Educational consulting & pedagogical design

Turn educational values into clear, workable practice.

I partner with schools, founders, educational teams, and families to design coherent programmes, curriculum, systems and learning experiences. The work begins with your context and connects educational vision with the structures people need to put it into practice.

Marina Montanarella with a colleague outside the Forest Studio learning environment

Ways to work together

Support shaped around what you are creating.

Each collaboration begins with the people, environment and questions already present.

Learning Environment & Programme Design

For schools, founders and learning communities developing or refining an educational model, curriculum or programme.

Explore programme design

Pedagogical Leadership & Instructional Coaching

For leaders, coordinators, teachers and guides developing shared practice, curriculum and implementation.

Explore leadership and coaching

Custom workshops and facilitated learning sessions are available across all three areas. Enquire about a workshop

What we can build

Practical structures that connect vision and daily life.

  • Educational model and curriculum

    Clarify the principles, priorities and curriculum structures that guide educational decisions.

  • Projects and learning experiences

    Connect inquiry, explicit goals, knowledge, skills, creativity and reflection through purposeful programme design.

  • Team practice and leadership

    Create shared planning, observation, communication and professional-learning processes.

  • Assessment and documentation

    Develop practical ways to gather evidence, notice progress, communicate learning and identify next steps.

Children presenting a hand-made project board inside Forest Studio

My Projects – Forest Studio

A learning environment developed from vision through implementation.

I am the Pedagogical Leader and Coordinator of Forest Studio Comporta, a multi-age, nature-connected and project-based learning environment. I designed its curriculum, programme content and implementation framework and coordinate the pedagogical development of the live site.

Curriculum architecture seasonal programme design
Project-based quests focused academic practice
Guide coaching planning & onboarding
Formative assessment portfolios & documentation
Family participation mentors & community
Documentation operational systems
The approach drawn as a continuous ring: observe, understand, design, put into practice, adapt the approach Observe Understand Design Put intopractice Adapt

How I work

Observe. Understand. Design. Put into practice. Adapt.

There is no standard solution placed over every environment. The process begins with context and returns to it throughout the work.

01

Observe

Look closely at the environment, relationships, routines, learning evidence and existing systems.

02

Understand

Clarify strengths, priorities, needs and the central question the work should address.

03

Design

Co-create focused curriculum, tools, structures or experiences suited to the context.

04

Put into practice

Introduce the work through facilitation, coaching, modelling or supported implementation.

05

Adapt

Review evidence and experience, then refine what needs further development.

Marina Montanarella working alongside an educational team

Meet Marina

Pedagogical design grounded in living relationships and practice.

I am an educational consultant, pedagogical designer and instructional coach, working across educational sciences, pedagogy and neuroeducation. I currently lead the pedagogical development of Forest Studio Comporta and work internationally in English, Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish with both institutions and families.

Practical resources

Begin with one useful question and one practical tool.

Short, adaptable practices for families and educators – each pairing a clear idea with something you can use right away.

The Feeling Forest

A free seven-day family practice for noticing, naming and understanding emotions together.

What clients say

Honest feedback from valued people.

Real reflections from educators, families, and learning communities who trusted me to help bring their educational vision to life.

Working beside Marina was one of the most enriching experiences of my professional life. The care she brings to designing holistic, human-centred learning is of an incredibly high standard.

She challenged me every day to become a better educator.

Afonso

Educator, learning community

A place to begin

Let’s identify the most useful starting point.

You may be developing a new learning environment, refining an established programme, supporting a team or creating a more coherent approach to learning at home. An introductory conversation gives us space to clarify your context, consider what kind of support may be useful and decide whether working together is a suitable next step.