woman in the education world. She overcame so many obstacles in her life and had a true love for guiding and taking care of children. The Montessori materials are crucial for children and their development. It is so fascinating how she discovered that children at different age levels have different needs emotionally, physically, and socially. The Little House and Children's House give the children a rich sensorial experience and prepare them to have a successful learning experience in all of elementary. In the elementary classroom, they have materials that move them from concrete to abstraction. Children who attend Montessori schools develop a lifelong love for learning because it is enjoyable and hands-on.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞?
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢?
EVERYTHING! I am not sure if I can pinpoint one thing exactly. Maria was such an influential woman in the education world. She overcame so many obstacles in her life and had a true love for guiding and taking care of children. The Montessori materials are crucial for children and their development. It is so fascinating how she discovered that children at different age levels have different needs emotionally, physically, and socially. The Little House and Children's House give the children a rich sensorial experience and prepare them to have a successful learning experience in all of elementary. In the elementary classroom, they have materials that move them from concrete to abstraction. Children who attend Montessori schools develop a lifelong love for learning because it is enjoyable and hands-on.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞?
West Side Montessori is one of the best things to happen to me and nothing can compare to the educational experience for children. The beautiful grounds, community, staff members and all of the amazing children are things that I am so grateful for every day.
Toledo Campus
Perrysburg Campus
West Side Montessori is an independent, accredited Montessori school educating children 13 months through 8th grade (preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school). We are one of the leading private schools in Toledo and the nation.
WSM does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in the administration of its admission policy, educational policy, or any school-administered program.
WSM does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in the administration of its admission policy, educational policy, or any school-administered program.