Eva Van Derdys
1. Where are you from? I am from Puerto Rico. I have lived in Paris, Italy, Ohio, and now in Palm Harbor.
2. What year did you begin teaching? I began teaching in 2011. I have taught in France, Italy, Puerto Rico, Ohio, and Palm Harbor.
3. Where did you go to school? I went to The University of Puerto Rico, The University of Urbino in Italy, and Montessori Live in Sarasota.
4. What degrees/certifications do you hold? I have a BA in Foreign Languages, Drawing, and Fashion Design. I am completing my 6-12 year old Montessori Certification.
5. Describe a “top” teaching moment. I love to observe when children have their “Aha moment”, the moment they realize what they are learning; it is like they discovered one of the secrets of the world. In that moment they feel proud of themself and want to share their knowledge with other children.
6. What part of the Montessori curriculum do you find most exciting/effective? Math and Geometry, both are rich of well thought materials that help you understand each concept in a concrete instead of an abstract way. When I was taking the training, I had a lot of “Aha moments” because I understood the real meaning of the mathematical concepts. Since I have a passion for languages, I think is brilliant how Maria Montessori represented each part of the speech with a symbol and how they apply to any language.
7. Tell us about your family/hobbies. I have an Italian fiancé, two lovely and hardworking parents, twin brothers and a stepsister that are 11 years younger than me. I love traveling, doing craft, drawing, painting, reading and going to the movies.
8. What country have you never visited but would like to? There are a few countries that I want to visit: Greece, England, Taiwan, Australia and South Korea.