About
Montessori Training
Classroom Resources
Meet The Team
Clare Healy Walls
Founder & Chair
Sarah Kennedy-Berge
College Director
Trainer 3-12 years
Fergus Healy
Finance and IT Director
Sandra Healy
Managing Director
Aleksandra Zarosa
College Coordinator
Trainer 3-9 years
Vera Flynn
Trainer 0-18 years
Board Member
Kajsa Olsson-Falk
Trainer 3-12 years
Coordinator WMI Sweden
Ronny Lyseggen
Trainer 6-12
Paul Epstein
Trainer 12-18 years
Astrid Schmidt
Trainer 0-6 years
Halvor Berge
Trainer 0-9 years
Nicole Hermann
Trainer 6-9 years
Marianne Apold
Trainer 12-18 years
Yumna Hoosain
Trainer 6-9 years
Coordinator WMI South Africa
Maelys de Rudder
Coordinator WMI Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bríd Walls
Trainer 0-3 years
Maria Farrugia Zammit
Trainer 3-6 Years
Coordinator WMI Malta
Amii Spark
Trainer 0-12 Years
Coordinator WMI Malta
Claire Crimmins (RIP)
Trainer for 6-9 years
Shreya Shah
Trainer 3-6 years
Coordinator WMI Kenya
Staff Photo 2018
Paul Epstein, Ph.D.
+86 130 5148 7698
Paul is a student of children throughout the world and a highly regarded international and inspirational speaker and author.
As the education director at Designs for Lifelong Learning, Paul leads initiatives that empower Montessori school owners, administrators, and educators. For Paul, Montessori education is a way of life. He has worked in Montessori education for over fifty years as a teacher, school administrator, university professor, teacher trainer, administrator coach, researcher, consultant, and author.
Paul’s doctorate is in cultural anthropology, and he is an AMS early childhood and secondary certified classroom teacher. Paul is the author of An Observer’s Notebook: Learning from Children with the Observation C.O.R.E. He is also the co-author of 60 Days Montessori Observation Notebook and The Montessori Way, a definitive work on the Montessori experience.
Name: Maëlys de Rudder – Tanović
Your role in WMI/EMC: Trainee trainer 3-6
When you began working with WMI: I joined WMI in 2023
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied: I have a qualification for 3-6 Years from Montessori Centre International (MCI), St Nicholas Charity
Your Montessori experience: Montessori nursery and elementary homeschool mother to my children in Paris, 17 years establishing and leading Bloom Montessori school (ages 2,5 -18) in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Country you already do or will provide training in: I plan to commence WMI teacher training in Ex-Yugoslavia countries
Age groups you do provide WMI training for in your centre: hopefully 3-6 first and then 6-9 and 9-12
Other employment besides WMI: I also works as a Shamanic Practitioner
Other areas you have studied: Law School(MA), Shamanic practitioner (Professional diploma)
Marianne Apold
Name: Marianne Apold
Your role in WMI: Trainer12-15
When you began working with WMI: 2023
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied: 6-9, 9-12 and 12-15 (all with WMI).
Your Montessori experience: Started 6-9 training in 2013. Worked as a teacher and principle in Senja Montessoriskole in 2015-16. Started in Hamarøy Montessoriskole, a 1 to 7 school in autumn of 2016. Adolescent program opened in the autumn of 2023. One of the founders, and a member of Montessori Nord-Norge.
Country you already do or will provide training in: Norway
Other employment besides WMI: Principle and teacher at Hamarøy Montessoriskole
Before finding my way to the Montessori approach, I was a producer for the national centre for the Norwegian author Knut Hamsun, as well as a scenographer, production designer, and pyrotechnician in a number of Norwegian films and TV series.
Sandra Bio
Name: Dr Sandra Healy
Your role in WMI: Business & Product Development Manager. Additional Locations Liaison Officer.
When you began working with WMI: I joined WMI in 2020
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied: I qualified with a 3-6 Early Childhood Montessori qualification from WMI in 2005.
Your Montessori experience: I have worked with pre-school children for many years at different stages of my career.
