About Us
About Us
Montessori Computers was born of the collaboration between a software engineer, parents, Montessori teachers, and public school educators. Bringing in expertise from the aerospace industry, we worked alongside teachers of a variety of backgrounds to create materials that would take children step by step through the inner workings of a computer, using language and materials that are accessible to elementary aged students.
Our experience with other computer science curriculums is that the basics of a computer's language - hexadecimal, binary, and logic - are briefly introduced without taking the time for students to become deeply familiar with them. This leads to confusion and frustration when students move to higher level classes and are expected to use binary and hexadecimal in increasingly complex ways. Without fluency in these basic concepts, it is incredibly challenging to get an intuitive feel for how and why computers work the way they do. But with a little bit of time up front to become comfortable with hexadecimal and binary, and the ability to physically manipulate bytes, the next steps build on a firm foundation.
Inspiration from our children
As parents, we are concerned about the amount of time children spend in front of screens, but we recognize how essential an understanding of computers is. Through reading and research on the Montessori philosophy, we became convinced that this is the way to teach a subject as abstract and complicated as computer science. Through the materials in these works, we explore physical realities that can only be seen through an electron microscope, while respecting children and the way they learn through all of their senses.
Montessori Computers is born
After months of asking the question of how to present computer topics in a way that is as tangible and intuitive as the basic math and language education presented in a Montessori classroom, we hatched the idea of marble computing using tools that isolate the various topics covered in computer science curriculums. Drawing from experience in software engineering and the language and tools used every day in Montessori classrooms, we developed a series of works, presented in modules of increasing complexity, that allow kids to use their senses to understand how a computer works behind the screen.
But we didn't stop there! We know that many of the educators and parents who are working with elementary aged students may not have experience with computer science, so we have developed support materials to help make teaching with our materials clear and straight forward. We want you to succeed, and we are here to help and answer questions should they come up. We put considerable energy into crafting a manual that walks through the presentation process step by step, and a book to offer a historical perspective. At the end of this process, we hope that everyone - students and teachers alike - can experience the thrill of discovery that they can
understand how computers work!
Brandon Smith
Senior Software Engineer
Brandon is a software engineer in the aerospace industry. He has experience writing embedded software, radiation effects testing, and flight software. Watching his 5 kids grow and learn in Montessori schools inspired him to find a way to teach computers that is in line with Montessori values. His vision for the possibilities of a screen free computer science curriculum led to the creation of the Montessori Computers materials.
Lisa Smith
CEO
Lisa has a degree in business and economics and a love for Montessori education. After attending a series of lectures on Montessori principles and working to implement them in the home, she became passionate about providing a rich environment for her children and encouraging active, physical exploration of the world. When she saw Brandon's original prototypes, she knew he had landed on something special, and decided it was time to launch Montessori Computers.
Partner School of Montessori Computers
We are profoundly grateful to work with Sophia Montessori Academy to design lessons and refine the presentation of our materials to align with Montessori teaching pedagogy!
Pauline Meert
Director - Sophia Montessori Academy
Pauline was born in France and moved to the US with her family in 1999. She always had a great love for working with children. When she was sixteen a priest friend mentioned the word Montessori and the rest is history! She received her international Montessori diploma from Montessori Centre International in 2008. She later came across the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and was deeply moved by the beauty of it all. She also completed her Master’s degree in Montessori education from St. Catherine University in 2014. Pauline has a deep passion for Montessori education and loves to share it with others. When she is not in the classroom she enjoys swing dancing, sewing, reading, and spending her time with friends and family. She is a parishioner of Holy Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church.
Irene Ortega
Director - Sophia Montessori Academy
Irene Ortega took her Children’s House training at the Montessori College of Dublin, Ireland in 2007 and recently completed Montessori training for the Elementary Level in Bergamo, Italy. Irene’s inspiration to Montessori came from seeing a presentation on Good Shepherd when she was still in high school. She knew it was the beginning of something great! Irene was born in Germany and spent most of her young life traveling Europe and the United States. She moved to a farm with her family before college and discovered the adventures of raising cows, bees and vegetables. She is delighted to bring the joy of discovery to children through the Montessori approach. When she is not planning lessons, you can find her playing music, cooking, hiking or dreaming up a new adventure with her husband Anthony. She is a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church.