Guaria MontessoriThank you for booking your tour.
We're looking forward to meeting your family. In the meantime, here is a closer look at what makes Guaria different — and why these years matter so much. Please take a moment to read through it, and bring all your questions about our philosophy to the tour:
Want to go deeper? Read Why the Four-Pillar Method Works — a detailed look at the science behind our approach.
Why these years matter
Between 15 and 48 months, the brain builds connections at a rate it will never match again. This window shapes how a child thinks, learns, and relates for the rest of their life. It is not a time to simply be minded — it is a time to be nurtured with intention.
At Guaria, we treat these years as what they are: the most important years of a child's development. Every part of our program is designed to make this window count.
Our Four-Pillar Method
Our method awakens four systems of the developing mind during the brain's most fertile window. These are not separate subjects — they work together as an integrated approach, each one strengthening the others.
Personalized Montessori
Every child has their own rhythm. Our Montessori approach follows each child's natural curiosity and readiness through carefully prepared, hands-on work — building focus, independence, and self-direction. There is no single pace — only each child's own.
Immersion in Spanish
During these early years, the brain is uniquely wired to absorb language. We introduce Spanish not as a communication tool, but as architecture — building a sharper, more flexible mind during the one window when this kind of neural wiring comes naturally.
Scientific Discovery
Children are natural scientists. Through guided observation and real-world experiments, we awaken reasoning and curiosity — teaching children to ask questions, test ideas, and discover answers for themselves.
Music
Music at Guaria is not a sing-along. It is genuine instruction on real instruments, led by a music educator with a master's degree from Berklee College of Music — wiring auditory processing and mathematical thinking during the years when these pathways form most readily.
Small classrooms, exceptional attention
We keep our program intentionally small. Fewer children means deeper relationships, closer observation, and the kind of individual attention that allows a guide to truly know each child — their strengths, their edges, their next step.
More than daycare
Our Montessori environment is designed for purpose, not play. Children develop literacy, numeracy, independence, and concentration through hands-on, self-directed work — building genuine academic readiness that grows from understanding, not rote.
We do not push children toward milestones. We create conditions where children discover what they can do — and want to do more. The result is not just readiness for school, but a child who genuinely loves to learn.
Led by Ms. Lili
Guaria was founded by Lilliana Chacón — Ms. Lili — an educator with over 30 years of experience with young children. Born in Costa Rica and also a Spanish national, she co-founded and led Montessori Tortuga Verde (1993–2019) before bringing her method to Newton, MA.
She holds a postgraduate degree in Education Administration and a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from the Universidad de Costa Rica. At Guaria, she leads with patience, intention, and genuine love for children.
"We feel fortunate that our children had the opportunity to learn with her."
"Ms. Lili is in her true vocation as an educator. My kids flourished under her care."
Read all reviews"Guaria Montessori is an incredibly special place. It truly is a little school, even for the youngest learners — it's not 'just' childcare... thoughtfully builds an enriching curriculum full of music, art, and exercise, while also cultivating a learning environment with all the traditional Montessori materials."
We look forward to meeting you.
If you have any questions before your visit, don't hesitate to reach out.
18 Beecher Pl, Newton, MA 02459