We turn curiosity into hands-on discovery
Kids are inspired by big questions
Learning how to think like a scientist isn’t about a kid’s future job or degree, it’s a way to help them accomplish whatever they set their minds to.
We know that curiosity drives learning, which is why we like to ask kids big, meaningful questions. They’re inspired by the same things that scientists have wondered about from past to present. They want to be treated like high-level learners, and it’s amazing to see their confidence grow as they make new discoveries. Our ultimate goal is to help kids learn how to figure things out for themselves. Once they do, they see the world as a place full of possibilities.
Teach in a way that makes the answers stick
There are certain ways of sharing information that seem to stick in the human brain: captivating hooks, compelling stories, and things that just make you go ‘whoa.’ We use these tools to give you science lessons that stick.
No one needed another binder full of curriculum outlines, and no one wanted another cheesy, virtual textbook disguised as a TV show. So, we built you something new! We took the excitement and storytelling powers that the best YouTube creators use (that are backed by neurodevelopment, educational psychology, and Montessori teaching principles) and blended them with a full lesson plan. Our lessons aren’t just about watching though, they’re about doing! That’s why each lesson is also centered around hands-on, offline activities. As the famous educator Maria Montessori once said, “What the hand does, the mind remembers.”
Meet our creators, storytellers, and educators
We’re a small team that believes kids can learn anything if you show them the “WOW” in it.
Zoe Rising
Creative Director
Some boring adult told 7-year-old Zoe to “be careful, because curiosity killed the cat,” so she told them that she was more of a dog person. Zoe was a curious kid (and a sarcastic one – thank her dad). Her favorite word was always “why?” and her interest in the natural world led her to pursue a degree in Biology from UCLA. There’s no way the same kid who was making Bill Nye-inspired home videos was going to be confined to the walls of a research lab though. She became the “go-to” for giving science lessons in the Montessori elementary classroom where she worked, and fell in love with turning science education into entertaining exploration. Her passion for making complex topics accessible and fun for everyone inspired the creation of Learn Libre, a platform designed to share high-level science with elementary learners across the globe.
Favorite animal: Chihuahuas!
Rich Worley
Product Director
As a kid, Rich dreamed of becoming a jungle explorer. Though he initially followed a more conventional path in finance, the call of the wild never left him. Eventually, he made the leap and moved to Brazil, where he could venture deep into the Amazon. The explorer in him was hooked. After visiting more than 27 countries, Rich began designing websites for local tour companies, helping them reach more curious adventurers. Rich has always been a curious kid at heart with an entrepreneurial spirit. Learn Libre was his way of turning a childhood dream into reality – helping kids experience the wonders of the natural world, just like he had once dreamed of. Around here, we fondly call him “the man behind the digital curtain,” because he’s the one who brings all of our visions and ideas at Learn Libre to life.
Favorite animal: Chihuahuas!
Ian Nesbit
Visual Storyteller
Ian Nesbit is a post-modern polymath who believes that we can build a better world through cosmic education. Before earning his AMI Elementary diploma at Montessori Northwest in Portland, Oregon, he got his Master of Education at Delta State University and taught Sociology in Mississippi and Louisiana. Decades earlier, he learned filmmaking from one parent and the Montessori Method from the other, only to bring them together when students started learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. He currently resides in Harlem, New York (or wherever the road takes him).
Favorite animal: Octopus!
Jenna Laffin
Visual Storyteller
Jenna first began teaching in Spain many moons ago and, over the past decade and a half, developed a passion for Montessori, flamenco dance, and storytelling. Creating Montessori-aligned science videos fulfills two of those passions! Jenna trained as an AMI 6-12 guide at the Montessori Center of Minnesota and got her Master of Education at St. Catherine’s University. She worked at wonderful Montessori schools in Minnesota for several years before moving back to Spain to teach, and is now based in Mallorca.
Favorite animal: Monarch butterflies!
Letty Rising
Curriculum Advisor
Letty reviews content creation to ensure that Learn Libre stays true to authentic Montessori lessons and objectives. She is an International Montessori consultant who holds an AMI elementary diploma for ages 6-12 and an M.Ed from Loyola University in Maryland. She has held positions as a Montessori Elementary Teacher, Education Coordinator, Homeschool Education Specialist, and Head of School in several different Montessori communities over the years. She loves helping young learners discover their interests and strengths.
Favorite animal: Cats!
Dana Stitt
Educational Content Manager
Dana is an AMS-trained, Lower Elementary Montessori guide in New Orleans, Louisiana. She has been a public school educator for 10 years and loves seeing students ask questions and make discoveries. Dana got her Master of Education from the University of New Orleans. In her spare time, she enjoys being a Montessori Mama to her two young children.
Favorite animal: Humpback whales!
Victoria Swany
Educational Content Developer
Victoria is an Elementary guide who has been immersed in Montessori for the past 8 years. She received her AMI training from the Montessori Institute of San Diego. Victoria loves learning as much as she loves teaching, and is particularly interested in neuroscience, anthropology, and the interdisciplinary nature of all areas of study. She is from Tennessee originally and has lived in 7 states as well as abroad. She currently lives and teaches in Nashville, TN with her husband and newborn daughter.
Favorite animal: Giant anteater!
Cecily Cortez
Bilingual Project Specialist
Cecily has been an integral part of translating all of our content into Spanish. She has been a Montessori school administrator for over 6 years, where she has worked with children ages 3 months to 12 years. Cecily has her B.A. and M.A. in Sociology, where she researched alternative methods of education and developed a framework for transforming higher education classrooms. She grew up hearing her family from Mexico and Nicaragua speak Spanish, and became fluent once she began traveling to see family in Mexico at age 12. She is excited to help ignite even more scientific minds with Learn Libre en español!
Favorite animal: Leopards!
Beaker
Office Security
With multiple very prestigious degrees in general cuteness, Beaker is not your typical security officer. What he lacks in size and intimidation, he makes up for in spunk and by barking at literally anything that moves. We were not actively hiring office security personnel when he joined us, but he kind of just fell into the role. He is unsure of what “science” means, but he does know “sit,” “lay down,” and “treat.” He plans to begin his science education by learning about physics so he can create a lever to get food off the kitchen counter.
Favorite animal (and also arch nemesis): Squirrels!