The Montessori Adolescent Education Observation comes out of the Y2 Montessori School - Adolescent Community (Y2MAC). It seeks to introduce the public to Montessori educational concepts by observing schools on a day-to-day basis.
Cooking is a class for life
“Today we’re having mapo tofu for lunch. The ingredients are tofu, rice, pork, chilis and garlic. Please enjoy the meal.” K and V, the two chefs in charge of preparing today's lunch, self-consciously but with open hearts stand in front of the dining table, introducing the dishes and inviting everyone to enjoy the meal, guests included. Teachers and students queue up to serve themselves rice, then scoop up ladles full of spicy mapo tofu to pour it, and finally sit back and dig in.
An hour earlier, the "chefs" left the classroom, rolled up their sleeves, and went to work preparing lunch. Montessori middle schools don’t hire cooks; meals are not simply provided. Students write the menu, select the ingredients, and do all the cooking themselves because meal preparation is a lifelong lesson. As for delectability, well, that’s a question of taste!
Today, it was Principal Jan Gaffney’s turn to observe and assist, watching carefully to ensure students handled cleavers properly and safely, or whether they used they needed more attentive guidance. Alarmed by a bowl overflowing with red-hot chili peppers, she didn’t show her apprehension, but simply asked the kids light-heartedly, "How many chili peppers do you plan to add to the mapo tofu?" "All of them,” said the head chef casually. Jan then asked, “Have you tested the spiciness?” The cook replied that it shouldn’t be a problem. So, at noon a big pan of fiery red mapo tofu appeared in the lunchroom. "How much chili pepper did you put in?” students asked, choking on the heat. “It's super spicy!” Consequently, the cooks on duty that day learned a valuable lesson: When you prepare mapo tofu, temper your dish and don’t dump the whole bowl of chili peppers in.
The teachers don’t weigh in on the discussion but only provide assistance or offer comments at the students’ request. That’s how the kids learn to take responsibility for their cooking and decision-making!
Math in the kitchen
If you’re planning a meal for nine people and your budget is NT$500, how would you spend it? Kids who once had no idea about food prices are now like budget czars, keeping an eye on every cent. How much is a catty of cabbage or a package of ground pork? “Just buy tofu; it’s the cheapest!” one student says. “But will that make a balanced meal?” says another. “Shouldn’t we add a little meat?” “What can we cook if Principal Jan has to have gluten-free meals?" The students continue the discussion, carefully planning lunch for the entire school. Some even go home and cook for their families, much to the delight of their hardworking parents.
Once a week, the students go back and forth in groups like this, discussing dishes, researching options online, and all the while keeping in mind everyone’s different requirements. Who doesn't eat what? Who’s allergic to this or that ingredient? The cooks on duty carefully attend to the dietary needs of every student and teacher in the school because if they slip up and cook the wrong food, somebody will go hungry. “Oops, I forgot that Freya is a vegetarian!” The kids are annoyed and upset with themselves for forgetting that the operations director was visiting that day. Although they're unaware of it, cooking teaches them empathy.
As the Taiwanese saying goes, “When it comes to eating, everyone is a king or a queen.” That’s why balanced nutrition is essential. One of Montessori teacher Susan’s tasks is helping students learn about nutritional values, calorie counts, and other relevant information; because, when shopping for food, you can’t just choose the cheapest—you also must consider balanced nutrition. "In all, we’ve cooked mapo tofu five times this year!” the students beam. “Today’s is an upgrade!”
After the meal, the kids tidy the tables and wash the dishes without being told to, and the kitchen falls silent again, awaiting tomorrow’s chef-of-the-day.
Written by Yu-Hsiu Su
Images provided by Y2MAC
Translator: Robert Fox／Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, NTNU
Established in 2022, Y2MAC is Taiwan’s first fully residential Montessori middle school. By creating a well-prepared environment, cross-disciplinary projects, and meaningful work for young people, we assist them in understanding themselves, connecting with the community, and developing the courage and wisdom that they’ll need in their adult lives.