Anna Sobstel-Urban, Preschool Director. Studying English and German at the Business Language College and then Law and Administration at the University of Silesia resulted in the idea of establishing her own language school Oxford Centre SJO, which she has been running since 2004. This school, in spite of having learners at every age and in spite of having completed two Union projects for adults, has been always focused mainly on teaching English to children from 2 years of age and even younger. She took advantage of this experience as well as of the access to the unique platform for teaching English for creation of professional language classes in Oxford Pre School. On the other hand, engagement in organisation of lectures and workshops with brilliant scientists, travellers and artists  within the Children’s University, which lasted a couple of years, will be certainly useful for her in provision of our pupils with the scientific workshops that they dream about! Montessori pedagogy has become her passion, which is confirmed by Montessori certificate, numerous courses and trainings as well as regular contact with several leading Montessori institutions in Poland.

Jadwiga Malarz, Pedagogical Director. She has been the preschool education teacher since 1982. She holds the master title in preschool pedagogy and preschool education. She is a graduate of the postgraduate studies in the field of oligofrenopedagogy as well as postgraduate studies in the field of management of an educational institution in the reformed education system. Since 2002, she has been a certified teacher. She has 15-year experience as the Director of the preschool run on the basis of the pedagogy of Maria Montessori, to which she has successfully introduced the elements of this pedagogy as an alternative form of supporting of individual and social development of the child. She has spoken at several scientific conferences. She is the author of a lot of publications and articles in scientific publications, relating to Montessori method. She has been the organiser of a lot of trainings for teachers.

Katarzyna Kubat – Pedagogical Vice-Director. She graduated from the University of Opole in the field of cultural studies and finished postgraduate studies in early childhood and preschool education. From the beginning of her work as a teacher, she has been working in Montessori kindergartens. She is fascinated by how children attending these types of institutions develop. She participated in a preschool course organized by the Polish Montessori Institute. She also participated in many trainings and conferences (including conferences organized by the Polish Montessori Institute). She is currently completing postgraduate studies in Sensory Integration and Early English Teaching.

Joanna Sarzyńska – Dziubek, Preschool Group Teacher. She finished English Philology at the University of Silesia. She has started working as a teacher and as a translator of English already as a student. She was an English teacher in a language school, where she had the possibility to work with all age groups. However, work with the youngest children – even one-year-old ones – was the most satisfying for her. It inspired her to start post-graduate studies in Early School and Preschool Education. Her personal maternity experience directed her towards Montessori pedagogy. She has completed Montessori training and she has obtained the Certificate. She is still eagerly expanding her knowledge in this field. In her private life, she is a lover of signing, which she would like to encourage the children to.

Magdalena Grabowska – Preschool Group Teacher. She completed master studies in the field of cultural studies at the Faculty of Philology of the University of Silesia and 3-year pedagogical studies at the Teachers’ College in Bytom in the field of Integrated Early School Education and Pre-School Education. She also completed a qualification course in early teaching of English at the Provincial Methodological Center in Katowice. She started her professional career teaching English to children of all ages, incl. in preschool education institutions and on courses using the Helen Doron method. For the last 4 years she has been working as a preschool teacher and conducted English classes in 10 departments of the preschool. She also worked as an animator for children and a camp counselor. She did not stop looking for tools, techniques and methods that allow to approach the child individually consulting his individual needs and possibilities, which resulted in her respecting with the Maria Montessori method, which is a comprehensive support not only for the child but for the teacher as well. She is invariably delighted with child’s curiosity, spontaneity and creativity. She completed Montessori training at the Polish Montessori Association in Łódź, obtained a certificate and started a one-year Montessori course at the Krakow Training Center “Montessori od serca”.

Merle Marie – Montessori Preschool Teacher, Native Speaker. Her passion for teaching started when she babysat her younger cousins as a teenager. Then she has volunteered a lot of her time at schools in Durban and Johannesburg, at the preprimary and primary level. She has realized how satisfying it is when a child grasps a concept for the first time. This has inspired her to continue teaching. She has studied towards a certificate in Early Childhood Development and she has also completed a Diploma in ECD through Wonderkids Montessori in the Montessori philosophy. In Poland she has spent 10 years teaching in Montessori Preschool. Here she gained practical experience about being an educator, in the formal sense. She thus has the experience, patience and ability to deal with children between the ages of one and upwards, and from various cultural backgrounds.

