Faculty & Staff

Koji Tsutsumi

Maple Classroom Lead Teacher

I was born in Nagoya, Japan, and moved to the United States when I was little. I lived in Federal Way until around the age of 8, then moved to various places in Washington. 



I have been a Montessori teacher with Bellevue Montessori since 2019 and hold an associate's degree in Early Childhood Education. Before working at BMS, I was part of the team at Boys and Girls Club for 5 years. During my time with the organization, I would hear children telling me how much they disliked school. I was always unsure of how to build that love of learning until I toured a Montessori Primary Classroom and watched the love of learning in action. 

I love to hear about the children’s perspectives on the world because I truly believe each child sees life differently. In this environment, we give the children the support and the tools they need to pursue their interests.