The Shared Environment was built just for you.
Every day, rain or shine, you show up for children. You prepare the environment thoughtfully. You speak kindly and clearly. You move with purpose and grace.
We see you.
An object breaks and your heart is divided. You're pleased that a child has gained important knowledge of the physical world, but who has the time to search more thrift stores?
We get you.
You observe a child's interest and you're elated because you're pretty sure you've found the hook, but will you have capacity to make a set of three-part cards before the moment passes?
We've got you.
We've all been there.
We’ve all spent Saturdays driving to six different stores to find the right pieces for a new work.
We’ve all bought objects that are almost what we need, but not quite, and then we’ve spent time modifying them.
We’ve ordered things from online mega-retailers, only to find they don’t serve the children or align with Montessori principles.
These are problems with solutions.
Together, in The Shared Environment, we can offer those solutions.
It will take time and collective effort, and the Montessori community is here for it! With every new product and every purchase made, we're constructing a marketplace that meets guides' needs, all in one place!
Community is key.
Many hands make light work.
We all have skills to contribute.
Some of us sew.
Some of us draw, paint, or photograph.
Some of us craft useful, beautiful objects from wood, metal, or clay.
Some of us restore damaged materials.
Some of us know our way around a thrift shop.
Our collective skills are more than enough.
Together, we can prepare environments beautifully, with deep regard for Dr. Montessori’s method, and have time left over for our families, our hobbies, and our personal lives.
What will you do?
What will you do with the time and energy you save?
That's your story to write.
Maybe you'll get more rest.
Maybe you'll earn another diploma.
Maybe you'll simply feel more at ease.
Our hope is that The Shared Environment will help you restore balance to your professional life and increase your joy and freedom in the environment.
The work you are doing for children is work for all of humankind, and we want to support you.
We're all constructing the solutions together.
- Shop here when you need things.
- Make and sell Montessori materials here.
- Share this marketplace with the families you serve and colleagues you work beside.
Our story
The Shared Environment™ was born out of co-founder Staci Hedlund's material-making experiences during Montessori training. Searching thrift stores, sewing, laminating, and woodworking was gratifying, but she wondered how much of it she could do while also guiding children. Staci asked practicing guides how they balanced material-making and guiding children and they confirmed: it's very difficult to keep up with materials.
It became clear that a little help could go a long way toward increasing Montessorians' joy.
Staci had a solution in mind, and she teamed up with co-founder Alexander Hedlund, who had the technical expertise to bring it to life. Together they set out to build a multi-seller marketplace that unites everyone into one space, Montessori makers, retailers, and the Montessorians who need them.
Staci and Alexander are delighted to be working together as colleagues in addition to being mother and son, in the tradition of Maria and Mario. They offer this project as an expression of respect and admiration for all of the prepared adults doing the daily work of guiding children within Dr. Maria Montessori's proven pedagogy.
Our name
Derived from the term "the prepared environment," "The Shared Environment" speaks to the pooling of makers' skills, and symbolizes the co-founders' commitment to collective effort in the interest of Montessori education. Staci and Alexander believe that by integrating time-tested Montessori practices and modern technology, The Shared Environment can support 21st-century Montessori practitioners in the essential work they are doing for children.
Our team
We began as a tiny crew with big ideas, and now we're welcoming new colleagues to this fulfilling work! We are grateful to this exceptional team, and we are grateful for the many professionals who have worked side by side with The Shared Environment from inception. From practicing Montessorians to the IT consultants to the graphic designers to the accountants to the marketing analysts, the experts behind the scenes have been the secret sauce.
Staci Hedlund
Staci is a co-founder of The Shared Environment, Prepared Environments, and Clover Montessori School in West St. Paul, Minnesota. She has worked as a lead guide in a Montessori young children's community, as an assistant director of a Montessori school, and as a conventional schoolteacher. Staci earned her Association Montessori Internationale diploma (Ages 2.5 to 6) at the Montessori Center of Minnesota and her Bachelors degree at Smith College and Rice University. In addition to her work as an educator, her professional experiences include non-profit fund development, grant writing, and retail.
Staci is deeply committed to the Montessori movement. She focuses her work on creating supportive structures for prepared adults so that their work with children can be sustained and peaceful.
Alexander Hedlund
Alexander is an experienced technology consultant currently employed at Deloitte and is serving as Director (Strategy, Partnership & Development) for a UK-based charity. He has worked extensively in strategic advisory and risk assurance for UK regulators. Alexander earned his Masters at Heriot-Watt University. His professional experiences also include business process automation, research, and strategic development.
Amy Livingston, Community and Partnerships Manager
Amy earned her Association Montessori Internationale Primary diploma from Montessori Institute Northwest and has worked as a Montessori assistant, a Guide, Pedagogical Director, and Head of School. She holds a Master of Education from Loyola University Maryland, a Bachelor of Science in Social Science, and a Graduate Certificate in Infant-Toddler Mental Health from Portland State University. Most recently, Amy served as an Assistant Head of School, guiding educators' growth through mentorship, professional development, and thoughtful internal systems that help a school thrive. In addition to her work in the classroom and in school leadership, her experience includes parent education and instructional design.
For Amy, Montessori has never been just a method but a way of interacting with the world. After two decades in the work, she remains deeply moved by its vision of peace through the child, and is honored to help grow a community that serves it.
Maia Cheatham, Organic Growth Marketing Specialist
Maia’s early education in Montessori environments cultivated a lasting sense of curiosity and creativity. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing with a minor in Spanish from Mercer University. As a digital marketing strategist, Maia builds connection through thoughtful communications. Her professional experiences include brand storytelling, website content strategy, and email and social media marketing across the travel, clean energy, and nonprofit sectors.
Amy Frank, Systems and Automation Specialist
Amy is a Systems and Automation Specialist in The Shared Environment. She earned her Master of Science in Information Systems from the University of Colorado Denver and holds bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Biological Sciences from Arizona State University. Her professional experience spans process improvement, business analysis, and operational analytics and reporting, including work in regulated purchasing and behavioral health. Drawn to the intersection of people, systems, and technology, Amy focuses her work on creating clearer processes, better documentation, and tools that support reliable, thoughtful work.
We are grateful for the support of the Montessori community, including
