Welcome to Maitri Montessori!
We are a private, home-based school, committed to providing an individualized learning experience to our students. We are located in a beautifully transformed craftsman house in the Alamitos Neighborhood of Long Beach, California.
About us
Maitri (pronounced May-tree) is the Sanskrit word for loving kindness and friendliness. This is the foundation for the comprehensive education we provide to children between the ages of 18 months - 6 years. We unlock the potential of our students by instilling a curious mindset, love of learning, and compassionate way of being with others.
About us
Maitri (pronounced May-tree) is the Sanskrit word for loving kindness and friendliness. This is the foundation for the comprehensive education we provide to children between the ages of 18 months - 6 years. We unlock the potential of our students by instilling a curious mindset, love of learning, and compassionate way of being with others.
Our Approach
Inspired by the Montessori philosophy within an anti-bias framework, we create spaces that fuel curiosity, child-led learning, and foster independence, creativity, and empathy. Our proven programming is focused on developing a personalized strengths-based learning plan for each student that nurtures their innate skills and talents. We actively engage your child in the growth process by providing a comfortable, home-like physical environment, rich with comprehensive learning opportunities.
Our Values
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Curiosity
We believe that curiosity is the root of all growth and development, and create engaging learning experiences to expand the minds and hearts of our students. We model and encourage everyone to approach the world from a place of openness, wonderment, and curiosity, recognizing there are always opportunities for learning. #expandourknowledge
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Kindness
One of our core values is kindness and an unwavering belief that treating others with respect, courtesy, and dignity, regardless of our differences, is non-negotiable. We promote a diverse and inclusive environment and are committed to appreciating the unique strengths, passions, beliefs, and backgrounds of all our students. #expandourperspective
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Resilience
Our goal is to foster independence and resilience in our students, so they thrive. We want our students to be able to bounce back from challenges and overcome obstacles by building their confidence, strong sense of self and problem-solving capabilities. This strong foundation will set our students up to make an impact in the world for themselves and others. #expandourstrength
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Community
We actively build a community in our classroom by sharing resources and supporting one another on our learning journey. This extends to the wider community as we engage with neighbors and friends, and explore local libraries, museums, playgrounds, and shops. We look for ways to contribute to the growth and well-being of our community. #expandourimpact
Our Founder & Director
Sara Shadravan is known for her enthusiasm and her love of learning. She has a background in Montessori education and has worked for the past 25 years as a teacher, curriculum developer and educational leader to transform school communities. She has worked extensively in South East Asia, the Middle East and Southern Africa, opening International schools that foster independence and open-minded inquiry. Sara advocates for a holistic approach to education in which parents, teachers and students are equal stakeholders in the learning process. She has led parent-teacher associations, hosted community events and run extracurricular learning experiences for students and parents.
Sara returned to the USA a few years ago and served as the Head of School for Le Port Montessori School in Fountain Valley , California before starting an international consulting practice, providing advice and guidance to start up educational institutions. For the last three years she consulted full-time for Pache Montessori in New York, building out their virtual learning programs and implementing Covid safety measures once the children returned to school.
Seeing a need for a quality Montessori School in Long Beach, Sara decided to open Maitri Montessori to provide quality and personalized education to young people in this growing community.
Sara has three grown daughters and three grandchildren, with two more on the way! She holds multiple teaching credentials and is a certified coach from the Institute for Social & Emotional Intelligence.
