Alex Kinkade (She/Her)

Hi Athena Families, 

 

I'm excited to lead the Cardinal classroom this year with my wonderful team: Jazmin, John, and Kimby. This marks my 6th year of teaching at Athena and my 5th year in P4. I hold a degree in Child Development and an Early Childhood Montessori teaching credential from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies. Literacy is a passion of mine, and I aspire to one day earn a master's degree that will enable me to work with children with dyslexia.

 

I grew up just west of Austin, where I spent most of my formative years playing outside and exploring the world around me. I have many childhood memories of following the creek in my backyard, riding bikes with friends for miles, and learning to navigate our way back home. I’m grateful to have had a safe environment to explore, play and learn. I believe these experiences have positively shaped much of my life and are part of why I’m drawn to the Montessori philosophy—how it is designed to build the child’s confidence and independence.

 

A passion of mine has always been working with children, and I have been fortunate to have had many opportunities to do so. From my early days as a babysitter and nanny throughout high school and early college, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to positively impact young people's lives. While in college, I learned about many different early learning environments and had the chance to observe various pre-schools. During this time, I was first introduced to the Montessori method, which immediately caught my attention with its emphasis on respectful language, beautiful materials, and hands-on learning. I was fascinated by how the method supported children's development, independence, and love of learning.

 

Since then, I have had the privilege of teaching at two Montessori schools in the Austin area, where I gained experience working in both Toddler and Primary environments. In 2019, I was hired as a substitute at Athena and later joined the full-time staff. Even after several years, I am still awed by the natural beauty of the campus every day. It’s such a peaceful and inspiring environment for both students and staff! What makes Athena truly unique is the close-knit community that exists here. As soon as you step onto campus, you can feel the warmth and welcoming nature of the community. Our shared commitment to constantly grow and learn alongside the children makes Athena a special place to work and learn!

 

With gratitude,

Alex