Leadership
Ms. Dawn
Principal
Ms. Dawn Tang, a distinguished Montessori educator with over 14 years of experience, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and Education. She completed her Montessori training at the Montessori Institute of America (MIA) in 2009 and further advanced her expertise as a teacher trainer in 2011.
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In 2017, Dawn founded Shamrock Montessori, inspired by her faith and dedication to serving others. As a Christian and humble servant of God, she has created a compassionate and supportive learning community that integrates spiritual values.
Dawn's educational philosophy emphasizes supporting the natural development of the child's absorbent mind, fostering intellectual growth, and instilling a love for learning. As the visionary founder of Shamrock Montessori, Dawn shapes the future of Montessori education, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of countless children and their families.
Ms. Jasmine
Director
Ms. Jasmine has more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education, and this is her twenty academic year leads in a Montessori school. She took ECE courses and has been graduated from EWU with MIS degree. She holds Montessori teaching certificate at both Primary and Infant/toddler levels. She also has a certificate of postpartum lactation care. Jasmine has two girls, one is working as an elementary teacher, and one is a college student.
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She is very obsessed with Montessori education. She believes a real Montessori teacher needs not only have enough knowledge also needs to be responsible, diligent, patient, passion, love and care. She always follows the children and observes them carefully. She spent lots of time designing lessons and making teaching materials for children to grow by exploring and experiencing through the prepared Montessori class, but not from people’s passive teaching. She emphasized that learning is joy. Her belief is to provide children with the most authentic, self-conscious learning life and suitable to their age. She said the true reward to be a teacher is watching each child enjoys working in the class and grow positively.
Ms. Traci
Curriculum Director
Ms. Traci is excited to be a part of the Shamrock Montessori community. She grew up in Monroe, MI, and moved to Bellevue in 1989, where she has lived ever since. Traci truly loves the Pacific Northwest and feels blessed to live in such a beautiful area.
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With a teaching career in Montessori education that began in 1995, Traci holds teaching certificates in both Primary (ages 3-6) and Elementary (ages 6-9). As the Curriculum Director, she is passionate about developing a well-rounded and enriching Montessori curriculum that supports each child’s growth and development to their fullest potential. She believes in setting high expectations and takes great joy in watching her students rise to meet them. Traci is dedicated to fostering a lifelong love of learning in every child she encounters, ensuring they have the tools they need to thrive.
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Outside the classroom, Traci enjoys walking and hiking with her dog, reading, and practicing yoga. She looks forward to continuing her work with the amazing families and staff at Shamrock Montessori, where she can further nurture the school’s mission and vision.
Educators
Ms. Ivy
Preschool Lead Teacher
Ivy Xu is an experienced Montessori Lead Teacher with a strong academic background and a passion for early childhood education. She holds a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction with a Teacher Leadership Certificate, a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development with an Early Childhood Certificate, and the AMI Primary Diploma.
With over five years of experience leading classrooms in a Montessori setting, Ivy deeply understands early childhood development and Montessori pedagogy. Her expertise is further enhanced by her fluency in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, enabling her to guide young learners through a unique educational journey effectively.
In her role, Ivy combines the principles of Montessori education with immersive Chinese language instruction, creating a nurturing and stimulating environment where children can develop linguistic, cognitive, and social skills. She is committed to fostering each child’s growth through hands-on activities and individualized learning plans, instilling a lifelong appreciation for the Chinese language and culture.
Ms. Irene
Preschool English Teacher
Ms. Irene graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is keen on child development and helping nurture young minds. Ms. Irene has had previous experience as a lead teacher at Kiddie Academy of Renton and as an assistant teacher at Cascade Christian Schools and Tacoma First Baptist Church. She has also served in the Children’s Ministry at her church and has volunteered for Vacation Bible School (VBS) for many years.
Ms. Irene plays the piano and has also given piano lessons to children in the past. Ms. Irene has a genuine love for the outdoors and nature. She is passionate about cultivating young learners as well as sharing the love and gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone she encounters.
Ms. Amy
Preschool Chinese Teacher
Ms. Amy graduated from the University of Washington. She has been working in a Montessori classroom for around three years and took the Montessori training (AMS) in September 2022. She likes to get along with the children and thinks they are friendly and peaceful in the Montessori environment, whose eyes reveal curiosity and yearning for the world.
