MLK Montessori School is proud to warmly welcome Ms. Jessica Phiri to our team of talented teachers and staff. Ms. Jessica comes to the school with experience and expertise in teaching English and early literacy. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree in 2010 and became a licensed educator in 2016.
Ms. Phiri states, “I have worked in education the majority of my adult life. I believe it is my calling. My family experienced generational poverty and I was determined, even as a young child, to get an education and break the cycle. I believe when you do something like that, you are then called to go back and help others in the way you were helped. Education helped save my life and I believe it can help save others, too.”
Ms. Phiri has a deep passion for reading and writing. She has published articles in The Waynedale News and The Post and Mail, along with magazines, Fort Wayne Family and Fort Wayne Parenting. She also published a short story in the compilation book, “Living Lessons” edited by Lynn C. Johnston.
“I believe children who read have a much greater chance at success and the research truly shows this to be the case. When children are taught to love reading, they will embrace it. When children are taught that reading is boring and no good, their teachers will struggle to entice them into finding books they will enjoy. I think that parents and caregivers can absolutely instill a passion for reading from a very young age. When children hear their parents and teachers sing the songs in an early childhood reader or express the different voices in a story book, they are engaged in active imagination which opens up the brain to a love of learning.” Ms. Phiri expressed.
As a champion of literacy at the school, Ms. Phiri will be writing short blogs on the school website to help parents to foster early literacy in simple ways. Parents can also participate in our “Snuggle Night” Friday, March 18th from 5pm-7pm. Students will pick 2-3 new books to take home and the school will provide pizza. Parents will be able to snuggle with their child/ren with some fascinating stories and a meal.
