At Downtown Montessori at Ida B. Wells Academy, students take the lead; choosing their work, supporting one another, and learning by doing every day
“It’s a really great school,” said Grayson H. “You learn a lot, and it’s fun teaching the younger students.”
Grayson came to Ida B. Wells when she was in pre-K3. Now a third grader, she plans to stay.
“I love this school. It’s a great community,” she said.
The first Montessori school in downtown Dallas, Ida B. Wells welcomes students from pre-K3 to seventh grade. The campus plans to expand, and will open to eighth graders for the 2026-2027 school year.
Titus B., a fifth grader, said his favorite part of the day is his specials, like art and music.
“Art is teaching me famous art pieces and how to be an artist. Music teaches me how to sing, and in the library, I am learning the importance of reading and how to code,” he said.
Located in the heart of downtown, natural light fills the classrooms at Ida B. Wells as students start their school day. Teachers, known as guides, set up multiple lesson-based and hands-on activities that cover the overall lesson, and students are empowered to choose for themselves what they want to work on.
“I love how Montessori allows children to work,” said Leslie Brisendine, a primary school teacher. “We observe the child and follow their needs, based on what they are ready for.”
A teacher for over 20 years, Brisendine has experience in Montessori and traditional campuses. She prefers the Montessori method because it gives her the flexibility to meet her students where they are.
In most classrooms, a fixed curriculum can leave some students waiting to move ahead while others need extra time to catch up. Montessori classrooms take a different approach, allowing students to learn at their own pace with the right level of support or rigor. Teachers stay with the same group of students for multiple years, so they enter each new school year already familiar with each child’s progress.
Classrooms are also shared by students of a variety of ages and grade levels. This model allows students not only to learn from one another, but also teaches them soft skills like communication and teamwork from an early age.
“Putting children together based on age and ability is phenomenal,” said April Blair, who teaches lower elementary age students. “You might have a 6-year-old working on second or third grade activities. They won’t be able to do it right away, but because they are engulfed in it, lessons will come quicker because they are already there.”
Ricardo Castillo Sanchez, principal of Ida B. Wells, said a Montessori education helps students become well-rounded from a young age.
“They are responsible, outgoing, and have self-confidence. These are all skills they need for life,” he said.
Brisendine and Blair agree.
“The ultimate goal is to create peace and learn how to function in a community. We learn grace and courtesy, how to interact with one another and how to take care of each other,” Brisendine said. “Montessori is geared to create a well rounded child in all areas, socially, emotionally, academically.”
To learn more about Ida B. Wells and how students can launch their legacies, attend Discover Dallas ISD on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Automobile Building in Fair Park.
