Alumni Connection

I live in Morristown, NJ with my husband Ryan, who is Dean of Drew University, and my children Elise (14) and Connor (12).  Elise loves to sing and play the piano and flute. Connor enjoys baseball and soccer. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and I work as a psychotherapist in private practice, specializing in perinatal mental health. We recently bought a new house and love sitting around the fireplace and taking walks in nature!

My PMONTS education instilled a love of learning for its own sake and nurtured my self-motivation. I remember my teachers at PMONTS making the lessons exciting and interesting with demonstrations, storytelling, surprises, and intrigue. I’ll never forget the lesson in elementary school about centrifugal force. We went outside and my teacher used a bucket full of water swinging around her head to show how centrifugal force held the water in the bucket. It left a lasting impression on me that the water did not come out of the bucket! As I got older, I always wanted to learn because I found it interesting, not for a grade or because I “had” to. Also, the Montessori philosophy of “follow the child” helped me with self-motivation even beyond my school years. I feel that my Montessori education gave me the tools to have my own business as a therapist. Since I’m responsible for every aspect of my business, self-motivation is a must.

My Montessori education greatly influenced how I raise my own children. My children’s independence, love of learning, self-motivation, and respect for others are all priorities rooted in my PMONTS education. I chose a helping profession and I’m positive that choice was influenced by the Montessori principles of respect, grace and courtesy, and the importance of community.  Even the way I manage my time began at PMONTS, where children learn to have ownership of their work in the classroom.

What do PMonts faculty remember about Anne Marie?

Michelle Morrison, HOS: 

“Anne Marie is not only a PMONTS alumna, but she was briefly an employee as well. I had the privilege of having Anne Marie on my middle school team in the 1990s and could see that she applied her Montessori education to her work with students.  Given that her mother is the founder of our teacher training program, and a former Montessori school head and educator, it’s no wonder Anne Marie has adopted the values of Montessori as a parent and business owner. We are always so pleased to keep in touch with our alumni and to hear how a Montessori education impacts their adult life.”