Fabrizio Porcinai

Fabrizio completed his Elementary I-II credential at WSMS-TEP in 2024 and is currently completing the Montessori Inclusion Endorsement. He is also ready to begin our Administrator program. He currently works at Albrook School in Basking Ridge, NJ.

How did you discover Montessori, and what inspired you to pursue it?
After learning about the incredible number of Montessori schools worldwide and while considering a career in child care, I simply wanted to educate myself on the Montessori method. Especially after watching YouTube videos about what a typical day in a Montessori classroom looks like and seeing the many life skills children learn, such as independence, I really wanted to be part of a Montessori environment.

What’s one of your favorite memories from WSMS-TEP training?
Definitely the connections I have been able to build with my cohort members and instructors.

What part of the Montessori classroom or curriculum excites you the most, and why?
The part that I really enjoy about the Montessori curriculum is simply the Culture curriculum as a whole. Every lesson simply gives so much food for thought.

How do you incorporate equity, inclusion, or social justice into your Montessori work?
In regard to inclusion, I currently have a few students with learning disabilities. Based on their struggles, I try to make the necessary accommodations to help them keep up with the pace of the curriculum.

Who was an important mentor during your training, and how did they impact your transformation as an educator?
I am very grateful for all I’ve learned through every instructor I met at WSMS-TEP, but the person I would really consider my mentor, is one of the cohort members I had during the Upper Elementary training, and also my former coworker at my previous school, Gina Awadallah. Thanks to her expertise and experience in teaching, I will always remember what she taught me over the past few years. In particular, I incorporate some of her ideas into my curriculum and always try to follow what I think is a good example of leadership, especially with my classroom assistant.

What book, podcast, or resource is inspiring you right now?
The book Children of the Universe by Michael and D’Neil Duffy