Other areas you have studied: I have a PhD and BSc in Midwifery from the University of Limerick, Ireland.
Other employment besides WMI: I continue to work as a midwife in the homebirth service in Ireland.
Vera Flynn
Trainer 0-18 years
Vera is a Montessori Trainer for 0-18 years and a member of Waterpark Montessori Board of Examiners.
She is a highly experienced multi-skilled coordinator with a strong background in Education with over 25 years of professional experience, including tutoring skills established at Montessori Advanced, College and University level.
Her qualifications include a Master in Education and a Master in Online and Distance Learning, both received from Open University.
Shreya Shah
Name: Shreya Shah
Your role in WMI: Coordinator for WMI Kenya
When you began working with WMI: June 2020
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied: 3-6 with Modern Montessori International (MMI) through Montessori Learning Center (MLC) in Kenya
Your Montessori experience: I have been a teacher in a 3-6 classroom for 5 years, head of school for Montessori Plus Centre (MPC) for 2 years and head of school for Princeton Preparatory since January 2024. Head of WMI college for 4 1/2 years.
Country you already do or will provide training in: Kenya
Age groups you do provide WMI training for in your centre: 3-6 years
Other employment besides WMI: head of school for Princeton Preparatory Schools Nairobi
Other areas you have studied: Law and hair dressing
Jyoti Senthil
Trainer 3-6 years
Jyoti Senthil is an educational consultant and trainer in K-5 schools. She worked for an IB school as Management Advisor, as a Director for a Montessori Pre-school and Training Institute in India and continues to consult and train. She has more than a decade of experience in Educational leadership. She completed her Master’s in Education from the University of Bath, United Kingdom with Primary Years Program (PYP) International Baccalaureate as her specialization and acquired the IB Learning and Teaching Certificate. She holds a Trainer’s Award from Waterpark Montessori International, Norway and is a visiting faculty and examiner with them. She is also a doctoral student at the University of Bath, United Kingdom pursuing a Doctorate in Education. She is privileged to work with educators from different parts of the world and is grateful for this learning process. She is from India, living in Las Vegas with her family.
Yumna Hoosain
Name: Yumna Hoosain
Your role in WMI: 6 to 9 trainer in South Africa and soon 3 -6 and eventually 9-12 as well.
When you began working with WMI: January 2018
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied: 18months – 6 years (Modern Montessori – MACTE accredited) 6-9 years (NAMC) (WMI)
Your Montessori experience:
2003 – 2005 18 months to 3 years class guide
2005 – 2010 3-6 environment guide
2010 – 2022 6-12 environment guide
Country you already do or will provide training in: I am willing to do training anywhere in the world! I currently do training in Cape Town, Johannesburg and would like to train in more countries as well.
Age groups you do provide WMI training for in your centre: 6 – 9 Years
Other employment besides WMI: I run the operations of a group of Montessori schools in Cape Town, South Africa. I also help open schools in underprivileged areas in Cape Town. My aim is to take Montessori to the less fortunate and give them a good foundation in their formative years and at the same time uplift women from those areas by empowering them to run these schools with good training and guidance.
Other areas you have studied: I have a Bachelor Degree in Education from the University of South Africa.
Vaida Zebra
Trainer 6-9 years
Vaida is a WMI trained Montessori teacher for 6-9 years and has worked in Holmestrand International Montessori School since 2009. She also has Higher Education Diploma in Music and is currently completing a bachelor’s degree in music at the University of Educology in Vilnius. Vaida joined the WMI tutor trainee programme in 2012.
Before Vaida came to Norway, she taught at The Performance Arts in Kaunas Food Industry School in Lithuania (High School Level). From 2007 to 2009 she was a teacher’s assistant at London Stoneydown Primary School.
Halvor Berge
Trainer 0-9 years
Halvor is a trained Montessori educator and tutor for ages 0-9 years. He has worked with children since 1996 and in a Montessori kindergarten and school since 2005.
Halvor also has a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood from Queen Maud’s College in Trondheim.
