Mrs. Barbara Pappas

My Story

My interest in Early Childhood Education began in my early thirties and grew into my second career. At first I worked at a local Waldorf School and I received strong guidance from my friend and mentor Rachel Bishop. I was about to enroll at the Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, CA when life took me on a different path altogether caring for family members.

My next hired position as a teacher was in a preschool in Santa Rosa, CA. Enrollment was entirely low income families, and I added numerous diversity classes to my schedule. Looking back, for the first ten years in my work with children I felt very much like a flag in the wind: I didn’t feel any deep conviction, nor did I have any roots that kept me on track with a vision for child development. In the long run, though, it was beneficial to have acquired all of those professional experiences.

I began my Montessori studies in August of 2000, and it quickly turned into a brand new way of thinking, evaluating and assessing brain development, behavior, and maturity of children. Maria Montessori made sense to me. Although classes and homework were long and exhausting, I felt convinced of her method from the very beginning. The training made me feel rich in knowledge. The method spoke about the student and child with respect and trust. It was an approach I felt proud to represent.

In my career as an advocate of children, as a consultant to parents, and as a friend and team player to colleagues I have had the great luck and fortune to experience success, recognition, appreciation, gratuity and lots and lots of laughter. My 30 years of work have been well spent, and it is far from over. It has been a wise investment for me.

I would like to invite you to take this training and make it your very own. Knead, and shape, and build your path with care and attention. Just stay on your path! The Cosmic Education according to Maria Montessori offers you the exact same training that I received myself. It has the capacity to be a strong foundation for your career. You will have to be patient and meticulous. You will have to keep an open mind and accept that your best effort might be very close to the truth, but many times you will never really know for sure. You will be wise to stay humble and your strength and vision will be tested over and over again. Especially your vision for each child has to be strong. Each and everyone around you might give in or give up, but I urge you not to crumble before such temptations.

I am a person who enjoys making an effort and almost habitually goes the extra mile. Over the years I have trained myself to think of others, to care for others, to make a gesture to others, to focus on others. Happiness comes from giving. When we have something to give that makes a positive difference to somebody else, we shan’t miss that opportunity.