Meet Stacie Reichard, an assistant in the Toddler Program for students ages 12 to 36 months. Stacie enjoys spending time with children and made the decision to study early childhood education at Lehigh Carbon Community College and Kutztown University. She always knew she wanted to build a family and lend a hand to parents raising their own children.
Stacie joined the Grace Montessori School family after working as a primary class assistant at Lehigh Valley Montessori Academy for four years. She was drawn to the diverse experiences Grace Montessori offers and is constantly amazed by the new ideas and skills presented to her. Stacie is grateful to learn about new cultures, religions, and languages, including Russian, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Turkish, Croatian, Swahili, and Uzbek, while at work.
One of her favorite qualities about Montessori philosophy is the idea of allowing students space to try new things more than once. If a student is struggling but believes they can succeed, having the ability to achieve goals on their own helps them build self-esteem and feel pride in their work. In her opinion, this is an integral learning practice that even many adults struggle with.
“Maria Montessori believed that a child has an innate drive to learn and be independent. We, as guides, can observe and prepare the environment for the child,” reflected Stacie. “I think that is what is most beneficial in any education; to want to learn for a lifetime.”
Stacie is proud to be influential in a child’s life, some from their first day at Grace Montessori to their third birthday celebration. Witnessing their growth and watching mixed-age children learn from each other is inspiring.
When she isn’t hard at work in the classroom, Stacie can be found spending time roller skating, painting with watercolors, and researching her family tree.
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