Lyn Viljoen is the co-founder and owner of the Village Montessori School. She has been an active Montessori directress for more than 28 years. She has taught children in all age groups: 3 to 6, 6 to 9, 9 to 12 and 12 to 15 year olds. She has also lectured and examined Montessori students. She established her own pre-school in 1988 and then started Village Montessori Primary School in 1991.

Bhavna Bhagattjee is the Principal of the School. Bhavna has a B.Prim Ed from University of Cape Town. She has been involved in Montessori since 1995, and is a Montessori trained teacher for 6 to 9 and 9 to 15 year olds. Bhavna joined Village Montessori in 2003 as a Senior Primary teacher. She is married to Sailesh and has a beautiful daughter.

Daleen Koen is the Manager of the school. She has been involved with the school since 2002. She is a registered professional accountant with a degree from the University of Pretoria. She did her articles and has 20 years experience as an accountant. She is married to Nico and is devoted to the diligent administration of the school.

Laetitia Tromp has been the school secretary since 2001. She loves helping people through her work at the school.

I am a wife of Bernard and mother of 2 girls (Verenicque in Little Cottage and Linay-Monicque in Little Thatch). I always had a passion for Maria Montessori and the Montessori philosophy. I began working at Village Montessori in August 2010 in the office and in 2011 started studying the Pre-school Montessori course at Head Start Montessori in Johannesburg.

On completion of various qualifications and studies and many wonderful travels, I began a thirteen year career in the corporate world and my last positon held was as a Training Coordinator for a large organisation. I then married and accepted a position as a JP Educator. My daughter's play group teacher suggested a Montessori school would be wonderful for her, so I made arrangements to observe in a VMS environment. During the first 10 minutes I was blown away. I feel the Montessori way is the only way and both my daughters now attend VMS. I am very happy, that in my position of Enrolment Officer at VMS I am able to verbalise my passion and encourage and advise other parents as to the benefits of a Montessori education on a daily basis. In my spare time (what is that?) I love spending time with my family, all things arty and creative and photography.

Julia Dunkley is the head of the Pre-School phase. Julia has been working at VMS since 2001. She started in Aftercare working alongside Gigi. She then worked in the Little Cottage Pre-School environment. She then moved to Senior Primary for a few years and from 2011 will be moving back to Pre-School as directress in Farmhouse. She married Philip in 2003 and in 2009 they were blessed with a beautiful baby boy whom they named Ty Gabriel Dunkley. In her spare time she enjoys socialising with her friends, cooking with her husband or reading a good book.

I have been working at Village Montessori School since 2002. I was born in Mpumalanga and moved to Gauteng in 2002. I love working with the children and I learn new things from them everyday. I have no words to explain the care and support that I see in my colleagues.

My name is Rene Makhari. I joined Village Montessori School in 2008 as an Aftercare worker and in July 2009 I became part of the Farmhouse team and I love every moment of it. I believe that it truly takes a Village to raise a child.

I was meant to be a teacher and I am doing what I love. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to work with children. I am constantly amazed at how children know so much. I now understand why Maria Montessori called the teachers the directresses and directors. We laugh and learn new things every day.

I am a very sporty individual who enjoys learning and having fun. I have completed my degree with a distinction at the University of Pretoria, majoring in Social Sciences (Psychology). Thereafter I proceeded with my Honours degree in Psychology. On completing my tertiary education, I ventured overseas to the United Kingdom. I started my adventure by working in an Autistic School, followed by an Emotional Behavioural Disordered Secondary School in Hackney, London. My goal is to complete my Masters in Play Therapy, but right now my passion is to teach children; to plant the seeds and watch their beautiful minds grow.

My name is Fiona Muller. I am very excited to have joined the VMS team. My joys in life include my son, reading and spending time in nature. I believe that every obstacle in life has been put there to challenge and help you grow. We need to grab these challenges with both hands and be confident in our own abilities.

