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At an orphanage there, the couple saw a Montessori program that taught children under 3 practical life skills. That inspired the Lesnetts to learn more about the program.
When their children reached school age, they enrolled them in a Montessori program.
It's been eight years since their trip to Moscow, and now Lesnett is opening a Christian-based Montessori school in Bluffton called Christian Heritage Montessori.
The method was developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori in the slums of Rome in 1907. Her theory was young children learn best in a home-like setting filled with developmentally appropriate materials that help them think independently and direct their own education.
There now are thousands of Montessori schools around the world, including the May River Montessori school in Bluffton and the Sea Pines Montessori Academy on Hilton Head Island.
After seeing her own children benefit from the program, Lesnett decided to go back to school to earn a master's degree in education from Endicott College in Beverly, Mass. She also received training from the American Montessori Society in Boston. She's worked for the past three years at the E.C. Montessori School on Lady's Island.
She's in the process of renovating space in the Lowcountry Presbyterian Church's fellowship hall on Simmonsville Road.
By mid-March, she'll open the 1,000-square-foot school on Saturdays to children ages 2-6. Lesnett also will hold a summer program before opening for half-days next fall.
Two-year-old toddlers will learn independence, concentration and coordination skills, she said. Older students will learn math, science, reading, language, geography and practical skills.
The teaching will incorporate fun and faith. "I want them to want to learn," Lesnett said, "and I want them to experience God's love every day."
