Nicolas Lepine is an athletic director, PE instructor, and coach (cross country, volleyball, basketball, and track and field) for Rogers Park Montessori School in Chicago. Before his role as athletic director, Nicolas had nine years experience in the 9-12 classroom, five years as a co-head teacher. Nicolas was also a Montessori student himself, and the son of a Montessori toddler teacher of 30+ years.
Nicolas Lepine is the creator of Montessori Physical Education, which are physical education lessons that integrate with the Montessori classroom curriculum. These lessons mirror concepts taught in the lower and upper elementary Montessori classroom, for example, the Great Lessons. With the ability to test and refine lessons with research and valuable input, Nicolas is continually creating new and exciting lessons everyday.
After earning his B.S. degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana. Nicolas began assistant teaching, and soon after started his Montessori credential training. Early on, it was apparent to Nicolas that Montessori education was exceptional, but a comprehensive physical education curriculum was desperately needed. He received his AMS Montessori lower and upper elementary credential, as well as his Masters’ in Montessori Education, from St. Catherine’s University. His research at St. Kate’s on integrating physical education with the classroom curriculum is still a popular action research topic that has been cited in various educational resources.
A member of the American Montessori Society, Nicolas has presented at various conferences on the benefits of integrating physical education and the classroom curriculum, as well as a “how to” presentation on the subject. He posts a weekly blog through MontessoriPhysicalEducation.com, where he explores the nuances of teaching PE, whether as a classroom or PE teacher.