Mary Mongillo

Playgroup Teacher

Mary is fluent in English (mother tongue) and proficient in Italian.

Mary is a native British English speaker and an experienced educator with over 25 years of working with children and teaching English. As the Playgroup Leader at Starling English School, she brings energy, creativity, and a warm, welcoming presence to our youngest learners.

Mary leads Playgroup sessions for children ages 1–3, offering a joyful introduction to English through games, songs, stories, and hands-on activities. Her approach encourages early language development in a nurturing environment, helping children build confidence as they explore, move, and connect through play.

Mary has worked in a variety of educational settings, including volunteering in Montessori schools and spending three years in a public nursery in a small town in Japan. There, she also read English books aloud to children at the local library. She believes in a teaching philosophy grounded in common sense, play, love, and sharing what she’s passionate about. As both a teacher and a parent, she has come to deeply value the importance of play—not only as a learning tool for children, but as a way for families to bring English into the home naturally and joyfully.

With her wealth of experience and calm, caring nature, Mary creates a space where both children and parents feel supported as they take their first steps into English immersion—together.