Ewelina Harężlak, Preschool Group Teacher. She finished bachelor studies at the Katowice School of Economics, major: Early School and Preschool Education as well as Physical Education, and MA studies at the University of Silesia in Katowice – major: Early School and Preschool Pedagogy. She was working during her studies as a nanny of three siblings and after her studies – as a preschool teacher in a private preschool. She gets satisfaction from the performed work, which motivates her to further professional development. She thinks that every child is exceptional; she treats everyone individually, with due cordiality and respect. She holds a Montessori Certificate. Being fascinated by Montessori pedagogy, she is currently still mastering her knowledge in this field at specialist Montessori training. In her private life, she is a mom of 4-year-old Franek and an animal lover.

Natalia Wizental – Preschool Group Teacher, Speech Therapist, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Teacher. She completed Polish philology studies at the University of Silesia in Katowice as well as postgraduate speech therapy studies. She also completed postgraduate studies, major: Integrated Early School Education and Preschool Education. Work with children is her passion. During her studies she was working as an animator in a playground for children, she was a tutor at a sports camp and after finishing the studies she was working as a speech therapist for children at preschool age. In 2017 she completed the course „Catechesis of the Good Shepherd’s” by Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi, based on Maria Montessori’s pedagogy assumptions, in Rome, in English. During this course, she encountered this pedagogy for the first time. It has become the subject of her interest. She obtained the Montessori certificate and she still deepening her knowledge in this field.

Małgorzata Jończyk – Preschool Group Teacher. She has completed master studies in Early School Education and Preschool Education at the University of Silesia. She was a grant holder of the Lifelong Learning Programme, thanks to which she was exploring knowledge in the field of the Scandinavian education model at the VIA University College in Denmark. For a couple of years, she was working as an English-speaking teacher in preschool institutions in multiultural environment: in the preschool with forest education sections Nørrestenbro in Aarhus (Denmark), in the preschool developing the project model in Colégio de São José in Coimbra (Portugal), in the bilingual preschool being a part of Collegio San Carlo in Milan (Italy) and recently in Nido Scuola Jacarandá in Milan (Italy) run by means of Reggio Emilia work method, the philosophical assumptions of which have been created on the basis of Maria Montessori’s method. She has completed a lot of courses, inter alia ‘Ad-venture Pedagogy’, ‘Work with a Child with Attention Deficits’, ‘Use of Dialogue Cards in Work with Children – Gestalt Therapy Elements’. She has also completed an International Montessori pedagogy and Montessori therapeutic pedagogy Course. Her professional interests are connected with teaching through experiencing. She is fascinated by innovative teaching methods and creative approach to early education, which are to help the child in the development of the problem-solving, decision-making, cooperation and communication skills.

Kateryna Buianova – Teacher’s Assistant, Native Speaker. For the last two years she has been working in a certified center preparing for Cambridge English exams. During this time, she developed the ability to work with students of all ages. She participated in many international Cambridge events and successfully took the TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test) exam. She believes that her role as a teacher of the youngest is to nurture and encourage children to learn throughout their lives. Through practical activities and discussions, she hopes to encourage children to think creatively and discover their natural curiosity. She wants them to feel that there is a safe space to share feelings and be themselves. Since English is her greatest passion, she still works with her older students in her spare time, organizing online classes. She completed Montessori training at the Polish Montessori Association in Łódź and received a certificate.

Joanna Buczyńska-Włosek – Teacher of Rhythmics with English. She completed a master’s degree in rhythmics and theoretical and musical subjects at the Academy of Music in Katowice and Philosophical Consulting and Coaching at the University of Silesia. She has been specializing in the field of Dalcroze rhythmics for 10 years, conducting classes in Silesian music schools, preschools and nurseries. Participant of numerous international and national conferences, workshops and seminars related to the field of rhythmics and artistic education. Her professional interests focus in particular on Dalcroze solfege, plastique animee and building self-confidence through rhythmic exercises. She believes that rhythmics and creative exercises are the key to shaping the character and keeping curiosity about the surrounding world.

THE PRE-SCHOOL COOPERATES ALSO WITH:

Ewa Mardyło – She completed master studies in Social Counseling Pedagogy and Postgraduate Studies in Psychology (Psycho-correction of Behavior Disorders of Children and Youth) at the University of Silesia. She completed art therapy at The Karol Godula Upper Silesian Academy of Entrepreneurship in Chorzów. Family mediator, court expert of the District Court in Katowice. She completed numerous training courses and workshops as part of the curriculum of the Polish Erickson Institute regarding, inter alia, diagnosis and basics of the therapy of mental disorders of children and youth, therapy of aggressive children, principles of short-term therapy and the study of family therapy. She has several years of practice as a teacher, educator, sociotherapist, therapist.