Donna Davis
Montessori Country Day
Bergamo Montessori – Sacramento

Donna wrote to us: “My transition into public school was a piece of cake… except for the homework! Also, the difference in how the lessons were taught was not a hard transition because my teachers had explained things well. I enjoy the program that I’m in, the PACE program. I’m surrounded by good students who are advanced and are cooperative, so our classes flow easily. Other than academics, the social aspect of high school is awesome!

Montessori has made me a very good visual learner and I still have the Montessori diagrams and materials in my mind. Even as a freshman in high school, I still think of the pie charts when I use fractions and the geometric shapes I was already familiar with in my geometry class. I would like to continue dancing in my future.”

Updated correspondance from April 2015, just before college: “I have committed to San Jose State University, and I was also accepted to CSU Sacramento, Channel Islands, Monterey Bay, and East Bay Hayward. I am going into San Jose as a linguistics major currently to expand my knowledge on the fundamentals of learning languages and hopefully I will study abroad. However this might change lol.. I am unfortunately no longer doing ballet, however I am considering dancing this summer and might continue in college. Since 2011, I have danced in many shows and events in the El Dorado Hills area, I have traveled to Alaska, the Caribbean, and Mexico, and I purchased a best friend, my dog, Wolfie! As far as accomplishments go, I finally got my first real job as a receptionist at a salon in midtown and I am expected to graduate this June.”

Update October 2019: One year into the her AMI Montessori Primary training, Bergamo has hired Donna as an assistant in the Lower Elementary classroom. Donna sent us this note about her path back to Montessori: “While earning my Linguistics degree, I spent a great deal of time studying to be an English teacher for speakers of other languages (TESOL). One thing I consistently recognized was that these learners needed an individualized educational experience that wasn’t available to them. This is when I realized how universal and scientific Dr. Montessori’s ideas were about development and education. I reflected on how essential my own Montessori education was – it has shaped me into the person and the learner that I am now. The epiphany that I had about my own education ultimately inspired me to apply for the Primary Program at the Montessori Institute of San Diego. After spending the summer there, I am extremely excited to put my new knowledge to work and to be a part of the Bergamo community once again!”