“The Montessori philosophy is to help children discover their potential and autonomy by guiding them. In this way, they can be more confident and can do what they can do better,” Ms. Amy states, that she is passionate about guiding the growth of the children and helping them to study the beautiful things about life.
Ms. Sandy
Preschool English Teacher
Ms. Sandy has been working with children for more than 24 years. She has been at Shamrock Montessori for 4 years. As a mom of three children and grandmother of two grandchildren, Ms. Sandy strives to provide her passion and experience in developing the potential and interests of each of the children. She loves children and loves to see them try new things, become independent, to have success, and to see their confidence building every day. She enjoys it when they want to teach her Chinese words.
In her spare time, she loves to go for walks, her dancing, camping, quilting, sewing, and spending time with her family. Every day is a new day and I am excited to see what it brings.
Ms. Shuang
Toddler Lead Teacher
Ms. Shuang, a dedicated and adventurous educator, brings over seven years of international teaching experience to her role, having taught in the United States, China, and Africa.
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An avid biker, Ms. Shuang has cycled through more than 50 countries on her own, fueling her passion for both education and global exploration. Her travels have allowed her to visit children in Africa, India, Nepal, and Europe, deepening her understanding of Dr. Maria Montessori's philosophy that "education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being."
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Ms. Shuang was drawn to join Shamrock Montessori due to its strong Christian foundation.
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Driven by her independent spirit, curiosity, and love for lifelong learning, Ms. Shuang seeks to inspire these qualities in her students as well. She eagerly looks forward to discovering and learning alongside the children in her classroom while fostering a compassionate and faith-based educational environment.
Ms. Miao
Toddler Lead Teacher
Ms. Miao was born in China and had completed her BA degree in Luoyang Normal University. She has many years working with children in English program and she is also working to become a Montessori certified teacher through the MACTE program.
Ms. Miao is passionate about instilling a love of learning in her students. She works to create an inspiring and engaging Montessori learning environment in which children feel safe and secure and to provide what students need in order to become lifelong learners. Working with children is truly a blessing in her life.
Ms. Joyce
Toddler Chinese Teacher
Ms. Joyce majored in pre-school education and earned a BA in the university. She has worked in education in China for six years. She was blessed with the opportunity to volunteer at a church preschool in Bellevue for two years since she came to Seattle. She also obtained her Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate. These experiences allow her better to understand the diverse educational and cultural backgrounds of children.
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Ms. Joyce firmly believes in respecting each child's unique personality and supporting their growth through engaging in different activities. As an educator, she believes that every child is a natural learner. She is good at observing children and is passionate about exploring the world with children and fostering their curiosity and love for learning.
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In her spare time, Ms. Joyce enjoys music, hiking, watching movies, and spending quality time with her family. She is good at Chinese calligraphy.
Ms. Wenting
Toddler Chinese Teacher
Ms. Wenting holds a Master's degree in Chinese International Education and brings over nine years of teaching experience to her role. Drawn to the Montessori philosophy for its emphasis on child-led learning, she discovered her passion for early childhood education. Her teaching journey is marked by dedication, creativity, and a deep commitment to fostering each child's unique development.
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Ms. Wenting is inspired by the enthusiasm children bring to the classroom each day and their innate curiosity. She believes that the Montessori environment is ideal for nurturing both learning and growth, and her goal is to guide her students to become lifelong learners.
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In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.
Ms. Sharon
Infant Lead Teacher
Ms. Sharon was born in Kenya and moved to Seattle, WA, at the age of 10. Since 2017, she has been working in childcare, with a special focus on infants. Sharon finds great joy in observing how infants perceive their environment and how they begin to understand their place in the world.
Currently, she is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in psychology while also working towards a degree in early childhood education. She hopes that her time at Shamrock Montessori will deepen her passion for working with children.
Ms. Guo
Infant Lead Teacher
Ms. Guo has over 20 years of experience teaching Chinese at the elementary level since graduating from college with a major in education. She has dedicated herself to early childhood education upon her arrival in the United States and has worked as an infant/toddler teacher in Bellevue and Redmond. Ms. Guo deeply loves children and is passionate about working with them. She believes that every child is unique and possesses their own special talents. With a strong ability to connect with children, she builds positive relationships with them, always praising their efforts and offering opportunities for growth, skill-building, and development.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and playing ping-pong.