My commitments to Montessori education
I started my Montessori journey in 2004 as a volunteer leader of the parents' association of the École Montessori de Lyon - a beautiful school founded in 1982 by Françoise Neri, which welcomes over 100 children every year between the ages of 2 and 12.
Gradually Montessori education became my profession: I was the co-founder and co-director of Collège Maria Montessori des Aiglons from 2014 to 2024, I founded my own Gaia Montessori school in Switzerland in 2022, and since 2017 I've been leading consulting and support missions for Montessori schools around the world.
I officially became an International Trainer for AMI since 2020, for Montessori school leaders.
And because Montessori is not only a job but also a passion, I have been involved on a voluntary basis as Vice-President of the Association Montessori Suisse since 2019.
International trainer
Since February 2020, I've been an international Montessori trainer accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). I intervene online or face-to-face, alongside my colleagues Christine Harrison, Bill Conway, Cathy Swan, Pete Juds, Todd Covert, Eder Cuevas, Cassi Mackey... for the Montessori School Director/Administrator course. This course is offered in several formats: either online via 12 weekly sessions of 3h each or 9 weekly sessions of 4h, or face-to-face over 8 or 9 consecutive days. We focus on the concepts of leadership, adult preparation, building the educational community...and child observation. I've had the opportunity to intervene in France and French-speaking Switzerland, of course, but also in China, Canada, Senegal...
I also intervene occasionally for other international organizations or training centers, for customized training courses or workshops such as the one given in September 2024 for Rumi Montessori in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
International consultant
Since 2017, I've been carrying out consulting and support missions for Montessori schools, or any other educational structure interested in Montessori education. I have accompanied, in France and abroad (Switzerland, Morocco, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Congo, South Africa, Canada, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia):
- several projects to create Montessori schools or crèches
- existing schools and specialized day-care centers wishing to implement the Montessori method
- many existing Montessori schools, on various subjects at the request of the school management: support for management, strategic planning, HR solutions, staff training, observations...
I can also intervene in support of national Montessori organizations, with the aim of reinforcing the growth of Montessori education in a given territory: partnerships with public institutions and universities, building resource centers...
Examples of consultancy missions
Conversion to Montessori
Training and coaching for the Institut Médico-Éducatif Léopold Héder in French Guiana (145 children) in its conversion to Montessori education
Management of growth
Transition management for the Gard'Anges Montessori day nursery-school in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (150 children aged 0-10)
Strategic coaching
Support for Ecole Montessori de l'Outaouais, Quebec (260 children aged 3 to 12), through observations and help the staff to update their strategic priorities.
Lobbying
Meeting with SEAMEO (Se Asia bureau of ministries of Education) in Bangkok to set up a partnership with the Montessori Association of Thailand
Montessori speaker
I give talks at the request of schools and other educational organizations. The themes are determined in partnership with the host organization, and may concern, for example: relations between school and parents, the discovery or main concepts of Montessori education, Montessori programs for teenagers, or more specific themes such as discipline, homework, error control...
Educational activist
Since 2019, I've been involved with the Montessori Association of Switzerland on a voluntary basis as Vice-President. I bring my skills in project management, school leadership and lobbying: faced with the challenges of the world, it's more important than ever to be visible and to be able to lobby municipal and cantonal political authorities. I also give talks as part of the training program for parents in our community (250 parent members by the end of 2024).
Ownership and management of Montessori schools
2022-2023 : Gaia Montessori school (Switzerland)
In 2022, I opened the Gaia Montessori School on the outskirts of Bern in German-speaking Switzerland. The school included a 2-3 year-old group and a 3-6 year-old group. We had an exceptional year, full of wonderful projects and surprises with the children, including one with a disability. Unfortunately, due to insufficient numbers and despite our best efforts, we decided to close after this first year.
2014-2024 : Collège Maria Montessori des Aiglons (France)
From 2014 to 2024, Collège Maria Montessori des Aiglons was the first authentic Montessori college in France to offer residential life (boarding school). I had the privilege of co-founding it alongside Sylvie Coffre and Olivia Gollain.
Each year, we welcomed between 20 and 37 teenagers in an exceptional mountain setting near Geneva. For a decade, we have accompanied young people aged 11 to 15, offering them a quality educational environment to help them through this pivotal period of adolescence. Our pedagogical approach has enabled many students to rebuild their lives and regain their self-confidence, particularly after difficult experiences in the conventional school system.
Over the years, we have built up valuable expertise in the Montessori community. However, the economic and financial impact of the Covid crisis, particularly on residential life, led us to bring this adventure to an end in 2024. Nevertheless, we remain immensely proud to have accompanied more than 300 young people over the past ten years.
2004-2012 : Lyon Montessori school (France)
Between 2004 and 2012, first as a committed parent and president of the school's parents' association, then as Chairman of the Board of Directors, I took part in the governance of the Montessori School in Lyon, founded in 1982 by Françoise Neri. My 3 grown-up children attended the school between the ages of 2 and 12, before 2 of them went on to the Collège Maria Montessori des Aiglons. I learned a great deal during these formative years, which enabled me to discover and become more actively involved in the French and international Montessori community. And I also experienced the different challenges that an independent private school (receiving no state funding in exchange for its pedagogical freedom) has to face. It was these challenges, successfully overcome, that made me want to get more involved in school management.
Take a look at my missions in pictures
Here are a few images from the 4 corners of the world, illustrating my various consulting, coaching and training missions since 2023.
My most recent interventions
AMI training for Montessori school leaders in Dakar (Senegal)
Montessori school visits in French-speaking Switzerland with Association Montessori Suisse
Online conference “Why Montessori is the best choice for your child?”
March 2025 - For the 1st time in West Africa, I'm running an AMI Montessori School Administrators Course with Christine Harrison. A unique opportunity to bring together the Montessori community of Senegal and the Gambia to discuss how to offer it more widely to all families.
January 2025 - Together with AMS President ML Debacker, we visited 3 Montessori schools in French-speaking Switzerland. The opportunity to meet our professional colleagues, discover their working environments, observe the children and discuss how the AMS can further support our community.
January 2025 - At the request of the member schools of the Association Montessori Suisse, and to boost their recruitment campaign for the 2025-2026 school year, I hosted an online conference on discovering Montessori pedagogy. 27 participants, all new parents! Enough to fuel our schools!
AMI training for Montessori school leaders in Beijing (China)
Online conference for parents with Association Montessori Suisse
Training and support for all staff at a Day Care institute for children with disabilities
December 2024 - I co-piloted with my dear friend and fellow AMI trainer Christine Harrison the 3rd Montessori School Administrators Course offered at the AMI “Kiditopia” training center in Beijing. For 2 weeks, we welcomed 28 students from all over China.
November 2024 - At the request of the Association Montessori Suisse, I prepared and conducted an online conference on the subject of discipline between the ages of 3 and 6. 47 participants, lots of questions, and requests for a replay (the conference was not recorded). With all this, a new edition will probably be organized in 2025.
October 2024 - The IME Léopold Héder, in Cayenne, French Guiana, run by the Ébène association, wants to convert its professional practices to Montessori education. It caters for 145 disabled children aged 6 to 20. Along with my colleagues Fiona Partouche and Marie-Line André, I trained 60 people over a two-week period. Our support mission will last until 2027. The aim of this 1st year of intervention is to bring about a profound change in professional practices, by giving young people more space and autonomy.