Today we’d like to introduce you to Eloisa Zamora.
Hi Eloisa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey into this work really began with motherhood. When my daughter Luna was born, I fell in love with the early years and the way children learn, move, communicate, and discover the world with so much intention. That curiosity led me to start studying Montessori at home because I simply wanted to create a more peaceful and respectful environment for her.
At the time I was also working closely with children through my family lifestyle photography business and later as a pediatric dental assistant, and in both spaces I kept finding myself drawn to helping children feel safe and seen. That eventually led me into the classroom as a Montessori assistant. Soon after, I completed my Montessori certification and spent several years as a lead guide, where I really saw how powerful the early years are and how much children thrive when their independence, social-emotional development, and connection to nature are supported.
After the pandemic, I felt a strong pull to create something more personal and more connected to both children and their families. I opened my first school with the intention of building a small, close knit community where childhood could be slower, with long stretches of unstructured outdoor time and a strong focus on Conscious Discipline. As I continued growing as both a guide and a mother, I found myself naturally drawn to the toddler years, which are such a foundational and often overlooked stage of development.
Today Luna Montessori is a licensed, in home, half day toddler program in South Austin serving a small number of families at a time. It’s intentionally tiny and relationship based, and it really feels like an extension of home for the children and parents who are part of it.
It’s the space I needed as a mother, the space I dreamed of as a guide, and getting to live that every day alongside these families is what makes this work so meaningful to me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a school is a very personal thing, especially when it’s rooted in your values and your heart. Because of that, the journey has really been one of growth and learning. I don’t think building something so connected to who you are is ever completely smooth, but each season has shaped Luna Montessori into what it is today.
One of the biggest turning points for me was letting go of what I thought my school was supposed to look like and allowing it to become what truly felt aligned with my own family, my students, and the families I serve. That shift also meant trusting that choosing a smaller, slower, more relationship based approach was actually moving me closer to the kind of work and life I had been trying to build, and it’s what allows me to show up every day with presence for my Navigators and their families.
Running a small program comes with a lot of responsibility, and I’ve had to learn how to hold many roles at once while still protecting my energy. Finding that rhythm has been one of the biggest areas of growth for me, both as a guide and in my personal life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is centered around guiding children through their first school experience and supporting parents through that transition with them. Because the group is so small, I’m able to truly know each child and tailor both the environment and my approach to who they are.
The children are deeply respected, the pace is calm, and everything is prepared with a lot of care. I’m also very committed to outdoor time and to protecting childhood as a slower, more connected season of life.
I’m most known for how intimate and caring the experience feels for both the children and their families. I spend a lot of time walking alongside parents, helping them understand their child’s development and creating consistency between home and school, and that partnership is a big part of what makes it so special.
I’m truly proud that my little program allows me to live out my values every day. I get to support families, witness these little Navigators grow into themselves, and at the same time be present for my own family.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
For me, mentorship and networking have always happened through real relationships rather than in formal spaces. The most meaningful connections came from reaching out to people whose work I genuinely admired and simply asking to learn from them.
I also learned so much by being in environments where I could observe and grow, first as an assistant, as a lead guide amd now both director and guide. Some of the most important mentorship moments were watching how someone prepared an environment, how they spoke to a child, or how they supported a parent.
Being part of the Small Schools of South Austin community has also been really meaningful for me and a reminder that this work doesn’t have to be done alone. In that space, collaboration over comparison is just the natural dynamic, and it’s shown me how powerful it is to stay connected to my local community and build a small circle of honest, aligned relationships, because in work this personal, a few genuine connections can make all the difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lunamontessoriatx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunamontessoriatx
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/lunamontessoriatx
Image Credits
For the photo of me in the pink dress please credit Alison Eden Photography Instagram: @alisonedenphotography
The rest of the photos are mine.
