Teaching Staff
Mrs. Debbie Marette (Owner/Administrator)
I am the owner and administrator of Blue Spruce Montessori School (established in 1997). I graduated from the Montessori training center of B.C. in 1994 with an A.M.I. (Association Montessori International) Montessori diploma and also a diploma in Early Childhood Education. I am now in my 14th year of teaching and still feel the same passion and enthusiasm for Montessori as I did upon graduating.
I am originally from England and have been a resident of Canada for over 19 years. I have extensive work experience with young children and a sincere and genuine interest in early childhood education. My teaching experience includes setting up and operating a Montessori primary school in North Vancouver, tutoring elementary children and teaching and administrating at my own school Blue Spruce Montessori.
I am dedicated to keeping current with childcare issues through professional development. Since graduating I have attended several conferences and refresher courses and have also acquired a diploma in E.C.E. administration. I continue learning and growing as a Montessori teacher and also as a mother of two beautiful daughters.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family. I also enjoy keeping fit, I love hiking, skiing and biking. I also enjoy collecting children's Literature, sewing and home decorating. I am looking forward to taking dancing classes this fall and playing the guitar.
Miss Amy Whitley (Head Directress)
I grew up in Vancouver, but lived away for 10 years. In this time, I earned
a degree in Environmental Studies at Trent University in Ontario.
I then moved to Grenada in the Caribbean, where I delivered
environmental education programs and taught primary school. I
returned to Vancouver two years ago and taught an aerobics
program for pre-schoolers. I discovered that I loved working with
children aged 3 to 6 and decided to return to school to get my
Early Childhood Education and Montessori teaching diploma.
I graduated in June 2008 from the Montessori Training Center of BC. I so enjoyed my training and found that I easily identified with the Montessori philosophy of fostering freedom and independence in the child. I am very excited about this upcoming year and the opportunity to work with the children at Blue Spruce Montessori.
In my free time, I play soccer in a women's soccer league. I also enjoy outdoor activities and traveling.
Mrs. Hajra Muqtader (Co-Directress)
I am excited to have an opportunity to join Blue Spruce Montessori and look forward to getting to know all of the children and families. I graduated from the Montessori Training Centre of BC in 2004 with an AMI Primary Montessori Diploma and an ECE Certificate and I have almost five years of experience, working as a Montessori Directress. I also have my Bachelors of Science and begun the Montessori Infant Toddler course this past summer which I will complete in the of summer 2010.
As a Montessori educator my sincere passion is to guide the children to develop to their fullest potential. My goal is to provide the necessary skills to function as a contributing member of the society and to grow the love of learning. I am a parent and have six of my own children. I have enjoyed watching their growth and development and their enthusiasm for the world around them.
In my spare time I enjoy reading, cooking, playing badminton and spending time with my family.
Brianne Crowe (Assistant Teacher)
I am new to Vancouver from Victoria and excited to be in the city. In the summer I completed my assistant Montessori teacher training at the AMI Montessori Training Center of BC and discovered the beauty of the philosophy.
I attended a Montessori program for part of my elementary school years and have fond memories. I have always had a passion and strong desire to work with children and I am excited to be doing this in a Montessori environment. My past experience working with children include working in a preschool and daycare environment in Victoria and also caring for a young child as a nanny in Vancouver. I am currently enrolled in the ECE program at Capilano University and hope to complete my diploma in Early Childhood Education this year.
In my spare time I enjoy hiking, yoga, reading, and jogging. I am looking forward to joining the teachers at Blue Spruce and getting to know all the children and their families.