Directory

Mrs. Montague has over 30 years of experience in Early Childhood Education, wearing many hats: starting as a Parent Aide and member of the governing Board of Trustees of a prominent McLean independent school, then moving to the classroom as a teaching assistant for many years. She became a Lead Teacher which she also enjoyed before joining MSM in 2010 as the Director of Admission.  Education: George Mason University - Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Focus on Early Childhood; three University of Virginia courses toward her M.Ed.;  Personal Mission: to help parents connect with the benefits of Montessori education for their children. Interests: being the best Grammie she can be for four (soon to be six) wonderful grandchildren!

I am AMS certified to teach Primary (pre-k -1st grade) and Secondary education (ages 12-18) with 15 years of teaching experience. I am native to the area and graduated from Langley High School. My Bachelor’s degree is in Economics, with a background in alternative health care practices. After quickly discovering a desk job was not in the cards for my overall happiness and wellbeing, I decided to pursue teaching.  After observing in a Montessori early childhood classroom, I was intrigued! I quickly became passionate about the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori and the implementation of her pedagogy in the classroom. I spent six years teaching in an early childhood classroom and then took a three year hiatus to obtain my secondary teaching credential and to teach in a Montessori middle school program. I had a great experience working with middle school students, but realized working with the little ones was my true calling. I returned to a Primary classroom at the Montessori School of McLean in 2010. I am happy to be back in an early childhood classroom and to be a part of such a great community of educators and families here at MSM.  My husband and I have a 3 year old daughter, Melody. She inspires and motivates me to be a better person every day. When I am not at school, I recharge my batteries through my love of nature, seeing live music, and taking frequent trips to the beach.

I have studied Fine Arts and Early Childhood Development. I started my teaching career in 1991, in the Alexandria school system, working with preschool and kindergarten students. Since then, I have worked with young children to make a difference in their lives. In 2009, I joined Montessori School of McLean as a Teacher’s Assistant, and became an Art Teacher to Elementary students in 2017. At MSM, I am also responsible for teaching a Peace building class to Kindergarten students. I can honestly say that joining MSM was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I truly enjoy being part of the teaching staff, who are creative, loving, engaging, and offer an immersive experience to all children in our school. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling to different parts of the world. I like going to the theater, taking nature trails, baking, and drawing sketches as it helps me relax.

Ms. Silverman joined MSM in 2013. She holds a BA in Marketing Communications from State University of NY at Buffalo, and her Montessori Primary credential from the Northern Virginia Montessori Institute. She enjoys collecting children's books, visiting historic sites, and classic movies. Her personal philosophy: "Each child is an individual with unique interests, needs and developmental paths, and it's the goal of any teacher to identify and nurture these in every child. The core of the Montessori educational philosophy is to seek and serve each child's unique spirit and nurture the lifelong love of learning. This educational model provides me, as an educator, a way to connect with my students in a wholistic manner and continue to learn about the world with them as well.'  It is my privilege to work with such an unparalleled and committed faculty, staff, students and families.

Ms. Carter-Nanian began her teaching career as an assistant in a Montessori Primary classroom for 3 years, and she has been a Montessori Lower Elementary teacher at MSM since 2010.  She holds a BA in English from George Mason University, and her Montessori Elementary credential from the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies.  She holds a Masters in Teaching from Trinity Washington University.  She is an avid reader who enjoys watching movies and spending time with her husband (an English professor), her toddler, and her standard poodle.

Personal philosophy: "I love being a Montessori teacher mostly because I get to foster the overall growth of the students.  We don't just focus on academics, we prepare students for life, to become leaders, and citizens of society.  I find it to be a very powerful way of teaching".

I am enjoying my 6th year of teaching at MSM in the Lower Elementary. I started working here in 2013, immediately after graduating from Xavier University (Cincinnati, Ohio) with a dual degree in Montessori Education (ages 6-9) and Early Childhood Education (grades K – 3rd), and a minor in Spanish. I also have a Master’s Degree from George Mason University in Literacy Education. Some interesting things about me are that I love to do any outdoor activities, especially running, hiking, water and/or snow skiing, and rock climbing. I also grew up living in various cities all over the world, including Athens, Greece and Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. I love exploring and learning about different cultures. My favorite thing about being a part of the MSM community is the camaraderie among the staff, the students, and their families. Everyone functions as one big team working towards the same goal: doing our best to guide our students toward becoming life-long lovers of learning in order to achieve their unique potential.

Mrs. Galbreath (“Mrs. G”) has over 20 years of Montessori teacher experience at MSM, including 10 in the Science Lab. She received her BA in Theatre from Sweet Briar College, her AMI Montessori Elementary Teaching Certificate and Master of Education Degree from Loyola University Maryland, and a Graduate Certificate in Earth/Space Science Education from Johns Hopkins University. All three of her daughters graduated from MSM and have wonderful memories of their time here. Mrs. Galbreath loves the family atmosphere at MSM. When not in the Science Lab she can be found on the tennis courts.

I have studied Fine Arts and Early Childhood Development. I started my teaching career in 1991, in the Alexandria school system, working with preschool and kindergarten students. Since then, I have worked with young children to make a difference in their lives. In 2009, I joined Montessori School of McLean as a Teacher’s Assistant, and became an Art Teacher to Elementary students in 2017. At MSM, I am also responsible for teaching a Peace building class to Kindergarten students. I can honestly say that joining MSM was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I truly enjoy being part of the teaching staff, who are creative, loving, engaging, and offer an immersive experience to all children in our school. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling to different parts of the world. I like going to the theater, taking nature trails, baking, and drawing sketches as it helps me relax.