History

Faridah & Shamim Manto Montessori School

My mother, Faridah, was a natural “Montessori mother,” who marched to the beat of her own parenting philosophy of providing hands on learning experiences for me and my younger brother and sister. She abhorred sarcasm in general and especially directed at children. She believed that the most important thing to develop, protect and nurture in a child is his/her self-confidence and self-esteem. She was an avid reader and came across a newspaper article about Dr. Maria Montessori. I was 18 years old at the time and set on becoming a doctor. She introduced me to Dr. Montessori and her philosophy by asking me to read that article and convinced me to become a Montessori teacher instead. My mother knew me well and I thank her every day for her insight, wisdom and guidance, for I love what I do! My father, Brigadier Shamim Manto was always my staunch supporter and believed in me. He was so proud of me and my work. It was truly a privilege to have such wonderful role models in my life.

I have founded FSM Montessori School in memory of my beloved parents.    

On 1st October 2019, we moved from our first home in 1610, Albemarle Way, Burlingame, CA 94010 to a new location also in Burlingame: 2707 Martinez Drive. This locations provides a larger workspace for our students as well as larger outdoor play area.