Hello, my name is Melissa Wagner Pavick. When my kids were 2 and 4, I visited my first Montessori classroom in Hartford.  I walked into a primary classroom filled with beautiful glass and ceramic pitchers and noticed a 3 year old making her own toast.  I was amazed!  In those first moments, I knew that Montessori was exactly what I wanted for my own children, and I saw the promise for children everywhere. 

After having spent years volunteering and working in Montessori Magnet at Moylan, I was convinced that being in an Upper Elementary class was exactly where I wanted to be.  The training center also felt like a home for me, and I loved every minute of my training experience with Gerry, Liz and Llhamo at MTCNE.   I have stayed in UE at Montessori Magnet at (now) Batchelder, and have grown here in many ways.   I’m sometimes known as the “plant lady”, but this happens to work out in a Montessori school!   

Being in a public Montessori school has highlighted the importance of focusing on the child, and relying on my albums and training as the best possible path for my students.   In doing this, I created a group with my friend Cecilia Schlossberg, Support Montessori in Hartford (on Facebook).  We are an advocacy group on behalf of public Montessori schools in our city.   

Montessori in Hartford has been a way to connect with other Montessorians during the pandemic, and has been a great way to continue to advocate for more authentic programming in our schools.  We are thrilled to be working with the training center to bring together Montessorians for a social event, in person, in May 2022!