Who we are

Asuncion Montessori House's History

Liliana Pankow (Rojas de Pankow) founded Asuncion Montessori House in 2011 based on a vision she had for pioneering the Montessori Method in her home country, Paraguay. Liliana has three children, Rafa who was 2.5, Mia who was 7, and Ivo who was 11 when the school first opened. She developed the school with both her family and the greater community’s needs in mind.

Liliana began her teaching career in Paraguay, helping pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students learn academic content using the English language. She moved to the United States in 2004 and accepted a position at one of the most prestigious Montessori schools in Dallas, Texas, accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), Montessori Children’s House and School. During this time, Liliana was inspired to further her knowledge of the Montessori Method and enrolled in the Montessori Institute of North Texas, an AMI training center.

Five years later, Liliana left her position at Montessori Children’s House and School in Dallas, Texas when she was blessed with her third child. In search of an authentic Montessori school community for herself and her child, Liliana founded Nido Montessori in 2009, a home-based infant community.

Liliana operated Nido Montessori for two years before returning to Paraguay. She wished to reconnect with family and close friends and allow her children the opportunity to form close relationships with relatives as well. Having been inspired by Dr. Montessori’s Method, Liliana made it her mission to share the knowledge she had gained of this transformative philosophy with others in her home country.

She founded the first Asuncion Montessori House in Villa Elisa, Paraguay, beginning with a small, in-home Casa community. Over the years, Liliana continued to grow the school as her passion for Montessori inspired families to provide this incredible foundation for their children. As a result of Liliana’s dedication, the school continues to experience success more than a decade later, now operating as a non-profit community for families of children ranging in age from 3 to 12.

Three years ago, Liliana and her family moved back to Dallas, Texas where she accepted a position as the Primary Care Coordinator at the Alcuin School. During her time as a directress at this second prestigious AMI accredited school, Liliana continued to gain inspiration. A passion ignited to continue her important life-long work of sharing Dr. Montessori’s methodology and she decided to expand Asuncion Montessori House, opening a Montessori infants and pre-school community in Plano, Texas in January 2023.

Liliana’s hope is to continue serving as a proud enthusiast of Dr. Montessori’s methodology, uniting both campuses of Asuncion Montessori House in an effort to develop an international community that propels her mission of igniting a passion in children for global citizenship. It is her dream that the global work she has done and continues to do will inspire children to live with integrity, accepting the responsibility of being compassionate citizens that will truly transform the world. After all, as Dr. Montessori believed:

“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.” –Maria Montessori