Sandra Varela Federspiel

(from Miami USA, Montessori Consultant of HSA)

 

Sandra was born with an innate passion for art and creativity, which led her to study Fashion Design in Miami and open her store, Xoles, where she offered her designs under the Federspiel brand. She then moved to Puerto Rico and became a costume designer in films, commercials, and music videos. However, her career took an unexpected turn when she became a mother and discovered her true calling in Montessori education. Since then, she has dedicated her life to spreading this transformative pedagogy in educational spaces in Puerto Rico, Colombia, and the U.S. over the past 25 years.

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Her journey in the Montessori world began as a Montessori mother, then she studied in Mexico to be a Guide. At La Casa Montessori, where she worked with children from 2 ½ to 6 years old, teaching various subjects and promoting the integral development of children through the Montessori method, it planted in her the seed of commitment to provide quality educational tools to all children and motivated her involvement in larger-scale projects. She now has a Master’s in Coaching with Emotional Intelligence, and also a Master’s in Montessori. She has a certification in yoga and mindfulness for children, another one in Montessori assessment, a certification in Montessori marketing and business, and she is a constant learner and reader.

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Her passion for bringing Montessori education to disadvantaged environments led her to collaborate as Executive Director at the La Casita Montessori Foundation in Colombia. There, they transformed a space in the orphanages of vulnerable children into a welcoming and enriching Montessori space, positively impacting the lives of dozens of children and spreading the Montessori philosophy through talks and educational programs in different institutions.

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Her commitment to the dissemination of Montessori education was further consolidated when she joined the Nueva Escuela Institute in Puerto Rico, where she worked as a consultant and facilitator to convert public schools into Montessori environments. Through her work as a Montessori coach and speaker, she contributed to the creation of more than 60 public Montessori schools, directly impacting the education of hundreds of children and the educational community in general.

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Her ongoing training and studies in neuroscience, combined with her commitment as an advocate for peace through education and her love for languages and travel, have enriched her teaching practice and her vision of a world in which education is the path to harmony and human development. Her story is a reflection of a diverse and constantly evolving career, marked by a love of knowledge, creativity, and the desire to positively impact the lives of others. She recently launched her first children’s book, “Where am I from?”, which explores themes of identity, heritage, and global citizenship, inviting readers to reflect on their own origins, their connection to the world, and the ties that bind us as human beings. She sees this book as an incredible tool for classrooms, families, or anyone looking to explore their roots in a creative way.