When Fishtown resident Denise Spetrino became pregnant with her daughter in 2014, she began looking for a school that would provide her child with a quality early-education program that encouraged learning by experiencing the world around her and fostering independence.
With her personal background in elementary and early-childhood education, Spetrino was aware of the Montessori school philosophy of learning by doing and focusing on what’s best for the child. But she couldn’t find any programs in the neighborhood to fulfill that need.
So in 2017 – with her knowledge of early-childhood development, curriculum and educational administration – Spetrino opened Fishtown Montessori on East Girard Avenue, in the heart of her neighborhood.
“I had always dreamed about opening up a child-care center,” she recalled, “and I knew it was a great opportunity to create the highest-quality, early-learning
environment I possibly could for my own children, as well as other families in the neighborhood.”
The school serves children from 18 months to 6 years old and emphasizes a mixed-age classroom philosophy, outdoor play and experiential learning rooted in the Montessori philosophy.
Developed by the Italian physician and educator Dr. Maria Montessori more than 100 years ago, Montessori focuses on fostering cognitive, social, emotional and physical growth. Students are encouraged to learn at their own pace by interacting with their teachers, peers and the objects around them.
Since Fishtown’s Montessori inception, the community has welcomed it with open arms and enrollment has continued to grow exponentially. There will soon be three locations.
“We are guided by the question, ‘What is best for the child?’” Spertino explained. “And our school is rooted in the following values: development, integrity, respect, empathy, communication and teamwork.
“We love the Montessori approach to learning in early-childhood education because it is the most supportive of a child’s natural drive to fulfill their curiosity through exploring the environment.”
As part of the Montessori philosophy, children participate in activities called “work” – purposeful play that focuses on practical life activities, sensory activities, math, language and culture. Teachers prepare their classrooms with materials designed to give students hands-on experiences, and the children are also provided with opportunities for creative expression through art; music; dance; drama; and yoga, among other skills.
“When we talk about work in the Montessori world, we are really talking about the materials displayed on our shelves that are available for the children to engage with,” Spetrino pointed out. “Children are able to participate in enjoyable activities that result in feelings of accomplishment and pride.
“In addition,” she added, “they don’t ‘do math’ to please their teacher, they do it because they have a natural motivation to solve problems and find pleasure in doing so.
“Our children engage with materials in a playful way and establish positive feelings about learning at school.”
Students at Fishtown Montessori are exposed to the foundations of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
“We teach literacy as a foundational academic skill,” noted Spetrino, “in addition to the essential skills of communication, leadership, teamwork, adaptability, time management, etc., which are learned when children have the opportunity every day to practice with support and guidance from their experienced teachers.”
Since the school’s inception, the community has welcomed it with open arms and enrollment has continued to grow exponentially. Fishtown Montessori added a second location on Marlborough Street in 2022 and will expand to a third building next year.
That will allow Spetrino to add a third, mixed-age primary preschool classroom for children from 3 to 6, in addition to three toddler classrooms for children from 18 to 36 months old.
“One of the greatest joys of my work as head of school and founder of Fishtown Montessori is seeing our children flourish and our families make lifelong connections,” Spetrino says.
“It’s such a joy to watch children coming in as toddlers and staying with us for four or five years. The connections our students make with their peers, teachers and other families over time impact them in such a positive way.”
Fishtown Montessori is located at 307 E. Girard Ave. and 1212 Marlborough St. in Philadelphia. For more information or to arrange a virtual tour, visit www.fishtownmontessori.com.
