Faculty in Focus: Julia Martinelli, Lower School Kindergarten Teacher

 

Ms. Julia Martinelli stepped out of her classroom for a moment. When she returned, she paused at the door. One of her students had gathered the others and begun reading aloud. The class was settled. The routine was intact. 

Years earlier, during her Montessori training, she had learned that the greatest sign of success for a teacher is when children work as if the teacher did not exist. Standing there, watching her students lead themselves, she felt the truth of it. 

Teaching is part of who Julia is. Raised in a family of educators, she grew up believing that school was a second home. She later studied education and earned a postgraduate certificate in clinical and institutional psychopedagogy. Today, as a lower school kindergarten teacher, she brings that same sense of belonging into her classroom. 

In this "Faculty in Focus", Julia tells us how she fell in love with teaching, reminisces about her time as an exchange student in the United States, and explains why she keeps a notebook on her bedside table. 

 

You come from a family of teachers spanning generations. How did growing up around educators shape the way you see teaching?

I had great role models in my life. My grandmother was a French teacher, and my family ran a school in Campinas that taught both French and Portuguese to foreigners. Because of that, school has always felt like home to me. After my own classes ended, I would go to my family’s school for English lessons, then stay until my parents finished work. I also spent a lot of time watching my grandmother teach. She was an incredible example of how to truly connect with students.

Growing up in that environment shaped how I see teaching today. Building relationships with students, getting to know where they come from, what their lives are like, and who their families are is central to the way I teach. I focus on what interests them and how they connect their learning to life.
 

Do you remember the moment you first realized you wanted to become a teacher?

I think it has always been inside of me. As a teenager, I studied abroad in the United States, and when I came back, I planned to study international relations. 

But while I was applying to university, I went to the beach with a group of friends here in Brazil. One of them brought his sister, who was a teacher. We were picking up shells when she started talking about an activity she was planning for her students. Something about the way she described it stayed with me.

I grew up with parents who were foreign language teachers, but I had never imagined myself as an early years teacher. In that moment, it really clicked. I decided to study education and fell in love with it from the very first semester. I also wanted to keep practicing my English, so I applied for an internship at the American School of Campinas. 

 

 

Your first teaching experience was in a Montessori environment. What do you love about it, and how does it influence your teaching and life today?

I fell in love with Montessori during my internship, and that’s when I decided this was really what I wanted to do. I was an intern for six months, then an assistant for four years. After I graduated, I was sent to Chicago for Montessori training. I spent the summer there, and when I returned, I had my own class. I was really young when I started teaching—only 21!

Montessori will never leave me. The philosophy is something you can apply to everything in life. It shapes how you act and how you prepare your environment. Even now, as a kindergarten teacher, I continue to use many of its principles, especially fostering independence and giving children agency while they work. At the same time, it has been inspiring to learn other methods and understand how different programs approach teaching.
 

What do you love about teaching young children?

Young children are still discovering life. They are full of imagination, and every day brings a new challenge. They come to school with so much passion and excitement for learning. I love that about this age. I especially love teaching them how to read and write. It's beautiful to watch their process—first learning letters, then reading books, and eventually understanding that books can take you wherever you want to go. 
 

Describe a day in your classroom.

I love to let children move, play, and learn. There has to be a balance. When I completed Reggio Emilia training, a huge reassurance for me was the emphasis on exploration—movement, playing outside, and engaging the senses. A day in my classroom is a day of action, choice, connection, and conversation. Every movement, even stopping for a snack, is meaningful.

 

 

What qualities do you hope your students develop in your classroom?

To be respectful, to find joy in learning, and to be kind to one another.
 

Was there a moment in your classroom that will stay with you forever?

Back when I lived in Campinas, there was a day when I had to step out of the classroom. I remember one student who, even though I wasn’t there, organized the entire class and started reading a book. She had everyone sitting down and was modeling for the other students. I remember returning to the classroom and feeling very proud. 

