Our Teachers

Rebecca Blanco - Pre-Primary/Children's House: Mrs. Blanco has worked in HISD for nearly 20 years, most of those as a public Montessori teacher. She is State certified, a lifetime member of the American Montessori Society, and holds a B.A. in English with a minor in Spanish from the University of Houston. Mrs. Blanco has also earned an Associate of Applied Sciences in Child Care and Development Montessori Infant/Toddler from North Harris Montgomery Community College as well as an Associate Early Childhood Credential for 3- to 6-year-olds from the Houston Montessori Center. Mrs. Blanco has been married for over 30 years and has 7 children and 9 grandchildren.
Terah Kuhnen - Mrs. Blanco's Class: Mrs. Kuhnen grew up in Greenwich Connecticut then moved to Houston at 10 years old. Growing up in Houston she attended Bunker Hill Elementary School, Memorial Middle School, and Memorial High School. She graduated from University of Houston in May 2009 with a degree in Hotel Restaurant Management. She is currently working as a Montessori teaching assistant and pursuing her career change by earning her teacher certification. Mrs. Kuhnen married her high school sweet heart last year and loves coming home to her two dogs and cat.
Thomas Johanson - Pre Primary/Children's House: Mr. Johanson and his wife moved from Seattle to Houston to be near their daughter and son-in law, a charter school principal, to help the young and growing family while both parents continued in grad school. His wife Susan involved him in Montessori in 1999 as she trained at the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific NW. He took his 2 ½ - 6 training at Spring Valley Montessori and interned in Tacoma. They also trained together for ages 6-12. A recent graduate of the University of Washington, he completed Texas public certification for EC-4th and ESL. He recently recertified at the Houston Montessori Center. Enjoying Texas with two Chihuahuas and three grandchildren fill his “free” time.
Rebecca Scott - Children’s House: Mrs. Scott grew up in Houston, but traveled out of state to attend the University of Oklahoma where she graduated with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. She began teaching fourth grade in Norman, but returned to Houston to be with family. She started working at Garden Oaks in the Children’s House and discovered the Montessori teaching method. She has received training from Houston Montessori Center and is thrilled to be teaching at Garden Oaks Elementary. She is married and has one child. During her down time she enjoys playing and reading with her son.
Gloria Martinez- Mrs. Scott’s class: Ms. Martinez grew up in Mexico. She learned to speak English in Mexico and then became an ESL teacher at a University in Guadalajara Mexico. She then moved to Houston and finished college at the University of Houston with a major in Psychology. Ms. Martinez has a daughter, who she loves to teach every day.
Marie Pousson - Pre Primary/Children's House: Marie Pousson has been a public school educator for over 20 years, including nearly 10 with Montessori 3-6 year olds. She has served as a field consultant for the Houston Montessori Center, the training center where she received American Montessori Society certification for Early Childhood. Her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Masters Degree in Educational Supervision were both awarded at University of St. Thomas, and state certifications include Elementary Education, ESL, and Psychology PK-8, and Mid-Management Administration PK-12. Married for over 35 years, Marie and husband, Joe, enjoy the great outdoors, and visits with their children and grandsons.
Cristina Flores- Mrs. Pousson's Class: Ms. Flores has been employed at Garden Oaks for the past four years as a teacher assistant while she pursues a degree in education. This is her second year with Ms. Pousson in the Children’s House!
Sara Cotner - Lower Elementary: Sara Cotner has been teaching for close to 10 years and is immensely honored to be part of the Garden Oaks team and the Montessori movement in Houston! She started her career in education as an AmeriCorps volunteer, where she recruited and trained reading tutors for the public school system. She then taught in rural Louisiana through Teach For America, and has also taught in high-performing Houston charter schools, as well as a public Montessori school in Denver (where she received her AMS 6-9 certification). Her other experience in education includes working as the Director of Teacher Evaluation for Teach For America, a literacy adjunct faculty member at Hunter College through Teacher U, and an independent educational consultant. In her free time, she volunteers as the coordinator for the Houston Heights Time Bank, partners with her neighbor to blog about The Heights, and spends quality time with her husband, Matt, and their bloodhound, Hoss.
Craig Gerhard – Ms. Cotner’s class: This is Mr. Gerhard’s second year at Garden Oaks Elementary as a teaching assistant while he completes his teaching certification. He is a Montessori parent and is always on the go!
Lynn Hall - Lower Elementary: Ms. Hall has taught in both public and private Montessori schools for more than 20 years. She is a native Houstonian and a graduate of the University of St. Thomas. Ms. Hall has taught Garden Oaks Elementary for nearly 10 years. If you look for her on her off days you might find her working in her yard or curled up in a chair with a good book.
Dishna Samarajivan – Ms. Halls’ class: Ms. Samarajivan is a certified teacher who has come back to the classroom as a teaching assistant part-time.
Luz Torres - Lower Elementary: Mrs. Torres was born in Coahuila, Mexico and has lived in the United States for 20 years. She graduated from U.A.C. with a B.S. in Computer Science, and she holds a Texas Certificate in EC4-Bilingual Education. Mrs. Torres became a Montessori educator 10 years ago. She is married, has two children, both of whom attended the Garden Oaks Montessori Program. She loves to spend free time with family, friends and her dog Pepper.
Therese Sua - Ms. Torres' class: Ms. Sua was born in San Diego, California but moved with her parents to the Philippines while still very young. Years later she moved to Houston for a yoga internship. She liked the city, and has been here for two years now! While holding a Texas certificate in EC-4 Childhood Education, she is currently working as a Montessori Teaching Assistant to be a better teacher in the classroom. She is working on getting certified in teaching English as a Second Language, as well as Special Education. Aside from her teaching certification, she graduated with a B.A. in Communications with a minor in English Literature from Ateneo de Manila University. In the future, she hopes to pursue graduate studies in Special Education, as well as Holistic Nutrition. She also hopes to one day have a home with a dog, a goat and chickens cohabiting peacefully. In her free time, she likes traveling to new places, going restaurant-hopping, and kickboxing!
Beverly Carson - Upper Elementary: Mrs. Carson graduated from Rice University and earned her B.A. in Political Science and continued with a Masters of Bilingual Education from University of Houston. She holds a Mid Management Certification from U. of H. and is trained as a HISD Gifted and Talented teacher. Mrs. Carson has her Montessori Certification for ages 6 - 12. She is married with 4 children, all of whom graduated from the Garden Oaks Montessori program. She speaks some Spanish and plays some soccer.
Megan Hanson - Ms. Carson's Class: Megan Hanson has taught second grade for over six years in public and private schools in the Houston area. She earned a B.S. in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Austin. Megan has also served as a school-based program coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She is married and has one child. Megan has joined the staff at Garden Oaks Elementary as a teacher's assistant after taking the past year off to spend time with her son.
Lindsey Pollock - Principal: Mrs. Pollock moved to Texas in 1983 from the cold north of Minnesota! She grew up in a household of educators and has spent her life as an educator. She and her husband share a passion for public school education. Mrs. Pollock holds certifications in Elementary Education, Special Education, English as a Second Language, Mid-Management and Superintendency. When not at school, she sings with the Houston Choral Showcase and scuba dives! She and her husband share 5 grown children, a darling grandson and another grandbaby on the way!; Laura Aasletten

