Germaine DiJohn Instructional Guide / Technical Support

Since I have become a trained Montessori educator, I cannot imagine teaching any other way. It feels so right and reasonable. I have seen evidence of this in my own daughter. She was a Montessori student from the time she was 18 months old until she graduated from eighth grade. Her Montessori education is one of the reasons she is a happy, capable young adult.

I always felt that working to help children learn was my calling. I started as a camp counselor for the YMCA while still in high school. This eventually led to a job at a Montessori school summer camp. At this school, Safety Harbor Montessori Academy, there was a warmth, a feeling of family, that I had not experienced anywhere else. As I studied to earn my bachelor’s degree at Saint Leo University in elementary education, I knew I wanted to work in a Montessori school.

My wish came true. I was fortunate to begin my teaching career at a Montessori school. I received my AMS Certification from the Claremont Center for Advanced Montessori studies and my 9-12 certification from CGMS. I have worked at SHMA for more than 20 years. First as a Montessori guide and now as an administrator. I earned my master’s degree in education from Saint Catherine University.

I have been involved in almost every aspect of the school I work at, from planning parent education events to directing musicals. In the past, I served as a consultant/teacher trainer at Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf. I enjoy working in tech support and serving as an IG for CGMS.