Monica Van Aken

mvanaken@milwaukee-montessori.org

Monica Van Aken Ed.D. has served as the Head of School at Milwaukee Montessori School since 1999. In 1926, her grandmother completed her training with Maria Montessori and taught at as a Montessori teacher in Germany until the time that Hitler closed their school because it was filled with children from Jewish families. Monica’s mother took her Montessori training in Germany with Montessori’s proteges, along with Mario Montessori in England. Monica attended Whitby Montessori School in Greenwich, CT from Children’s House through 8th grade.

During the summers, Monica would visit her grandparents in Germany. Because she was familiar with the Montessori method and materials, Monica’s grandmother regularly had her sit with the students in her school to help with their lessons. In return, she was paid in chocolate! She says that she vividly remembers taking the first bite of her first day’s pay and deciding right then that she would be a teacher when she grows up.

Education

• Doctorate, Education Policy & Leadership, University of Virginia
• Masters Degree in Private School Administration, Columbia University
• Fellowship in Educational Policy, Oxford University
• Master’s Degree in Elementary Education, University of Connecticut
• BA History, Lafayette College
• Advanced Montessori Diploma, Association of Montessori Internationale
• Casa Dei Bambini (3-6) Montessori Diploma
• Nine years teaching experience