Our team
Montessori Greece was founded in 2002. Today, our educational centre includes a growing team of dedicated educators and colleagues. Our work and influence continue to expand beyond Athens and the Attica area to include the islands, mainland Greece and other countries abroad.
Τhe Montessori Greece Team
Irene Fafalios
Director of Studies AMI
Trainer, International AMI Lecturer & Examiner
Irene Fafalios (B.A., M.A. in Social Anthropology, AMI Dip. 0–3, 3–6, 6–12, EsF) founded Montessori Greece in 2002 (previously known as The Montessori Lab). For the past 25 years, she has been working to promote Montessori education in Greece and is actively involved in the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). As an AMI Trainer (3–6) and an International Lecturer and Examiner for AMI, she has been teaching and lecturing in Greece and abroad since 1988. As AMI Director of Studies at Montessori Greece, she is responsible for the training of all registered students, supervises and coordinates the center’s educational activities, and frequently offers lectures to Montessori educators and the general public both in Greece and abroad, on various topics related to child development. At the same time, she has undertaken on the role of Editor for a new publication of Montessori’s works in Greek, and also serves as Educational Consultant at the Montessori House in Glyfada.
“Montessori Greece was founded in 2002. Today, our educational centre includes a growing team of dedicated educators and colleagues. Our work and influence continue to expand beyond Athens and the Attica area to include the islands, mainland Greece and other countries abroad.
I believe it is important that our graduates—whether they are in Greece or abroad—feel that they have our ongoing support and can turn to us for help in applying the Montessori approach, not only in the classroom, but also in any environment where Montessori principles can contribute to human development and well-being. My dream is that one day my work will no longer be necessary, because people will be able to live in accordance with their true nature – with respect and love for their environment, nature and their fellow human beings.”
Ιrene Fafalios
AMI Trainer Voices
“Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of education. ”
Maria Montessori, “Education and Peace”
Maria Makri
AMI Trainer 3–6
Maria Makri is an AMI Trainer (3–6) and a graduate of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. In 2010, she began working at The Montessori House of Alimos (now The Montessori House of Glyfada), while simultaneously doing her training to become a qualified Montessori teacher for children aged from 3-6 years of age. She earned her Diploma in 2012 and after more than 10 years of experience in class with children, she entered the AMI Training of Trainers Programme, with Irene Fafalios as her overseeing Trainer. This training took her to the United States, where she continued her training programme with Molly O’Shaughnessy at the Montessori Center of Minnesota (AMI). In 2019 she earned the title of AMI Primary Trainer. Today, she works together with Irene Fafalios, and trains adults who want to become Montessori educators for children aged between 3- 6 years of age. Amongst her many other responsibilities, she provides regular mentorship and consulting services to educators and schools, runs introductory seminars, lectures, and conducts meetings for teachers, parents, caregivers and the general public.
“After graduating from university, I worked at a school and had the joy of being around children every day. And yet, the more time I spent in the classroom, the more strongly I felt that I was searching for a different way to see children, understand them, and support them in their development. That’s when I discovered the Montessori approach to education.
In 2012, I earned the AMI Diploma for children aged 3–6 years, from Montessori Greece and began working at a Children’s House – The Montessori House Alimos. Observing the children day by day, I came to see their potential —a potential that is realized when an adult knows how to guide them in their development. The more I delved into the Montessori philosophy, the stronger my desire became to share it. I believed—and continue to do so —that all children deserve to encounter an adult who understands, respects them and knows how to support their development. This conviction led me to become an Trainer for adults in the Montessori approach. Today, I have the pleasure of training educators in the AMI 3–6 Programme, always keeping in mind that every person who is inspired and develops within themself, can change the lives of many children. This is the thought that continues to give meaning to my work, every day.”
“There is no force that can unite the people of the world other than love for and interest in the child.”
Maria Montessori,“Citizen of the World,” The San Remo Lectures, The World Unity Through the Child
Artemis Vitsara
Head of Educational Environment / Secretariat
I have been a member of the Montessori Greece team since 2013. When I first came to the Center, I never imagined how much it would influence the way I view people, the significance of space, and the power that a truly Prepared Environment can have on people.
All these years I’ve had the opportunity to attend every training and professional development programme offered by the centre, gaining an insight and an understanding of the Montessori philosophy. Today I oversee the educational environment of the Center, so that every corner of it reflects the principles of the Montessori approach, while at the same time I welcome and support our students and our visitors. My greatest joy is seeing people feel comfortable and at home from the very first moment they enter the Centre – as if they were in a space that welcomes them, cares for them, and makes them want to come back again and again.
