My name is Jeremy, however through this journey as an educator I have been called many things – Germy, Sermy, Mr J and countless others. I was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois. My love of learning started young, being the little brother to my big sister, and only a couple years later I began to foster my love of teaching by becoming a big brother, twice.
After High School, I followed my 2 passions, soccer and art, to a small liberal arts college in Decatur, Illinois; Millikin University. There I earned a degree in Art Education and left ready to apply what I had learned to the young aspiring artists of the world… or so I thought.
From Decatur, I moved like many midwesterns do, to Chicago, Illinois. In Chicago, I found a position in substitute teaching at an elementary school, filling in for teachers anywhere from PreK to 6th grade. During that time I was able to find the grade that worked best for me and it was not what I expected. I discovered that the foundations were the most important and that foundations started young.
During my time in Chicago, I spent the school year in a classroom and the summers working on a Trail Crew in the Adirondack Mountains based in Lake Placid, New York, There the theme of a strong foundation continued. Using simple hand tools, camping and struggling against the elements are some of the reasons I was so attracted to the Montessori Method.
From Chicago and Lake Placid, I moved to Austin, Texas. In Austin, I truly found Montessori and began to understand my cosmic task. I accepted an assistant guide position at Athena Montessori Academy. I was “discovered” through coaching soccer at the school. I began as an assistant guide, then earned my Montessori Early Childhood Certificate (AMS) at Midwest Montessori Teaching Training Center and soon after its completion I took over a classroom. The mountains have always been calling, so after 8 years of being an assistant guide, lead guide and co-lead guide in Austin; my wife, my almost 2 year old son and I packed up and moved to Longmont, Colorado.
I happily accepted a position at St. Vrain Community Montessori School and the Colorado Chapter began. After 4 years at SVCMS, it was clear that it was time to bring my long time dream to fruition. I have been lucky enough to stay connected to a friend and co-worker from Austin. This friend also shares a similar dream. We were co- workers at Athena, co-leads guides at SVCMS and now, here together at Gray Wolf Montessori.
