Cooking in Class

What is it about Montessori classrooms and cooking?

Some of my best meals have been in Montessori classrooms. Are we trying to produce the world’s leading chefs? Or is there something more about good quality teaching and learning that we are aiming for?

Yesterday I again had one of those experiences. A fantastic three course lunch in a Montessori classroom. A meal, ingredients selected and purchased, prepared and presented to the whole class, cleaned up by the team after; a delicious three course meal acceptable and enjoyable, on any measure of quality.

The Cooroowal team kindly invited me to lunch and I am grateful for their thoughtfulness and for the effort and the trouble that they went to. There is much to be gained for the students from experiences like this. There are important academic and social outcomes. We are fortunate to have kitchens in our classrooms and to have such committed and competent teachers and assistants who always go to a lot of effort to subtly ensure the inclusion and harmony within the group. It was a pleasure for me to join with this beautiful class for the three-course lunch (fruit drink to begin, pizza slice, spaghetti with a mild tomato sauce, meringue with fruit and fresh cream).

I suspect there is a potential Cat Cora, Bordain or Blumenthal within this class. For each of us though, there is much to be learned from these important group activities.

Warm regards,

Bill