The Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Development Center is an innovative, multigenerational Montessori program for children and Seniors. Our vision is to provide quality primary, and respite care for members of the Rio Rancho community.
Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Development Center is affiliated with Wildflower School System which is an ecosystem of decentralized Montessori micro-schools to support children, teachers, parents and the community at large.
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We desire to create an environment where children and seniors share the same campus and interact with each other regularly. The children and seniors will participate in educational, nature and cultural experiences as they build genuine positive relationships working together.
In our residential home, each group will have a different schedule as they engage in Montessori activities. In the future we hope to design and create a center where there will be opportunities for both populations to interact daily by sharing a variety of Montessori activities in practical life (including gardening), language, science, math, culture, art, and music. Many of these experiences will take place in common areas on their shared campus (dining, lounge, library, and outdoor garden) with supports from Teacher Guides and staff.
Using the Montessori Curriculum method, our goal is to deliver learning and care to support today's "Sandwich generation." We aspire to provide quality pre-school, and senior care to families in the Rio Rancho Community.
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We desire to foster respect, appreciation and citizenship for the youth in our community towards their seniors by increasing shared life experiences. Our goal is to provide an environment that embraces respect, dignity, courtesy and compassion for all who attend.
Our Teacher Leaders
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Michelle Lance Goodwin
Founding Teacher Leader and Primary Guide
Michelle has been an educator for over 20 years. She has worked as an elementary school, middle school teacher in public schools, and with private schools, She also has over 8 years of experience as a Montessori educator. at the primary and upper elementary level She was also an Associate Professor of Developmental Reading, for technical colleges.
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She received her Montessori Diploma for Primary Ages 3-6 in 2010. She received an AMI Administrators Certificate in 2022, and an AMI Certificate for Montessori Elder Care Practitioner in 2020. In 2000, Mrs. Goodwin completed her Master of Science in Elementary Education and Reading.
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She is thrilled to be a founding partner for Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Development center where she can fulfill her lifelong dream of creating an environment of community for primary and senior attendees.
"I am a lifelong learner," says Michelle. " I desire to help spark the love of learning and self-growth in every person who's life I touch."
Leticia Gonzales
Founding Teacher Leader and Senior Clients Guide
Leticia hold's a certificate in Wedding Planning, and Floral Design from Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado. Afterwards, she began healthcare employment with an agency that served developmentally disabled adults for two years.
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Over the course of 17 years, she has worked with numerous companies and gained experience with the DD Waiver Program, developmentally disabled adults, child care, and the senior population, in Trinidad, CO, Las Vegas, NM, and Albuquerque, NM.
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Leticia also works as an Activity Coordinator for a senior residential community where she is in charge of the Memory Care Unit, the division of the center that deals with residents, who have various levels of dementia.
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"As a natural caregiver, I see an opportunity for my future to utilize my knowledge and experience to continue working with the elderly," said Leticia. "I’m prepared to help build the respite program at Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Development Center."
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Our Board
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
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Our Principles
Nature
A future center will be located in part of the Rio Rancho community that has access to rich views of the Sandia Mountains, and high desert landscapes. In this center, children and seniors will participate in walks through local community parks, and natural desert trails. On these nature walks, they learn to appreciate natural beauty, and understand how they are part of the world ecosystem around them.
Community
Our program focuses on providing opportunities to build rich social, and emotional connections through community. We build community within the learning environment, by making connections with local organizations, and by creating shared activities with children, seniors and families within the Rio Rancho community.
This includes community events.
Montessori
Teacher guides will set up a prepared learning environment where the children and seniors have access to authentic Montessori materials. These materials will help to engage their five senses. They will have multiple opportunities each day to choose their work, and build cognitive skills in the areas of practical life, science, language, math, and culture. Teacher guides will help facilitate work activities for both children and seniors based on their individual interests.
Ages 3-6, Primary Child
“We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit.”
Dr. Maria Montessori | Education for a New World, p. 69
Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Primary Program
Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Primary Afterschool Program is a teacher led Montessori Pre-school that is in the North West area of the Rio Rancho, NM. We are a new program that will be opening in the Fall of 2024!
At Jawanza Zinnia Montessori, children are individuals encouraged to celebrate their individuality! They have increased time to explore their learning environment. Our goal is to provide individualized care to the children in a nurturing and safe space. Our guide-to-child ratio is 1:5 so that children can receive individualized instruction and attention.
We will also partner with the families we serve by providing opportunities to share in classes, school events, cultural events, etc.
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Information regarding application and enrollment will be coming soon!
Children and Seniors Learn Together
“The child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity. He has shown us the true process of construction of the human being. We have seen children totally change as they acquire a love for things and as their sense of order, discipline, and self-control develops within them.... The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
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Dr. Maria Montessori
Education and Peace
Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Adult Day Program
Fall of 2024
Building Bridges across Generations
In our future site we will strive to develop a program for seniors that is individualized based on their interest, hobbies and life's work. We desire to provide respite and support to care givers in order to maintain family units.
There will be opportunities for children and seniors to learn from each other.
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Gardening
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Cooking
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Crafts
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Montessori Activities
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Shared Reading Experiences
Seniors with multiple functioning levels will interact with each other in their own work setting.
Through workshops with community partnerships we will:
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Support Families with trainings on caregiving, and strategies to maintain keeping their loved one in the home for as long as physically possible.
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Connect families with social workers to support transitions to home care, hospice or long term care if necessary.
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Quality and Individualized Senior Care
In our current residential home the guide-to-senior ratio is 1:5. Volunteer care givers also support the program as needed.
Our goal is to help maintain their integrity, identity and personality by designing activities connected to their life's story.
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Individual Memory Books with pictures of family and friends.
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Opportunities for music, art, and gardening experiences.
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Maintaining mobility and language through muscle memory and cognition skills.
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Interactive games, discussions, and group activities.
Our future location will have spaces available for senior clients to:
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Receive occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech.
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Take a quiet nap/relax in a quiet space when necessary​​​