Meet the Owner, Diane Beckham, M.Ed, AMS Montessori Credential

Diane Beckham has spent over 30 years helping children and families thrive in public education. Early in her career, she taught pre-kindergarten in Oklahoma City, where she helped open the state’s first public Montessori school. 

While she was new to Montessori at the time, she quickly saw its impact with children becoming deeply engaged and choosing meaningful learning activities on their own. Within just two years, the school became one of the highest performing in the district.

 This experience sparked Diane’s lifelong passion for Montessori education and her belief that every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a way that honors who they are. She later led the growth of Tulsa’s public Montessori programs (3 elementary schools: Grissom, Emerson and Eugene Field) and served as a founding principal, creating schools that truly meet the needs of families. 

Diane founded Cross Timbers Montessori Training which prepares teachers to lead Montessori classrooms. Today, she supports Tulsa schools and families through coaching, helping bring authentic Montessori learning into homes through Montessori 4 Home.

30+ years in public education

20+ years in Montessori