Lead Teacher

Ms. Sowjanya Swaminathan

Ms. Sowjanya is the Lead Lower Elementary Teacher at Casa Dei Bambini and she has been teaching Lower Elementary for almost a decade. Her background is in Chemical Engineering and she completed her Elementary (age 6-9) credential from American Montessori Society (AMS). Ms. Sowjanya is very excited to be a part of your child’s education here at Casa Dei Bambini.

Ms. Sowjanya has taught undergraduate classes in the United Kingdom while pursuing her Masters at The University of Manchester. She has also been a part of many educational programs at various private and public schools and has worked with children of various ages and cultural backgrounds. She looks forward to bringing those experiences to our classroom.

In her classroom, Ms. Sowjanya incorporates practical learning opportunities with her Math, Science, Language and Social studies lessons. Her curriculum supports the child’s learning process by either concrete or abstract materials tailored to their needs. The age group of 6-9 is a sensitive period of imagination and we answer the questions of “What if” and ”Why” through real experiences. She looks forward to welcoming your child this year in her classroom to continue their Montessori journey.

Co – Lead Teacher

Ms. Gabrielle Hawkins

Ms. Gabi is the Co-Lead Elementary Teacher and has been part of the CDB family for the past three years as an administrator at all CDB locations. She has a B.S in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from the University of Texas at Arlington and is training at the Houston Montessori Center in Elementary I & II curriculum for grades 1st – 6th. As a student of Montessori up to the Elementary level, and with a mother as a Montessori Director at CDB Riverstone, learning is a central focus and passion shared with her entire family. Ms. Gabi has lived abroad in Colombia and Turkey, and has two sons attending CDB. As a Member of the American Montessori Society and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Ms. Gabi plans to continue to grow with experts in the education community.

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Afshan Akhtar