We welcome these new teachers for the 2010-2011 school year!

Laura Aasletten

In 1998, Laura Aasletten graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelors in Applied Learning and Development. She received her Early Childhood (ages 3-6) Montessori certification in 1998 from the International Montessori Society. From 1998 to 2000, Ms. Aasletten taught 3 to 11 year olds at Montessori Preparatory School in Tampa, Florida. After coming to Whidby in 1999, Ms. Aasletten received her Lower Elementary (ages 6-9) and Upper Elementary (ages 9-12) certification from the Houston Montessori Center. Ms. Aasletten taught upper elementary (9-12)at Whidby for nine years. While earning her Masters of Educational administration from Lamar University, Ms. Aasletten was the magnet coordinator of the Whidby Montessori Magnet school during the 2009-2011 school year.

Shana Steinhardt

Shana Steinhardt began her own education as a Montessori child. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Oberlin College. After a yearlong Montessori internship at Garden Oaks Elementary, she received her Lower Elementary (ages 6-9) Montessori certification from the American Montessori Society in 2000 and a Masters Degree in Education from University of Houston in 2002. Following nine years at Whidby Montessori Magnet, Ms. Steinhardt's return to Garden Oaks marks her 10th year as a Lower Elementary lead teacher. She is passionate about offering authentic Montessori in the public setting. In 2008 & 2009, Ms. Steinhardt chaired the planning committee for the annual Public Montessori Educators of Texas conference. She enjoys using her summers for enrichment opportunities, including tours of ancient ruins in Mexico, Guatemala, & Honduras, an Amazon Rainforest Expedition, the Colonial Wiiliamsburg Teacher Institute, a Wild Studies marine ecology teacher program, Wilderness Awareness School, two Fund for Teachers Fellowships, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science Paleontology Field School for Educators.