Caryn Luck is head of the Junior Primary. Caryn has been active in the Montessori Community for 13 years. She is qualified to teach 3 to 12 year olds and is passionate about her career. Currently in her twelfth year of teaching in the Junior Primary environment, she is now Head of this phase. Caryn enjoys watching sport and is a devoted Manchester United supporter. Her fun loving approach is carried into ‘helping the child to help himself’. Caryn is a firm believer in always having a sense of humour even when the going gets tough.

I have a passion for life, I’m ambitious and enjoy adventure. I have been teaching Montessori for five years. I have taught in three schools and taught overseas in London. I have my Montessori Early Childhood (2 to 6 year) Diploma as well as a Montessori (6 to 9 year) Diploma. I am very involved in Montessori and believe it’s more than just an education but a way of life. It gives children the tools to the universe and teaches them to love to learn and to learn to love.

I have been involved in pre-primary and primary teaching since 1985. I have a B. Prim Ed from the University of Pretoria and recently received my 3 to 6 year Montessori qualification. I am married to Andre and have three wonderful children. The outdoors and reading are my best relaxation. I joined the Village Montessori family in 2008. What a wonderful journey of discovery!

I joined the VMS Junior Primary phase in 2006 after being actively involved in an Early Years Unit and Primary School in Hertfordshire, UK. I have 23 years of teaching experience and was previously appointed as the deputy Head of a Pre-Primary school in Centurion. I have been married for 23 years to Gert and have two teenage children. I firmly believe in the Montessori philosophy: “to keep alive the enthusiasm is the secret of real guidance, and it will not prove a difficult task provided that the attitude towards the child’s acts be that of respect, calm and waiting, and provided that he be left free in his movements and experiences”. I enjoy cycling and running in my spare time.

I have been actively involved in Montessori for 14 years. I have been teaching since 1996 when I received my diploma in 3 to 6 years in Zimbabwe. I worked in a Montessori school in Centurion for two years before joining Village Montessori School in 1999 in the 3 to 6 year environment. In 2000 I started teaching in the 6 to 9 year environment. I received my diploma in the 6 to 9 year environment in 2005 from Mercy Montessori in Cape Town. In 2006 I enrolled at UNISA and have recently completed my B Prim Ed degree. I enjoy traveling around the world. The places I have visited have been Mongolia, the Great Wall of China and Stonehenge in England. I am passionate about Montessori because the children are given the opportunity to learn at their own pace and to develop their own personalities; to not just become followers but leaders of tomorrow.

Charl is the head of the Senior Primary phase.

Being born and raised in the country's third oldest town, Swellendam , Western Cape, made Charl a relaxed and cultured individual. He studied at Wellington and after five years of traditional teaching, decided to pursue a career in Gauteng with the Montessori Academy, where he was the Deputy Principal.

Charl's passions are nature, scuba diving and studying as he has spent most of his adult life bettering his education.

Elain du Toit has been working at Village Montessori school for 6 years. She is a directress in the 9 - 12 environment. She finished her studies and then went to England where she taught in various schools. It was in London that she decided to spread her wings in a Montessori environment.

Elain has been married for 5 years to Martin. They were blessed in 2007 with a beautiful son, and in 2011 with a daughter. In her spare time she loves to go to Loftus with her family to watch the Bulls. Elain loves the bushveld and hunting, she never lets an opportunity slip by to visit her favourite holiday spot in Mosselbay.

I teach in the Senior Primary phase. I have been teaching at Village Montessori School since 2002. Prior to this I taught for five years in schools for children with special needs. My qualifications include: 3 to 6 years and 6 to 9 years in Montessori. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree with Postgraduate Certificate in Education through UNISA. I am also a mother of two wonderful children Anup and Vidya. They have both been in Montessori schools from the age of 3 years (Anup) and 2 and a half years (Vidya). I can vouch for Montessori education both from parental and teaching perspective. I love the company of children and enjoy playing games with them. My interests and hobbies include doing all kinds of arts and crafts, cooking, doing Suduko and crossword puzzles, reading and going for long walks in nature. I also enjoy socialising with my friends and eating out occasionally.

