Cosmic Montessori School Hightlights

Why Choose Montessori For Your Child

Do you ask why should you choose Montessori education for your child?

Montessori vs Traditional Education

Google Founders Discuss Montessori Education

Larry Page and Sergey Brin discuss their experience as Montessori students.
 

Recognizable Montessori Alumni

Recognizable Montessori Alumni:

Jeff Bezos, financial analyst, founder of Amazon.com

Sergey Brin & Larry Page, co-founders of Google.com
** To see video clip click here

Katharine Graham, former owner-editor of the Washington Post

Prince William and Prince Harry, English royal family

Anne Frank, famous diarist from World War II

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize winner for Literature

Berry Brazelton, noted pediatrician and author

Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Austrian painter and architect

Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia

Will Wright, designer of The Sims

Julia Child, famous chef

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, rap star, music mogul

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, former editor, former first lady (John F. Kennedy)

Helen Hunt, Academy Award-winning actress

George Clooney, Academy Award-winning actor

Joshua Bell, American violinist, owner of Stradivarius violin

Lea Salonga, a Filipino-American singer and Broadway actress


Famous People with Montessori Connections:

Alexander Graham Bell, noted inventor, provided financial support directly to Dr. Montessori, helped establish the first Montessori class in Canada and one of the first in the United States

Bruno Bettelheim, noted psychologist/author, was married to a Montessori teacher

Erik Erikson, anthropologist/author, had a Montessori teaching certificate

Jean Piaget, noted Swiss psychologist, made his first observations of children in a Montessori school

Thomas Edison, noted scientist and inventor, helped found a Montessori school

President Wilson’s daughter trained as a Montessori teacher. There was a Montessori classroom in the basement of the White House during Wilson’s presidency.

Mister Rogers, children’s TV personality, strong supporter of Montessori education

Famous people who chose Montessori education for their children:

John Bradshaw, psychologist and author
 

William & Hillary Clinton, former president/former secretary of state

Yo Yo Ma, cellist

Willie Nelson, musician, has a Montessori school on his ranch

Looking for Healthy School Lunch Ideas?

It can be a challenge coming up with new ideas for school lunches.  If you're lucky and your child's school has the ability to heat up food that expands the menu a little but most schools don't have that option. 

Here are a few basic recommendations:

1. Portions - There are so many great containers out there that offer 3 compartments for food portions. 
2. Variety - These same portion containers allow for variety in your child's meal.  Mixing up a fruit, vegtable, protien, dairy and/or carbs provides healthy variety.
3. Nutrition - Most kids like to see a sweet treat in their lunches but be sure to balance that with some more nutritional options too.  If you do provide a dessert, then there should be a solid main dish and side along with it.

Once you have the basics down it's finding ways to mix things up.  Sandwiches seem to be a staple in most school lunches.  They are great but you can even play with those, make a wrap using a tortilla or take away the carb element all together and just wrap meat and cheese in a roll up.  Fruits and veggies cleaned and cut up should be a staple in every lunch.  My kids enjoy dipping their veggies in ranch so if you need to add a dip for them to eat their veggies, then go for it!  Pretzels, goldfish, veggie chips, pita chips are a few of the alternatives to potato chips. 

For other fun ideas check out these helpful articles:

30 Ideas for School Lunches - http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipes/healthy/ideas-kids-school-lunches

40 Healthy School Lunch Recipes to Make for Your Kids - http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/40-healthy-school-lunch-recipes-make-for-your-kids.htm

Healthy School Lunch Ideas for Kids - http://www.healthychild.com/healthy-school-lunch-ideas-for-kids

Helpful Montessori Resources

Many parents are just learning about Montessori education, along with their children.  Though it's been around since Maria Montessori opened the first school in Rome, Italy in 1907.  The philosophy is still rather new to many parents in the United States.  We thought it might be helpful to share some useful resources on the philosophy and how it works.

The Montessori Foundation- A non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of Montessori education in the U.S. and abroad.  Programs and resources for parents, teachers and students.

Living Montessori Now - A website with inspiration and information for parents and teachers. 

American Montessori Society - Order, independence, cooperation, respect. Bring Montessori into your home with the American Montessori Society.

International Montessori Society 

Montessori Primary Guide - A useful site with good explanations on Montessori and all it's environments.

Montessori Materials - A site created to help parents and teachers create Montessori materials on their own.

If you have other resources you have found helpful please feel free to share in our comments section.