Aidan is delighted to welcome Hamed Isaza as our new Lead Teacher in the Red Oak Lower Elementary Community. Hamed’s entry into the Montessori world was preceded by four years spent in service of youths in and around Chicago where he worked as a crisis intervention counselor and case worker for Youth Outreach Services. It was during this time that he realized how crucial the earliest years of human development were to finding success later in life, and ultimately led him on his current path as a Montessori Guide. Hamed was trained as an AMI Elementary Guide and after 7 years of teaching in Chicago, he made his way to Washington D.C. and continued to work at Lee Montessori Public Charter School for another 4 years. Hamed believes that the Montessori method is a gift, one that he is eager to share with as many children and families as possible. Beginning anew at Aidan, the excitement to share this experience with a new community fills him with the joy of new possibilities to come.

Hamed believes that one of the best things about being a teacher is that part of the job is to never stop learning. This is something he loves and coincidentally a sentiment he hopes to instill in the children. To Hamed, this means spending plenty of time in the great outdoors, exploring nature and seeing the intricate interconnectedness of the world first hand. And, whenever he has the chance, Hamed shares this hobby with friends and family. Beyond that, much of his time is spent cooking, eating, reading, and spending time with loved ones (one of which is his wife and beloved guide of our Upper Elementary Community, Julia Isaza).