Riëtte Snyman is Head of the Junior High School. She has 16 years experience as a teacher psychologist in high schools, a subject adviser in Ministry of Education of Namibia. She has been working at Village Montessori School since 2008. She lived for 12 years in Canada and two years in the United States of America, where she worked as a paraprofessional in a Middle School in Atlanta, Georgia and as a bookkeeper for various Canadian and American companies. Her hobbies include travelling, reading, kayaking and a love for nature. She has a teenage son. She has her BA Honours in Psychology; a Higher Diploma in Education; a Remedial Diploma; and a Computerized Accounting Certificate.

I am a BA Creative Arts (Educationis) graduate at the University of Stellenbosch. Initially I pursued a career as a graphic artist at the HSRC (Human Sciences Research Council) and then at the Transvaal Provincial Administration. Thereafter, I was self-employed as an illustrator for various publishers and institutions. Home-schooling my three children for several years sufficiently motivated me to pursue a teaching career. I taught for three years at the Village Montessori Primary and High School, offering Arts & Culture, Technology and Visual Arts. Furthermore, I gave private art and German lessons. Presently, I am assisting the Senior High School students with the following subjects: Art and Design, English, Afrikaans and Music. I am, as always, eager to inspire and contribute to the development of the younger generation.

I have been working at Village Montessori School since 2009. I came loaded with over 15 years post-graduate teaching experience in Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics. I like all good things around me. Most of all I love my Zim-accent!

My name is Gigi, and I have been working at Village Montessori for the past 11 years in Aftercare. The past decade has allowed me the opportunity to work with many various kinds of children, their parents and the staff. My love for the children has kept me working at the school as I have had the opportunity to witness all the beautiful gifts that they shower on me, such as love, kindness, willingness to learn and their sense of humour. The relationship between the children and me are twofold: I have given the children academic experience and lessons in growing up and what is part of life; they have taught me patience and forgiveness. I hope that each child, parent and staff member has walked away happy from the Village as I have always tried to give the best that I can of myself.

I joined the Village Montessori team early 2008. I am a fun and loving person and the VMS environment suits me perfectly. My involvement with VMS has been a great journey surrounded by very supportive colleagues and amazing children. I wish to continue with this journey of helping children grow from point A to B and the staff from strength to strength.

I started working in Aftercare at Village Montessori school in April 2010. The people at the school made me feel relaxed and at home and I fitted in easily. I love to work with the children and especially enjoy the diversity of the different cultures. I enjoy creative art processes and hope to bring that something special through to the children here at Village Montessori School.

My name is Lucky Phaladi. I am married and have a five year old daughter. I started working for Village Montessori School in 2007. I like teaching and playing soccer. I am the coach of the Village Montessori School soccer team.

I am the matron of the Village Montessori School. I started working at VMS in 2005. I have two children and I love my job and colleagues very much.

My name is Anna Nkaoane. I'm a single mom and have a beautiful daughter. I have been working at Village Montessori School since 2008. I play netball as a hobby.

My name is Kate Matabola and I joined VMS in 2008. I have a five year old son. I love cooking, planting and running marathons.

My name is Josė Masango and I have been at VMS since 2008. I'm married and have a 6 year old son. I like to play netball.

I'm Adam Mabula and I have worked at VMS since 2006. I have two daughters and a son and I enjoy working in the garden

Thomas was born in Limpopo in 1963 and he began working at VMS in October 2002. He has a daughter and a son and is happily married. He also says the he enjoys working at VMS.

My name is John Makobe. I have a son and a daughter. I have been working at the school since 2001 and I enjoy working in the garden.

My name is Elvis Rampya and I have three children. I started working at the school in 2010 and enjoy relaxing infront of the television.