About
Meet the
Guide
Carmen Albright
“Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is called intelligence.”
Maria Montessori, The Advanced Montessori Method
I grew up in rural Arkansas with lots of time to play outdoors. I loved playing school and spent time throughout my education tutoring and teaching others, but I didn’t feel becoming a teacher was for me until I discovered alternative education methods.
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arkansas, and during my junior year, I studied abroad in China, France, and Ghana.
While working at the University of Nevada, Reno, I spent some time soul-searching what my life’s calling was, and as part of that, I observed at the local Montessori school. I instantly felt home, as if this was where I should’ve always been. The independence and joy apparent in the children’s work, and the respect and warmth afforded them by their guide made this environment not just a place for learning, but for living together as a community.
I went to Portland, Oregon, the next fall to begin my AMI Primary training at Montessori Northwest. After a year of coursework, observation, research, and student teaching, I received my diploma in spring 2012, then moved to Casper, Wyoming, to start the second primary classroom at the Montessori School of Casper. In 2014, I finished my Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Montessori primary education from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore.
I’ve been to Montessori workshops and conferences almost every year since graduation in Boulder, Portland, Chicago, Long Beach, Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans, Seattle, and Prague to further my professional development.
I learned and grew tremendously in more than five years of classroom experience at MSC, but left in October 2017 before having twin daughters in December of that year. I implemented Montessori methods in our home from birth and have delighted in watching their development unfold, while continuing to learn in my own Montessori journey. When my daughters turned 2.5 years old, I began deeply considering what I wanted their foundational educational experience to be, and simultaneously, I was feeling pulled back to my purpose of working with young children. I completed training through Tinkergarten and Free Forest School in 2020 to guide children’s outdoor learning, but was unable to lead any classes due to COVID-19. I decided to start a small, intimate program in our home with room for flexibility and a schedule with time to be outdoors and in nature, and Casa Luminosa was born.
Some of the interests and values I enjoy sharing with children are: singing, cultural celebrations from around the world, community service, and a love of nature, from the dogs and plants in our home to the great outdoors.
