The 5 Ways My Montessori Experience Shapes How I Teach German Online
Long before I became an online German educator, I was a performing artist.
For most of my life, I learned and worked in creative spaces,on stages, in rehearsal rooms, and in environments where expression, movement, and storytelling were central. Because of that background, I always believed in a more progressive, art-centered approach to learning.
When I later stepped into academia and formally studied childhood education and bilingual education in the United States, I was instinctively drawn to Montessori education. It aligned naturally with how I already understood learning: child-led, experience-based, and rooted in curiosity rather than pressure.
While teaching in the U.S., I worked across diverse school settings, many of them guided by Montessori principles. I was particularly drawn to the practice of Montessori—the calm structure paired with intellectual freedom, the respect for each child’s pace, and the emphasis on independence. I knew early on that I wanted to work within a Montessori school community.
That vision became reality when I began teaching art in multiple languages at a Montessori school in the heart of Zurich. Working with international, multilingual children brought language, identity, creativity, and pedagogy together in a way that felt both natural and necessary.
Over more than a decade of Montessori training and classroom experience, one truth has remained constant: children learn best when they feel safe, respected, and trusted. Those principles shape every German lesson I teach today—especially online.
1. The Child Leads the Learning Process
Montessori education begins with observation.
Before content comes attention.
In my online German classes, I observe how a child engages—their curiosity, confidence, hesitation, and energy—and adapt the learning process accordingly. This child-led approach allows children to feel ownership over their learning and encourages intrinsic motivation rather than external pressure.
