We started this company because we saw a growing need to prepare young children for a future filled with technology. At the same time, we know the importance of unstructured play, of exploration, and of tangible toys. So we were frustrated with all of the tech-heavy and screen-based learning materials out there. While at MIT, we spent years researching alternatives, and exploring tactile and traditional approaches such as the Montessori Method. We realized that there was an extraordinary opportunity to design simple and beautiful materials that carry forward a timeless approach to developmentally appropriate learning.
Team
Kim Smith, founder
Kim Smith, together with Yonatan Cohen, started this company out of a passion for designing and making, and sharing their insights and research from the MIT Media Lab in order to benefit as many children as possible. Kim received a Master of Science degree from the MIT Media Lab, where she was a Learning Fellow with the Learning Innovation Fellowship. Her research at MIT centered on the design and development of hands-on Montessori materials for the teaching computer science in early childhood education. As part of the Social Computing Group, Kim collaborated on the design and development of Wildflower Schools, a non-profit organization that facilitates a network of shopfront Montessori Schools across the country. Her background is in art and design, and she also holds an MFA in Fine Art from School of Visual Arts in New York.
David Caliri, Lead Engineer and Product Designer
David Caliri is a passionate mathematician, inventor, and engineer with over fifteen years of experience in the areas of education, mathematics, software development, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing. He is a published mathematician, and has taught math to countless students across a broad range of ages and backgrounds. As an engineer, he has designed and built numerous computer-controlled machines for industry. As a programmer, he mainly expresses himself writing math programs in the functional—or sometimes—object-oriented paradigms. Drawing from his experience, David serves as the lead engineer and product designer at Learning Beautiful where he contributes to the curriculum and the product design process from ideation to prototyping and design for manufacturing. At Learning Beautiful, David shares his passion for mathematics by adapting abstract concepts to novel physical forms with the intent to educate and inspire.
Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth, Director of Education and Training
Anna Rita is the Head of School at Battery Park Montessori and has an Ed.M. in Educational Leadership Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University. She worked closely with the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College and, with its director, co-taught a distance-learning educational leadership course to Bilkent University graduate students in Ankara, Turkey. Anna Rita was raised speaking Spanish and Italian. Her linguistic and cultural background, coupled with her language interests as an adult (she majored in Russian at Middlebury College), allows her to bring a unique perspective to language acquisition. Anna Rita is a firm believer that being able to communicate in more than one language opens windows to understanding the idiosyncrasies of people's histories, cultures, and everyday lives. At Learning Beautiful, Anna Rita translates this expertise of language acquisition to the process of learning new subjects such as computational thinking, a subject that can be considered in some ways as a new language. Anna Rita brings her expertise in education to Learning Beautiful in order to lead the development of new curriculum and training programs for educators and parents.
Maria Horsford, Teacher Trainer
Maria has a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education, Montessori certifications for children ages 0-3 and 3-6 and a New York State Teaching Certification in Early Childhood Education (birth-2nd grade). Maria is currently a teacher at Battery Park Montessori, and previously she was a longstanding member of one of NYC's most respected Montessori schools – West Side Montessori. Maria has been teaching in Montessori education for nearly a decade. She lives in Brooklyn with her family. When she is not teaching she loves to read, go to the park and visit museums. Maria's favorite food is oil down, which is the national dish of her homeland, Grenada!
Anna Caroline Tehan, Teacher Trainer
Anna Caroline is an Early Childhood Educator focusing on Anti-bias. She has more than nine years experience as an international art educator in both the public and private school systems as well as foster care settings. She has taught at several New York City schools including her role as an Assistant 3-6 Teacher at Battery Park Montessori where she has participated in both training fellow teachers on Learning Beautiful materials as well as piloting Learning Beautiful materials in her own classroom to work directly with children. Anna Caroline earned a dual Master’s of Early Childhood and Special Education from Concordia College - New York and a Bachelor of Arts in Cross-cultural Forms of Communication, with a minor in Spanish and American Sign Language from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She also received her American Montessori Early Childhood credential through West Side Montessori School’s Teacher Education Program.
Emily Thomas, Teacher Trainer
A Montessori child herself from ages 2-12, Emily brings a deep understanding to her career by teaching the philosophy that was so instrumental in shaping her as a person. She believes all students can become joyful, self-actualized learners under the guidance of skilled teachers who present opportunities for challenging, engaging work, that will spark their curiosity and seed a life-long love of learning. Emily has a background in theatre and production management, and her Montessori certification for children ages 3-6. She's been working with Primary-aged children since 2015. Emily loves to spend time in nature, and explore the cultural treasures of New York City with her students. She feels a deep responsibility not only for their physical development but also for the development of their minds, hearts, and values.