As a child and young adult, Julia Child was not a particularly talented cook. Her education in the culinary arts began later in her life, after she met her husband. She was, however, enrolled in a Montessori school as a young child. There she experienced the joy of learning and developed her sense of creativity, and her teachers enabled her to follow her interests and learn with Montessori materials. In one of her books, Julia Child and Company, Julia attributes her love of working with her hands to her foundational education in the Montessori classroom, where she was able to develop skills, explore the curriculum, and learn through working with classic hands-on materials.

Haptic learners are successful when they are able to create, explore, and learn concepts and content using their bodies and movement. Julia was one such learner, and the Montessori style of individualized instruction fit her learning style perfectly. Montessori methodology and its follow the child mantra enabled a young Julia Child to blossom as an individual and learn in a manner that suited her best. This learning experience informed and developed her sense of adventure, creativity, and her drive for mastery.

On her television shows, Julia Child made all kitchen-related tasks seem like great fun, requiring skills everyone could master. A large part of what made her so successful on television was her Montessori approach to cooking: Follow your interests. Seek challenges. Push yourself to learn something new. Face mistakes positively and learn constructively from them. Build skills and knowledge with enthusiasm. Have a purpose to your task. Finally, have the right tools handy to learn all you can about the why, how and what of the job so you can perform it well. 

This genuine, straightforward, positive outlook comes from a strong foundation in the Montessori classroom, cultivating a passion and love of learning and working with materials. That’s why parents and children love the Montessori techniques explored at The T.E.C. Schools in Worcester. Our students actively follow their own interests, and work enthusiastically with the powerful Montessori materials while learning crucial skills. Bon appetit!

Don’t take our word for it! Schedule a tour to come see why parents consider The T.E.C. Schools the best Montessori school in Massachusetts.