MS. ANNALIISA BENSTON
SPANISH & ART EDUCATOR
MFA in Fine Arts from The School of Visual Arts, a BFA in Painting from Pratt Institute and Two Years of Business Studies from Emory University.
With 20 years of experience as an artist, curator, creative producer, and business consultant, AnnaLiisa is a living product of Montessori philosophy. She attended an AMS Montessori school through elementary and maintains close ties with her classmates to this day. Her mother holds an AMS (ages 3–6) Montessori certification, and she was raised with Montessori principles at home. Her diverse and self-directed learning experiences reflect this foundation—while many children specialize early in one or two sports, AnnaLiisa pursued and excelled in a wide range, including volleyball, softball, tennis, and swimming, where she was a Junior Olympic qualifier. She was also the youngest member of a local poetry society and began her journey as an artist when her mother enrolled her in Chinese brush painting classes.
Her passion for interdisciplinary learning led her to transition from business studies at Emory University to pursue a BFA at Pratt Institute and later an MFA at the School of Visual Arts. Throughout her career, she has led numerous art enrichment programs as an educator and advocate, contributing to award-winning events such as Satellite Art Show at Miami Art Basel. These experiences further reinforced her desire to work in education. As a fourth-generation teacher, stepping into the classroom feels both natural and deeply meaningful.
AnnaLiisa has traveled extensively across North America and Europe and attended kindergarten in Taiwan. Raised bi-culturally by her Taiwanese mother and American father, she developed a deep appreciation for language, cultural exchange, and creative exploration. Conversant in Spanish and Mandarin, she brings a global perspective and a joyful energy to her work. She believes children thrive when given the freedom to be curious and independent and is thrilled to be part of The School House, helping young learners grow with confidence and creativity.
In her free time, AnnaLiisa enjoys reading about bourgeoning technologies, writing and reviewing art, researching biodynamic farming, and traveling—interests that reflect her love for creativity, sustainability, and global exploration. She sees these passions as extensions of her commitment to lifelong learning and interdisciplinary thinking, values she hopes to share with her students.