Shawn Edwards
Founder of ToolHows
Shawn Edwards has been working as a Montessori professional for 34 years (the past 15 as a Head of School). She began her work as an assistant teacher at the Post Oak School in Houston, Texas. The first time she saw a Montessori classroom at that school, she knew what she would be doing for the rest of her life! That summer, she enrolled in the Washington Montessori Institute and began her lifelong journey of serving in the field of education. She feels fortunate to have been bitten by the Montessori bug before marrying and having three children. She loved being a mother of Montessori children who are now grown, and she continues to cherish the time that she spends, now, with her two grandchildren.
In addition to being a Montessori professional, Shawn is a Positive Discipline trainer and holds a master’s degree in Leadership and Coaching from the Wright Graduate University for the Realization of the Human Potential. The synergy of these three disciplines supports her leadership work as she trains, manages, coaches and inspires the adults with whom she works.
Shawn is the founder of ToolHows – “how to” tools for parents and schools: http://www.toolhows.com. She coaches parents and educators, consults with Boards and schools and provides webinars, courses and workshops for schools, educators and parents.
When she is not working, Shawn enjoys running, rollerblading, paddle boarding, reading and spending time with family.
Alcuin Montessori School
Chair of Director Evaluation Support Committee
“Shawn’s leadership skills are strong and continue to improve. She provides faculty and staff with a good balance of support and autonomy. Shawn accomplishes a difficult balance between being solution oriented while maintaining a spirit of cooperation. These are characteristics that honor the values of the Montessori philosophy and Alcuin Montessori School.”
North American Montessori Teacher’s Association
Executive Director
“Shawn has given several excellent presentations about the elementary and parent education at our NAMTA national conferences. Her work with parents is positive, Montessori informed, and dynamic…. I visited Shawn her first year at Alcuin, and already she had the board trusting her, her staff in awe of her firmness and clarity, and with a clear goal to begin a middle school, selecting exactly the right staff person to take the NAMTA Adolescent Orientation which I led in Cleveland. Shawn is a sure thing.”
Montessori House for Children
Head of School
“We invited Shawn Edwards to our school to provide direction, organization and clarity in our administrative roles and processes. She provided that and so much more! Shawn’s extensive knowledge stems from her various roles as teacher, trainer and administrator. She offered practical solutions, involved the administrative team in activities designed to assess skills and improve efficiency and ended the day with a wonderful parent presentation on Positive Parenting. We would recommend Shawn to any school that wants to improve. She will offer concrete suggestions and everyone will enjoy the process.”
I worked with Shawn as a fellow HOS in a network of charter schools, and she is extremely well versed in all of the areas above. She is AMI trained at the elementary level with years of classroom and school leadership experience. She was able to pivot during the pandemic and became one of the distance learning mentors for the organization, and created an online curriculum that was offered through Trillium Montessori. I am a seasoned school leader myself, but sill, Shawn has offered me insights and new perspectives that I hadn’t before considered that has added to my own growth and professional development. She’s especially talented in organizing teams to get things done, positive discipline, and mentoring teachers, school leaders, and parents. She presents very well, and has a wealth of knowledge to offer. I highly recommend her for any kind of teacher or school leader mentor or training position, as this is where she shines.
Letty RisingShawn Edwards was the best Montessori leader I have worked with in 20 years. Her leadership and skills enable teachers and administrators to push past their comfort zones and become the best they can be. Shawn’s work ethic is an inspiration to all.
Sandra Marlor