Lifestyle Montessori was started in 2002 as a natural progression in my education journey. Starting with 5 children we quickly grew to 30 children in the first few months. Our reputation for providing high quality Montessori education soon spread, purely through word of mouth, and we were soon sitting on +120 children. This growth and evolution meant growth and evolution of the school and operating model through new property, staff, 3 party education partnership model (child, parent and school), well articulated operational procedures, registering school with GDE and ISASA, etc. while at the same time striving to maintain the reason for the school’s being – Well rounded, holistic, Reality based Montessori Pre and Primary Education.

I, as a traditionally trained educator, when looking for a Pre-school for my 1st  2 1/2 year old daughter ,who already had a healthy base being surrounded by educational toys, found Montessori by accident. It was the answer to empowering children socially, emotionally and academically – creating in them the need to learn, and evolving into confident well balanced individuals.

My 2nd daughter entered Montessori at 21 months. At this point I was offered a job by Glen Blokker (a pioneer of Montessori in South Africa)  based on the fact that I was a qualified teacher but mostly because of what she observed in and about my children.

Adding the Montessori Diploma to my Bachelors Degree in Education gave me the advantage: using Montessori methodology and philosophy together with knowledge of the developmental process within varied subjects from my traditional training – such that there were no gaps in development; showed me that the potential of a child when given opportunities “freedom with boundaries” is breathtaking.

And so Lifestyle Montessori was born – give the child a Reality based Montessori Education  – experience of competition – sports and other, writing exams and tests, debating and speech competitions, entrepreneurial opportunities,etc. so they can fit in anywhere anytime, not just fit in but have an advantage.

We have followed the lives of those children that have “graduated” from our school and noted with much joy and pride how their Montessori education gave them an unbelievable edge in life throughout school and now at university, and through our own children realised how nurturing and guiding their innate energy and discipline makes parenting so much easier and rewarding.

Lifestyle Montessori evolved through experience and daily learning: from children- mine included, parents, a lady who graced this earth more than a 100 years ago, constant change in life and a firm belief that if you equip the child properly he or she can go places confidently.

-Veno