Helping you create peaceful homes, engaged classrooms, and thriving schools
Parenting Support | Guide Mentorship | Consulting for School Administrators
Have you ever felt completely out of your depth in the classroom?
Unsure how to move your school community forward?
Overwhelmed by a child’s behavior?
I know that feeling, when you’re doing your best but still unsure what to do next.
After over 13 years working in Montessori classrooms across five countries, and now as a parent myself,
I’ve seen this moment again and again.
These are moments of opportunity to learn, move forward, and seek the right support.
With the right clarity and tools, you can understand what’s happening, know what to do next, and move forward with confidence.
This is a space for parents, guides, and educators to reconnect with the roots of authentic Montessori and bring those principles into real, everyday life.
How We Work
Montessori has all of the tools for peaceful homes, engaged classrooms,
and thriving schools.
Whether you’re a parent, guide, or administrator, our pillars work for you. These principles work because they are deeply interconnected. We don’t look at challenges in isolation or search for quick fixes. Instead, we look at the whole picture. We work through the environment, the expectations, the relationships, and our ability to observe and adapt. This allows us to move away from reacting in the moment and toward building systems that support long-term success.
When we work together, we use our unique framework to identify what’s actually happening and make intentional changes to create meaningful results.
Services
I offer Montessori-aligned consulting, workshops, and resources designed to support parents, educators, and schools in creating calm, connected, and purposeful environments for children. My work bridges developmental research with practical, everyday strategies, helping adults better understand children’s behavior, build strong relationships, and foster independence with clear boundaries. My goal is to empower the adults in a child’s life with the tools and confidence to support thriving homes, engaged classrooms, and cohesive school communities.
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Support that meets you where you are.
I work with families to bring more calm and clarity into daily life with children. From setting up spaces that support independence to navigating challenging behavior, we focus on practical strategies you can actually use at home.
This can look like 1:1 consulting, small group sessions, or guided parent learning.
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Thoughtful mentorship for real classroom challenges.
Teaching is complex, and support matters. I work with guides to strengthen classroom management, refine presentations, prepare beautiful and functional materials, and build systems that prevent challenges before they begin.
Grounded in both theory and
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Strengthening Montessori from the inside out.
I support schools in deepening the quality and consistency of their Montessori practice. This includes teacher mentoring, parent education, classroom consultation, and support with school development and structure.
Whether you're refining an existing program or building something new, the goal is alignment across the whole community.
Meet our Founder
Caitie McKinley
Caitie is an AMI-trained Montessori Primary Guide, trainer-in-training, educational consultant, and speaker supporting parents, teachers, and school leaders in creating developmentally aligned environments for children. She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and an AMI Primary (3–6) Diploma, and is currently continuing advanced Montessori studies through both the AMI Training of Trainers program and the AMI Infant/Toddler course.
With over a decade of international Montessori experience across China, Canada, Albania, Morocco, and Portugal, Caitie brings a deeply global and culturally responsive perspective to her work. She has worked extensively in classroom leadership, teacher mentoring, program coordination, parent education, and school development, helping both new and established Montessori communities strengthen the quality and fidelity of their practice.
Originally trained in anthropology, Caitie approaches Montessori through a lens of human development, observation, and respect for the child, what she often describes as “the anthropology of childhood.” Her work integrates Montessori principles with contemporary child development research, helping adults better understand children and apply Montessori in practical, everyday life.
Caitie is also the founder of Montessori Guide, a consulting and educational platform offering parent coaching, teacher mentoring, workshops, school consulting, and educational resources for families and educators internationally.
She lives in Portugal with her husband Mark, a Montessori elementary guide, their daughter May, and their two cats, Ginger and Buster.
Events & Talks
A space for parents, educators, and school communities to explore child development through an authentic Montessori lens.
My talks combine Montessori principles, current developmental research, and practical tools that can be applied right away at home or in the classroom. Whether we’re discussing emotional development, behavior, language, independence, or school culture, the goal is always the same: helping adults better understand children and respond with clarity and confidence.
Upcoming Events
The Art of Setting Limits: Calm, Clear, and Consistent Parenting
Date: June 7
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Online
Struggling to set limits without constant battles?
In this talk, we’ll explore what respectful, effective limit-setting actually looks like through a Montessori lens. We’ll discuss why children test limits, how to hold boundaries calmly and consistently, and what to do when emotions run high.
You’ll leave with practical tools you can begin using immediately, along with a deeper understanding of how limits support emotional development, independence, and security.
Interested in Hosting a Talk?
I offer parent education talks, teacher workshops, and school consultations for Montessori schools, parent groups, and educational communities worldwide.
Topics can be adapted for:
parents
teachers
school leadership teams
mixed parent/teacher communities
To inquire about speaking engagements or workshops:
Topics I Speak On
Montessori parenting
Setting limits & authoritative parenting
Temper tantrums & emotional regulation
Oral language & reading development
Independence in the home
Sensitive periods & child development
Montessori classroom culture
Observation & behavior
The prepared environment
Supporting concentration and attention
Parent education for schools
Montessori leadership & teacher development
Want tactics to stop a tantrum?
Watch our free Tantrum webinar to learn the tools and techniques to stop a tantrum right in its tracks. Drop your email below and we’ll send a link to view the webinar.
By signing up to view the webinar, you’re subscribing to our email list. We only send 2 emails per month, never share your information, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Let’s Chat
We believe great results come from a great fit. Submit the form below, and I’ll follow up to schedule a complimentary discovery call. Together, we’ll explore your challenges, hopes, and how we can work together to support the environment you’re trying to create at home, in your classroom, or at your school.