It reminded me of something Maria Montessori said: “The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’” 

I feel this way every time I see them confidently choosing their activities and knowing their routine. I'm not the center of the classroom; it still works without me.
 

You have lived in the USA as an exchange student. What impact did that experience have on you?

I was 16 when I went to North Carolina as an exchange student. I remember calling home and telling my dad how different everything felt. He said that if I wanted things to be the same as they were in Brazil, I should have stayed home. Instead, he told me to jump in and embrace the differences. That stayed with me.

It wasn’t only about learning English. Of course, you always learn more when you’re living in the country, but it was really about embracing the culture—playing their sports, enjoying what they are passionate about, and learning how they live. That change in perspective shaped both my experience and how I see education.

 

 

You’ve lived in Rondônia and experienced life in parts of Brazil very different from São Paulo. What did you take away from that time personally and professionally?

Until I moved to Rondônia for my husband’s job, I had only taught at an American school. Suddenly, I found myself in small cities with very different cultures and school systems. 

We lived there for six years, in three different cities: Porto Velho, Presidente Médici, and Ariquemes. I taught English at Brazilian schools, and it was a completely new experience. I was singing songs to children who had never heard English before, and seeing their excitement was incredibly touching.

I also taught teenagers for the first time. I had never imagined myself as a high school teacher, but I truly connected with them. We had many meaningful conversations, and that surprised me in the best way.

Professionally, it challenged me. The schools didn’t have the same infrastructure or resources I was used to, so I had to find creative approaches to teaching. It almost felt like being in another country. The experience gave me a new perspective and deepened my respect for different ways of living and learning.
 

You love writing and even keep a notebook by your bed to write down your dreams! How does writing influence the way you reflect, plan, or grow as a teacher and as a person?

I think people are sometimes surprised when I say that, because when they look at me, they don’t expect me to have such a holistic side. I practice holistic therapy, and for me, dreams carry important messages—things that might be on my mind but haven’t fully come to the surface yet.

Recently, I wrote in my journal about a dream I had about a friend I hadn’t spoken to in a long time. It’s someone who is very important to me, and writing it down made me realize it was time to reconnect.

As a mom of three, life is always busy. I rarely have time to truly connect with myself, so keeping a notebook by my bed gives me valuable personal insights and a quiet moment to reflect.
 

You’re known for reimagining spaces. What draws you to that?

Something gets into me. It happens both at home and in the classroom. My assistant even jokes with me that sometimes she’ll arrive and everything is different. Everyone who knows me has seen me change spaces up!  I will move furniture, repaint the walls, rearrange pictures, and switch up decorations. That’s just how I am. I enjoy reimagining spaces, and I’m not afraid of change.
 

Each year, you challenge yourself to revisit something you’ve postponed. What does that practice mean to you?

I often return to the things I've always enjoyed but set aside because of my busy life. Every year, I challenge myself to go back and do one of those activities. 

Most recently, I started getting up very early. I have always been someone who likes sleeping, but I found that waking up early gives me more time for myself. So now, in the morning, I have started working out. I hope to add yoga practice to my routine, too. I love breakfast, so I cook waffles and pancakes, make coffee, and start my day slowly. It’s become a small but meaningful way to reconnect with myself.

 

 

When you travel, you like to explore beyond the usual tourist routes. What were some memorable trips for you and your family?

We recently spent eight days in the Netherlands, visiting the small town of Haarlem. We love seeing how people actually live in a different country. Of course, we appreciated visiting iconic sites like the Anne Frank House, but my family and I don’t like being in crowds the entire time. We prefer riding bikes, exploring local spots, and really learning the history of the town we’re in. My kids also saw snow for the first time—it was truly beautiful.

Last year, we went to Paris with my daughters for the first time. We were there because that’s where my grandfather’s family is from, so it brought back many memories of traveling with my own family when I was growing up. I took them to all the neighborhoods that were meaningful to me, and that made the trip special.

We also love traveling around Brazil. Paraty is our go-to place. Even though it’s touristy, it’s usually not too busy when we visit. We also love going to Barra do Sahy here in São Paulo state.