Astrid Schmidt
Trainer 0-6 years
Astrid is a trained Montessori teacher for children 0-6 years. She has obtained her credentials at Høgskolen i Agder, and at Waterpark Montessori International.
She has worked in Montessori pre-schools for more than 20 years as an owner, educator and manager (Villa Snøringsmoen Montessoribarnehage and Veslekollen Montessori Gårdsbarnehage).
Astrid has been in the Waterpark Montessori team since 2012.
Ronny Lyseggen
Name: Ronny Lyseggen
My role: Tutor for 6-9 and 9-12 and running WMI in Stockholm, Sweden with Kajsa Olsson Falk.
When I started with WMI: I started with WMI in 2012.
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied: 6-9 years and 9-12 years. Studied with WMI for both age groups.
Montessori experience: I worked in Drøbak Montessori skole (Norway, 2005-2015). Here I had responsibility for physical education, home economics and SE / NO substances. I then worked in Lidingö Montessoriskola (Stockholm, Sweden) and I am now working at Stockholms Montessoriskola Anne Frank (Stockholm, Sweden) with 6-9 age group.
Country I provide training in: I do training in Norway and Sweden.
Other areas you have studied: I have training in Special Education Pedagogy AD / HD, Asperger and Tourette from the University of Harstad and School of Leisure Management from CSI. I have written a cookbook for the age group 11-12 years old. (Kokeboka mi)
Kajsa Olsson Falk
Name: Kajsa Olsson Falk
Your role in WMI: Tutor 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12, WMI coordinator for Sweden.
When you began working with WMI: 2013
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied: 3-6 and 6-9 SMI Sweden, 9-12 WMI Oslo
Your Montessori experience: 5 years in 3-6, 20 years in 6-10 Classroom
Country you already do or will provide training in: Sweden
Age groups you do provide WMI training for in your centre: 3-6, 6-9 och 9-12.
Other employment besides WMI: Principal at Stockholms Montessoriskola Anne Frank
Other areas you have studied: I have a teacher bachelor and principal programme. Also school of art for three years.
————————————————————————————————————————————
[Kajsa har diplom för åldrarna 2,5-6 och 6-9 från St Nicholas collage (via SMI) och för åldrarna 9-12 från Waterpark Montessori International. Hon har också svensk grundskollärarexamen för åk 1-6.
Kajsa har även konstnärlig utbildning och har utvecklat och skapat eget montessorimaterial.
Kajsa har arbetat som montessorilärare sedan 1994 och har erfarenhet från både förskola och skola för åldrarna 0-12 år.
Mellan 2000-2019 har Kajsa arbetat som klasslärare på olika montessoriskolor runt om i Stockholm.
Sedan 2019 arbetar hon som rektor och skolchef på Stockholms Montessoriskola Anne Frank.
Kajsa är färdigutbildad tutor för åldrarna 6-9 och 9-12 år på Waterpark Montessori International.]
Bríd Walls
Trainer 0-3 years
Bríd Walls first studied Montessori pedagogy in New York in 1981. Later, she worked in Denver
as a Montessori guide and school directress. She was involved in the development of Infant
Toddler (0-3 years) education in Connecticut and Colorado in cooperation with AMS (American
Montessori Society) and AMI (Association Montessori Internationale).
From 1997 to 1999, Bríd was a tutor with St. Nicholas Montessori in Oslo and with Clare Healy
Walls developed WMI’s Infant Toddler study programme. Bríd has also lectured on behalf of
WMI at St. Nicholas Montessori College of Ireland.
Brid has been leading and developing WMI’s/ EMC’s 0-3 workshop since 2011. In addition to
the main workshop in Oslo, she has worked on programs in China, Ethiopia, Lithuania, and
Finland.
Nicole Hermann
Trainer 6-9 years
Nicole is a WMI trained Montessori teacher for the age groups 3-6 and 6-9 years and is close to completing the WMI tutor training programme.
Nicole has worked at a Montessori school in Bergen for eight years, where she is a group leader and educational supervisor. Nicole also completed a one year teacher training programme (English) in Bergen.
