Dedham Women Unite To Create Montessori Center In West Roxbury

DEDHAM, MA - Two Dedham friends came together during the pandemic and joined forces to create a Montessori learning center in neighboring West Roxbury, which is planning on opening later this month.

Beth Doris-Gustin is a member of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in West Roxbury on Stratford Street. During COVID-19, the church and the spaces it rented out were closed, shutting down the church's revenue stream.

"We lost all of our tenants," she explained. "So we started to regroup and wanted to bring people back."

She knew her friend, fellow Dedham resident Clarissa Robyn, had a degree in modern dance instruction and invited her to look at the hall downstairs to see if she would like to teach classes there.

"All of a sudden, you could see Clarissa's head exploding and the little wheels turning," Doris-Gustin said.

In addition to her background in dance, Robyn, a Brooklyn, New York native, has had more than two decades of teaching experience, 15 years in Montessori education. She currently teaches at Thacher Montessori School in Milton, which her son attends.

"Not even a year after that visit, I decided to open up a Montessori community center in the basement of Emmanuel," Robyn said. "I have a lot of experience and passion for Montessori education, and it is truly my vocation."

While the idea didn't come to her initially, she loved the design of the facility with side rooms where she envisioned parents gathering and sharing ideas while children played.

Robyn noted that she founded Star Path Montessori "during COVID through a necessity."

"During COVID, families that I had come to know through my work as a teacher were in quarantine," Robyn said. "They were invested in Montessori education, but it wasn't working for them at home."

She created a structured program on Zoom and spent an entire year consulting with five families twice a week. Forty-minute sessions often expanded to 90 minutes.

"There were topics on childhood development, Montessori principles and personal development as a parent and as a caregiver," Robyn said, he enthusiasm palpable throughout the interview. "We laughed and we cried. There would be these revelations."

After doing sessions in pods during the pandemic, she was convinced by a parent to combine consulting with learning experiences.

She added that she has certifications from the American Montessori Society and Association Montessori International and has been teaching in the field since she was an intern in college.

"I can help parents with their children to let them know what's happening developmentally because I have the consulting program," Robyn said. "The center would give them a space to be with their child, but they can also step away and remain on the premises. The church has a lot of spaces for adults to chat and come together."

"I think this program is basically made for the Parkway area," Doris-Gustin added. "People from Dedham, West Roxbury and beyond will be attracted to it because it's really hands-on learning.

"In our day, you would read Dr. Spock's book until the cows came home," she said of the famous pediatrician, Dr. Benjamin Spock. "But there's nothing like interacting with another parent and saying, 'This is how I do it.'"

The Montessory method of teaching focuses on self-directed activity and discovery, collaborative play, and hands-on experimentation, Robyn explained. She envisions teaching cooking, creative movement, art and other activities that will engage children as well as adults.

Star Path would differ from a Montessori school in that it is a space for children and adults to experience Montessori principles during non-school hours. It would not compete with area Montessori schools, "but it is designed in the Montessori way."

"It's all about independence and accessibility," Robyn explained. "During the cooking class, they have their little tables and are wearing their little aprons while they are measuring things out."

She said that students don't have to be enrolled in a Montessori program to come.

"This might just give some people a taste of Montessori," Robyn continued, noting that the first session will be free. "It's all about the individual being a capable part of the community and knowing that they can explore without having to be dependent upon someone."

Robyn had not initially intended to teach, having been in the performing arts since fifth grade. She attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh on a modern dance scholarship. To pay for living expenses, she and a few friends were in a work-study program through the school as teacher floaters.

"I absolutely fell in love with it," she noted. "I fell in love with the kids and all the different personalities they have. They are absolutely amazing."

Upon moving to Boston in 2005, she began teaching at a Montessori school in Jamaica Plain as a lead guide, where she remained for a decade.

Typical Montessori classes are much quieter than traditional school environments, she said, because students are concentrating on their own activities and making discoveries.

"At first it scared me because I was used to typical child care," Robyn admitted. "The kids would come in, wash their hands, and sit quietly to read books."

Her director later became her mentor in Montessori philosophy, encouraging her to stay and funding additional training.

"The reason the kids were learning so much was because everything was set up for them to do so," Robyn said. "The teacher wasn't in their face. The colors were muted, and there were plants everywhere.

"My kindergarten kids were doing long division every day," she continued. "And they wanted to do it."

"This is an amazing program that is easy to get behind," Doris-Gustin said of the new Montessori center. "Clarissa has so much enthusiasm. We are taking advantage of what COVID has given us."

"Beth has been my fairy godmother on the side," Robyn added. "She is always lifting me up and cheering me on."

The center is hoping to open later this month. To learn more, visit the website.