Sergei Brin, Prince William, Julia Child. Success of Montessori students possible in Kyiv (advertisement)

When Sergei Brin, Google’s co-founder, immigrated to the United States with his parents, he was a bashful six-year-old with a little knowledge of English.

Some 15 years later, the timid Russian became the king of communication channeling the information through the search engine Google.

Many factors shaped his success, including his highly-educated parents and obsession with Math. But what he credited the most in many interviews was a chance to get out of the authoritarian Soviet Union and study in an American school, which let him grow at his own pace.

The school wasn’t a typical educational establishment though. Brin attended one of the Montessori schools, which teaching methods went against the grain of traditional schooling and fostered independence and creativity among children.

Founded by Italian physician and scientist Maria Montessori, the system emphasizes a learning environment in multi-aged groups, where children, primarily aged one to six, are gently supervised to learn what they want rather than what a teacher commands.

Brin favored this liberty, and he was not alone. Google’s co-founder Larry Page, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales, Princes William and Harry, not to mention cooking legend Julia Child and actors Helen Hunt and George Clooney went through a journey of self-discovery unimpeded by adults.

The system was invented some 100 years ago and nurtured many great minds.

‘Clever Kids Center’ on Heroiv Stalinhradu Avenue in Kyiv

Had Brin been born 30 years later, though, the urge to cross the ocean would not have been as strong, perhaps. As the old Communist command model fell apart, many modern educational institutions sprang up in Ukraine and Russia, with Montessori schools among them.

Sadly, although perhaps flatteringly, there are many gimmicks that borrow the name “Montessori,” so parents must carefully research the school’s credentials.

In Kyiv, Clever Kids Club at 140 Horkogo Street and Clever Kids Center at 12H Heroiv Stalinhradu Avenue are among the few Ukrainian schools accredited by Ukrainian Montessori Association and Montessori Europe.

We show our students a small and safe model of the world giving them a wide range of useful activities and fully respecting their choice.

– Yulia Demydenko , instructor, founder of the Clever Kids project

Since 2003, more than 250 students attended Clever Kids’ programs, 20 percent of whom are children from foreign or mixed families. The Club offers daily classes in multiple areas for children aged one to six.

The Clever Kids second Center – set to open in September – is located in the newly-built Obolon residential district, right on the red-brick pier of the Dnipro River.
With an intake capacity of 250 students, it will offer full-time board to accommodate busy families who are looking for more than a kindergarten.

A mother of two children, Yulia Demydenko has founded the project. She wanted to raise her children and students differently, outside the typical “incubator” approach, which has been left over from the Soviet days.

“You’ll notice many kindergartens in Ukraine are decorated like fairy tales. Children are nurtured to believe in the impossible from the very beginning so when they grow older, it’s frustrating for them to connect to the real world,” said Demydenko.

“We show our students a small and safe model of the world giving them a wide range of useful activities and fully respecting their choice.”

Demydenko’s professional story echoes the Montessori path to development. After an exchange year in an American high school, she attended a Western business school in Kyiv while her peers studied in state universities.

After the International Christian University Vienna-Kiev, she set out to build her own business working as a career counselor and attending psychology and philosophy lectures abroad.

Thanks to Yulia Demydenko, I learnt to understand my child better and accommodate his needs.

– Yana Klochkova

She started with training adults, but then gravitated to working with students, school children and children. In 2003, she became a certified Montessori teacher.

Now, Demydenko is both an instructor – she works with pregnant women, couples and newborns – and a businesswoman, who is about to launch her second school.

Her clients in Ukraine include the families of Deputy Prime Minister Sergiy Tigipko and Olympic swimmer Yana Klochkova.

“Thanks to Yulia Demydenko, I learnt to understand my child better and accommodate his needs,” said Klochkova. Her son, Alexander, turned one year old in June. The family plans to join the center when it opens in September in Obolon.

A typical day in Clever Kids starts with all students gathering in a large hall to greet each other and discuss a new topic, be it why the sky is blue or the fire is hot.

Then, in groups of up to 20 students each, the exploration begins. Flocking to large study halls, children choose a learning section they like. It can be devoted to either language, science, mathematics, arts, practical life or sensory activities.

“Sitting still for children is usually a challenge. But when they work with Montessori materials, they choose what they really like and manage to concentrate!” said Demydenko.

“It’s amazing to see how they get excited about everyday items, when they work with water and sand or taste salty and spicy flavors. Parents are often afraid they will make a mess and keep them away from these things. But it’s important not to impede a child on his or her journey of discovery.”

Two teachers and one assistant oversee the group’s studying sessions before they break for lunch and sleep. In the second half of the day, children spend a few more hours dancing, practicing yoga or martial arts and getting creative with a brush.

Teachers in Clever Kids centers have been trained by the Ukrainian Montessori Association, which is accredited by the Princeton Montessori School and Princeton Center Teacher Aducation. Some of them are fluent in English and can lead English-speaking groups if parents so choose.

Instructors regularly meet with parents to discuss the child’s progress.

“We encourage parents to trust their children and trust us. If they keep up the same philosophy of raising a child at home, it will benefit the child tremendously,” said Demydenko.

"Many parents want their children to follow a certain path. Our goal, though, is to nurture their natural talents rather than fulfill their parents’ dreams.”

It seems that Sergei Brin and many others wanted just that from their mothers and fathers.