The Longer Version:

Located in Quetzaltenango ("Xela"), the second largest city in Guatemala, the Mi Casita Montessori (MCM) will offer an exemplary, authentic Montessori education for children between the ages of three and six. Montessori is a method of education designed to meet each child's developmental needs, to follow each child's unique interests and support each child in developing their human potential. You can read more about what AMI Montessori is here.

MCM is directed by Shirley Yancor, an AMI trained Montessori teacher living and working in Xela. In January 2011, after completing her AMI training in Argentina and her practicum in Mexico, Shirley returned to Xela to establish the city's first authentic Montessori program. Committed to AMI Montessori methods, Shirley offers a program supporting the physical, psychological and social development of the whole child. If you're curious about her story, you can find out more about how Shirley became a Montessori teacher here.

You can also follow our blog at http://micasitamontessori.wordpress.com

The Impact

Mi Casita Montessori is located on the boundary between a low-income rural community and a middle-class urban community. MCM is dedicated to bringing children from diverse backgrounds together to foster collaboration and address the educational disparities evidenced in these communities. Guided by Dr. Montessoris methods, Mi Casita Montessori will be an environment that follows students interests and guides each individual towards developing a deep and lasting love for learning, and respect for himself and his peers.

In Xela, where access to quality early childhood education is limited, the need for this program is great. By building a collaborative and respectful community for young learners, united in a caring and nurturing
Montessori learning environment, Mi Casita Montessori endeavors to meet this need.


Montessori materials are precise, scientifically-based and beautiful. A properly prepared Montessori environment engages the child's hand and mind to help them develop their full human potential. By supporting our campaign, you can help us jumpstart a Montessori classroom, providing the children of Xela with the materials needed to become independent, motivated, curious, purposeful, concentrated and peaceful learners.

What We Need & What You Get

We are currently working to fund the purchase of a set of Montessori classroom materials. Montessori materials are precise, carefully crafted and unique to the Montessori method. They support children in developing independence, cultivating their mathematical minds, inspiring curiosity, and emboldening their artistic natures. Moreover, they help young children learn to read, write, count, and more while feeling really good about themselves.


$4,000 will allow us to purchase and ship a classroom's worth of Montessori primary materials critical to the opening of an AMI Montessori classroom. We are using the U.S. distributor, Montessori Outlet as they provide quality, low cost Montessori materials based on the Nienhaus blueprint.


When you donate you can receive some great goodies, and moreover, you can feel good knowing that these kickbacks will help support other amazing non-profits in Xela too!

***Update on kickbacks: We're excited to get these out to you. We anticipate shipping them in August.

Other Ways You Can Help

Spread the word about our school! We need all the buzz we can get, so if you're unable to donate at this time, please take the time to forward this to 5, 10, 50, or 1,000 of your friends. The more exposure we get, the more likely it is we will be funded.

Help us become a non-profit organization! Buying materials is just the beginning of starting a school. As the school becomes more established it will need support to fund its potential growth. Current fundraising efforts are being led by a U.S. team of Montessori teachers and assistants. If you can offer your services as a lawyer or are familiar with getting non-profits off the ground, please feel free to get in touch with us.

Pay attention to the next campaign round. Next up, funding the building of a roof!