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Accreditation

MST is fully accredited by
The International Montessori Council.

Membership

MST is a member of
The Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS).

Faculty

The faculty of the school is drawn from an international mix of talented people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. The diversity of our teaching faculty reflects the cultures of our international community of families. One thing we all have in common is our love of teaching and our commitment to nurturing the best in children through the Montessori method.

Administration


Pete Juds - Head of School

Pete was born and bred in South Africa where he studied and worked towards becoming an actuary. After a few years, he decided that his vocation was teaching children. He went to London to study at the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) training centre (Maria Montessori Training Organisation) and graduated in 1989. Pete worked for Montessori schools in London, before coming to Japan in 1991. Initially he worked as a teacher in Tokyo, until he had the means to realise his ambition and founded Sunshine Montessori School (now MST) in 1993. He maintains a presence in the classrooms and in particular concentrates on introducing the children to the importance of peace.

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Tomo Takahashi - Administration Director

Tomo is a K-12th grade alumnus of Marist Brothers International School in Kobe. After completing his studies in Japan, Tomo spent some time in the banking sector. This included two years in New York and ten years in London working in the derivatives markets. Tomo returned to Tokyo in the summer of 2000 with a dream of a Montessori elementary school. He and Pete met and the rest is MST history.

Qualifications


James Moore – Director of Operations

After 3 years on the JET programme, James joined MST’s faculty as a classroom assistant in 2004. He quickly got involved in coordinating the Sports and Activities programme, which became his main role for 2 years. He continues to do this as well as organise many of the day to day operations of the school. James plays the piano, guitar and trumpet and is an active vocalist, most recently singing in a Jazz band in Tokyo.

Qualifications


Sanako Ushiki – Education Affairs Assistant

After graduating with an education degree in Tokyo, Sanako spent 7 years studying and working in the U.S. She taught Japanese language and Mathematics at schools in Charlotte as well as being a guidance counselor before assisting in a private counseling practice. Returning to Tokyo, she found her way back to the education side of things by coming to work at MST in 2007.

Qualifications


Atsuko Saito – Business Affairs Assistant

Atsuko started at MST as a classroom assistant in August 2005. Prior to that she worked in public relations for 8 years and is currently working in the administration office.

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Little People Faculty


Melissa Lim

Melissa is a graduate of the AMI training centre in Yokohama. She keeps herself active and enjoys snowboarding and surfing. After teaching in Tokyo for a few years, Melissa visited MST and was inspired to take Montessori training. She joined MST in January 2007

Qualifications



Minako Kikkawa

Minako also studied at the AMI training centre in Yokohama. She loves to travel and keeping active. Before joining MST in April, 2005 she worked in a Japanese Montessori school in Kanagawa.

Qualifications



Nobuko Inada

Nobuko is from Japan and has taught in International schools in Europe and Korea. She joined MST in August 2006.

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Sunshine Faculty


Naoko Kikkawa

Naoko has worked for the school since 1993. After gaining many years of experience she decided to learn about the theory behind it all and in March 2002 she completed her Montessori training at the only AMI centre in Japan (The Montessori Institute of Tokyo).

Qualifications


Camille Ploux

While spending 4 years teaching at a bilingual Montessori school in Paris, Camille found time to volunteer for an NGO in Cambodia, be an English tutor for children in Greece as well as Paris and develop a new English programme for French speakers in public schools. She joined MST in 2007.

Qualifications


Maki Sugamata

After graduating from college in the US, Maki returned to Japan to study Montessori teaching. She completed her training at the AMI centre in Japan (The Montessori Institute of Tokyo). Maki worked for 2 years at International schools in Tokyo and joined MST in 2003.

Qualifications


Erin Salter

Erin moved to Japan in August 2004 to join MST. She has worked with children from age 2 to 9 in Montessori schools, most recently, in Nashville at the same school she attended as a child. She has also worked as an art instructor and continues to pursue her interest in the Japanese aesthetic.

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Setsuko Miura Armstrong

Setsuko interpreted for the Dr Silvano Montanaro at the AMI birth to 3 training centre for 3 years and took the exams herself during that time. Soon afterward she gained her early childhood certification. She has taught in the US and Japan and joined MST in August 2006.

Qualifications


Nadine Rozenoer

After leaving the field of Biology and Science, Nadine taught in Montessori schools in the US and in Paris, France. Her multicultural background and long time fascination with Japanese culture led her to join the MST team in August 2006.

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Elementary Faculty


Sainoor Premji

Sainoor’s background starts in the field of medical technology. She then taught in Montessori Schools at the Elementary and Middle school levels for 15 years before starting her own Natural Healing clinic in Canada. Realising she missed the classroom too much, she returned to the Montessori world when joining MST in August 2006

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Tomoko Funada Kim

Tomoko is a graduate of the University of Bradford’s Peace Studies course. She worked both commercially and for NGO’s in the UK before starting work for MST in June 2005. She is currently studying Montessori Education at The Montessori Institute of Tokyo, Kanagawa-ken, Japan.

Qualifications


Lynn Jung

Lynn has been teaching for nine years in Montessori schools around the world. Most recently in Beijing, she continued her Asian experience by joining MST in August 2006.

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Kinota Braithwaite

Kinota has been working with children for the last 10 years, teaching mostly Computer skills as well as English and basketball. Having worked in Japan before for a number of years, he returned to join MST in August 2006.

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Jere Newman

Jere is a qualified Elementary Montessori teacher and has taught for many years in Texas, Sydney, Hong Kong, Milwaukee and most recently in Denver, Colorado before coming to Japan.

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Lynn Newman

Lynn had been teaching in classrooms for many years andin many countries before her husband convinced her to take the Montessori training. She loves teaching Reading and Literature.

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Specialist Teachers


Patrick Snyder - Music Teacher

Our resident composer. Patrick teaches flute and recorder to all students. With a few other instruments thrown in, he leads the MST ensemble. In classes, Patrick encourages students to write their own music.

Qualifications


Shukuko Takeda Matz - Japanese Language

Shukuko has studied Montessori around the world, from Tokyo, Japan, through Perugia and Bergamo, Italy and in Cleveland, USA. After working in a Japanese Montessori programme, she spent five years in Montessori schools in Connecticut and California where she taught Japanese to native English speakers. Shukuko is also a qualified Japanese language instructor and has produced a Montessori video on Infant & Toddler Education.

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Zach White - Librarian

Zach is a furniture maker by trade. He first came into the MST fold while constructing tables, counters, benches and other furniture for the library and classrooms. He joined the school in January 2005 and has worked in early childhood and elementary classrooms. He will complete his elementary Montessori certification in 2007.

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"The object of teaching a child is to enable the child to get along without the teacher."

—Arthur C. Clarke