Jillian Schneider

(She/Her)
3–6-Year-Old Co-Lead Guide

I have always loved being with young children. From an early age, I would gather and lead groups of neighborhood kids for imaginative play. I earned my BFA in Art Education and began my education career at the intersection of visual art and child development. I first encountered Montessori while working as a Teaching Artist with the Children's Museum of the Arts in New York City. I was amazed by the compassionate communication and the inspired, child-centered creativity I witnessed. I moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2009, earning a Master’s of Education in Scientific Pedagogy and an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) certification from Montessori Northwest. I have taught at the early childhood level since 2010, supporting Montessori classrooms as a lead guide, assistant guide, art specialist, garden guide, parenting coach, and providing one-on-one support.

My highest goal is to inspire curious minds toward self-discovery and resilience. My teaching style is playful and warm; the atmosphere in my classroom is dynamic, fun, and engaging. I love to sing, tell stories, and embody movement and expression for the children. I love their wonder and delight. I love their open minds and divergent, creative stories.

My family uprooted from the Northwest in 2020 and moved to Catskill to help open this school in its inaugural year. Tending to this community and this land is an absolute dream come true, marrying my two great loves- the incredible Montessori philosophy and practice and earth care ethics in action. I am thrilled to be a part of the founding team at Catskill Montessori School. Outside the classroom, you’ll find me gardening, riding my bike, or wandering down a forest trail with my husband, Adam, and our beautiful kids, Kieran and Lilah. I am a watercolorist, an aspiring whole systems thinker, a dancer, and a wild woman.