ABOUT ZIL

Reading the work of feminist theorists like bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Chandra Mohanty, and Gloria Anzaldua led me to teaching as a young adult. I wanted to help children learn about who they are and what it means to play and work in a community. Because I was a Montessori child myself, I experienced first-hand how the Montessori approach empowers children to follow their passions and advocate for others. As a guide and a parent, I’ve observed children’s empathy, resilience, and critical thought bloom in Montessori spaces. My ongoing work continuously reaffirms my belief that Montessori is a powerful, revolutionary practice of liberation.

Since 2004, I’ve worked in 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and 6-12 classrooms in private, public, and charter Montessori schools. The bulk of my experience has been as an elementary classroom guide and I now primarily work 1-1 tutoring elementary aged children who struggle with literacy. I’ve also held roles as a classroom assistant, aftercare teacher and an administrator. Wearing all of these hats has led me to working with adults. I love supporting caregivers and educators in learning about Montessori and literacy and to feel confident implementing research-backed practices in their homes and classrooms.

Qualifications

I hold a Masters of Education from Loyola College of Maryland and AMI Montessori diplomas at the Primary (Montessori Northwest) and Elementary (Montessori Training Center of MN) levels. I have received Orton Gillingham training at both the Classroom Educator and Associate's Levels through the Orton Gillingham Academy. Additionally, I have completed certificates through LETRS and with the International Dyslexia Association of Ontario. My decoding instruction is strongly influenced by my trainings in both EBLI and Reading Simplified, which use a structured linguistic literacy approach to teaching reading. I am also trained in ThinkSRSD, a research-based approach to writing instruction. I’ve taken multiple courses about morphology including trainings in SWI and with Lyn Stone. When it comes to literacy, I am compelled to always learn more and you can often find me spending my free time attending workshops, listening to literacy podcasts, watching webinars, and reading books and articles about the latest research.

  • "Any classroom that employs a holistic model of learning will also be a place where teachers grow, and are empowered by the process."

    ~bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress

  • "A great social mission that will ensure the child justice, harmony and love remains to be accomplished. This great task must be the work of education for this is the only way to build a new world and to bring peace."

    ~Maria Montessori, Education and Peace

  • “Abolitionist teaching is not just about tearing down and building up but also about the joy necessary to be in solidarity with others, knowing that your struggle for freedom is constant but that there is beauty in the camaraderie of creating a just world.”

    ~Dr. Bettina L. Love, We Want to Do More Than Survive