Lisa Miele

Growing up in a close-knit Italian family helped me to develop a love of tradition and culture. When I was 5, my younger brother, Rocco, was born, and from this experience, I learned how to care for a small child with my family's guidance and love. I attribute my love for children and all life to the beautiful connections that I share with my family and friends.

In college, I worked as a nanny until I gained my BS in Geography and Environmental Studies from Texas State University in San Marcos. My teaching journey began at Nature's Way Preschool in Austin after college. The following year, I decided to travel around the U.S. and overseas to explore other cultures. Along the way, I began a fair-trade import business with a close friend to help support this desire to "see the world." I explored and worked with people in Guatemala, Mexico, Thailand, and India, Canada, and the U.S.

Upon my return to Austin, I acquired a job at Austin Montessori School as an Assistant Teacher in the Primary classroom. I began to realize that teaching was my calling and that Montessori education had a strong place in my heart. After gaining a RMT license in Austin, I decided to take another trip to Bengal, India to fulfill a dream of working with children of a completely different culture. I was so inspired by this experience that I returned to Austin to focus on my Montessori teacher training. I worked at CCOA Montessori School for two years, and began my AMI Primary Montessori teacher training in Dallas in the summer of '08 at The Montessori Institute of North Texas.

For the past three years, I worked as an Assistant Teacher at Parkside Community School while studying Montessori education. I gained my AMI certification in July of 2010 and have spent the last year completing a Masters Degree in Montessori Integrated Learning with The Institute for Educational Studies and Endicott College. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time in nature with my family and friends. Over the years, nature has become my teacher, friend, and inspiration for my work with children.

The spiritual focus and immense love I have gained through my work as an aspiring teacher is invaluable, and I am happy to share it each and every day with the children, their families, and my co-workers. Caring for children and helping them to reach their full potential is my goal, and as I work on this dream, I also help myself to be the best that I can be. My heart soars as I begin my work with the Primavera Montessori community. The excitement inside of me grows as I work to create a naturally prepared environment for the children that weaves the indoor and outdoor worlds with grace and beauty. I feel like I have landed in a place where I can truly make a difference and serve children and their families with my complete confidence, care, and love.

“One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child."..…Maria Montessori