“…the refuge in the storm, the oasis in the desert, the place of spiritual rest must be created in the world precisely to ensure the healthy development of the child.”
Maria Montessori, “The Child in the Family”
Lottie Alexakou
Secretary / Translator
A long time ago, as a college student, I took a career aptitude test: the occupation that came up as most compatible was “Academic Administrator.” I wondered what that was… it sounded quite interesting! Many years have passed since: I studied and worked in Greece and abroad, frequently carrying a little Montessori book with me —Education and Peace. I was trained by Irene Fafalios —first as a parent, then as an 3-6 Assistant and finally as 3-6 Guide—and my life changed! So today, having served as an Academic Administrator at Montessori Greece for about 6 years, I can tell you this: regarding anything related to the practical aspects of your Montessori training, or for any information you might need to decide whether to pursue training, or whether to attend a seminar, we are here to help—in writing or in person. Don’t hesitate to contact the training center Secretariat, with any questions, concerns, or requests for clarification. That is, first and foremost, what an Academic Administrator does! Looking forward to hearing from you!
“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it requires the intellectual development of the individual, the affirmation of their value as a person, and the preparation of young people to understand the era in which they live.”
Maria Montessori, “Education and Peace”
Guest AMI Trainers from Abroad
Sharlyn Smith
AMI Trainer 0-3
Sharlyn Smith is an AMI Trainer for children aged 0–3 (Assistants to Infancy) and an international speaker and examiner for the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). She holds AMI Diplomas for children aged 0–3 and 3–6 and has more than 25 years of experience in Montessori classrooms, having also served as a school director. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Japanese Language and Literature and International Relations from the University of Colorado, as well as a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Montessori Education from Loyola University.
Since 2025, she has been collaborating with Montessori Greece as an instructor for the AMI Diploma program for children ages 0–3. At the same time, she conducts AMI Orientation Courses, offers lectures and talks for parents and the general public, and serves as consultant to schools and educators. Sharlyn leads the current 0–3 AMI programme in Athens.
Anne Kelly
AMI Trainer for the Montessori Approach to Dementia, Disability, and Aging (MDDA)
Anne Kelly is a registered nurse specializing in the Montessori approach to elder care and a dementia consultant. She is the Director of Montessori Consulting in Australia and Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) for Dementia, Aging, and Disability (Montessori for Dementia, Disability, and Aging – MDDA). She holds advanced degrees in Dementia Management, Workplace Training and Assessment, and Dementia Care Mapping. In 2009, she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to further her study of Montessori methods for dementia care. With more than 45 years of experience in caring for older adults and people living with dementia, both in residential facilities and in home care, she is considered one of the leading international figures in the field of the Montessori approach to aging, dementia, and disability. She is a close and regular collaborator of Montessori Greece, where she has conducted MDDA Workshops, specialised AMI training for professionals in the field of dementia, as well as lectures and workshops in Athens and other areas of the country.
Jenny Marie Höglund
AMI Trainer 6–12 and 12–18
Jenny Marie Höglund has been collaborating with Montessori Greece for many years, conducting AMI Orientation Courses for the 6–12 and 12–18 age groups. Her many years of experience in a Montessori elementary school have established her as one of the most experienced Montessori educators in Europe. It was the children themselves – unwilling to part with her school – who inspired her to continue her work, to study the Montessori approach to adolescents in depth and subsequently create a model Montessori community for adolescents in Rydet, Sweden. Today, in addition to being an AMI trainer for children ages 6–12, she is internationally recognised for her pioneering work in adolescent education and as one of the most experienced AMI trainers for the 12–18 age group. In Greece, she has conducted three AMI Orientation Courses for children aged 6–12, and one AMI Orientation Course for Adolescents.
Maria Teresa Vidales
Senior AMI Trainer 0-3
Maria Teresa Vidales, M.A. (also known to students as Chacha), is an AMI Trainer for children aged 0–3, an examiner, a consultant, and an AMI Senior Trainer. She has led training programs in the United States, Canada, China, Australia, and Greece, and has co-led similar training programs in Japan and the United States (California and Colorado). She is originally from Mexico, where for more than thirty years she has directed a Montessori school for children from birth to age three. Chacha first visited Greece in 2016, at the invitation of Montessori Greece. In April of that same year, she conducted the first AMI Orientation Course 0-3 in Athens, which was very well received and led to two more AMI Orientation Courses, as well as two AMI training programs for children aged 0–3.