Nicole Hermann, a wholehearted Montessori Trainer and Expert in Cosmic Education.
Montessori Education is her passion and has accompanied her for many years. And because she does not want to keep this joy to herself but want to share this knowledge with as many as possible, she works with Montessori enthusiasts throughout Europe.
After her education as an Early Childhood Educator in Germany and her studies (English and German as a foreign language, ongoing master’s degree in Democracy Development) in Norway at the UIB, she discovered the Montessori pedagogy for her. She fell in love with Montessori and then immediately began to further her education. With her Montessori training focus 3-6 and 6-9 and also her subsequent training as a Montessori coach 3-6 and 6-9, she has been finished since 2015. The Montessori educations at WMI International and Akademie Biberkor have shaped her and there is nothing more beautiful for Nicole than seeing satisfied children working independently and concentrated in a prepared environment. During her further education, she worked at the Montessori school in Bergen, where she took over a classroom management (1-4 class) and the pedagogical guidance of the employees of the entire school. In total, she has over 15 years of experience from the school and 7 years of working as a teacher.
Fergus Healy
Name: Fergus Healy
Your role in WMI: Management / Finances / IT
When you began working with WMI: I have been with WMI since1999
Your experience: My role includes developing and maintaining all of our websites, learning platforms and a Montessori planning and recording system known as Flex Record. I qualified as a computer programmer and in computer hardware repair and maintenance. I am also a member of the WMI management team.
Sarah Kennedy-Berge
College Director
Trainer 3-12 years
Sarah is the director of the Waterpark Montessori International College and co-manager of Waterpark Montessori, Ltd. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus on education and a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching. She holds Montessori qualifications for Early Childhood (3-6 years), Lower Elementary (6-9 years) and Upper Elementary (9-12 years). In addition, Sarah is a certified Montessori trainer for the same age groups.
Sarah has worked with children since 1994, and as a Montessori kindergarten and elementary school teacher from 2005. Sarah currently works to develop curriculum, oversee the college, and advise Montessori schools and preschools.
Aleksandra Zarosa
College Coordinator
Trainer 3-9 years
Name: Aleksandra Zarosa
Your role in EMC (formerly WMI):
College Coordinator, Assisting Pedagogical Leader, Montessori Trainer
When you began working with EMC:
I started with EMC in 2015.
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied:
2.5-6 Years in Dublin (Liberties College, MACTE);
6-9 Years in Oslo (EMC – formerly WMI)
Your Montessori experience:
In the Montessori field since 2004 – broad pedagogical experience from pre-schools and schools in Ireland and Norway, involving leadership role and inclusion of neurodiverse children. Experienced and passionate Montessori Trainer with a ”Students First” motto.
Country I provide training in:
Norway and other countries according to EMC schedule
Other areas you have studied:
Master’s Degree in Psychology – University of Opole, Poland
Diploma in Crèche Management together with a Certificate in First Line Management – The College of Progressive Education, Blackrock, Ireland
Understanding Interventions & Therapies in a Montessori Setting -Montessori Medical Partnership For Inclusion & Loyola University, Maryland
Clare Walls Cole
Waterpark Founder
Name: Clare Walls Cole (Clare Healy Walls)
Your role in WMI: Founder, Chair of the Board, Part-time Trainer 3-18
When you began working with WMI: I founded WMI in 1999.
Age groups you are qualified in as a Montessori teacher and where you studied:I also hold Montessori St. Nicholas teaching diplomas for
pre-school and school.
Your Montessori experience: I spent over 20 years as a Montessori educator for children 1-12 years. Since 1981 I have been training adults as Montessori educators.
Other areas you have studied: I received an MA in Education (Management) from the Open University where I learned how to design
high quality flexible and online learning. I have worked for many years with BodySoul Rhythms (as developed by Marion Woodman, Canada) and this has encouraged me to use Maria Montessori’s philosophy for people of all ages, highlighting the common themes of life from birth to adulthood.
Other employment besides WMI:I am semi-retired but continue my interests in Montessori and WMI; and in BodySoul Rhythms.