Curious about how Montessori education can transform your child's learning experience? You'll want to tune in as Judy Dempsey, the visionary founder and principal of Summit Questa Montessori Schools, opens up about the groundbreaking principles of Montessori education pioneered by Dr. Maria Montessori. Discover how mixed-age classrooms, hands-on learning materials, and personalized education plans empower children to thrive at their own pace, nurturing their social, emotional, and academic growth in ways that traditional public schools often cannot match.
Explore the many holistic benefits of Montessori education, where the development of a child's well-being extends beyond academics to include social, emotional, and physical growth. Judy shares the unique features of Summit Cuesta, a school set on 10 acres of gardens and home to various farm animals and school pets. Uncover how children are encouraged to engage with their environment through nurturing activities, mindfulness practices, and even financial literacy, all aiming to create a balanced and joyful learning experience.
Lastly, Judy's personal journey is nothing short of inspiring. Learn how she overcame the odds, including battling cancer and financial hardships, to build a thriving educational institution. With a heartfelt reflection on the importance of family support and perseverance, Judy emphasizes the values of respect, collaboration, and appreciating the unique contributions of every individual. This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration and practical insights for anyone passionate about creating nurturing educational environments.
Call us: (954) 584-3466
Visit us: https://summitquesta.com
Curious about how Montessori education can transform your child's learning experience? You'll want to tune in as Judy Dempsey, the visionary founder and principal of Summit Questa Montessori Schools, opens up about the groundbreaking principles of Montessori education pioneered by Dr. Maria Montessori. Discover how mixed-age classrooms, hands-on learning materials, and personalized education plans empower children to thrive at their own pace, nurturing their social, emotional, and academic growth in ways that traditional public schools often cannot match.
Explore the many holistic benefits of Montessori education, where the development of a child's well-being extends beyond academics to include social, emotional, and physical growth. Judy shares the unique features of Summit Cuesta, a school set on 10 acres of gardens and home to various farm animals and school pets. Uncover how children are encouraged to engage with their environment through nurturing activities, mindfulness practices, and even financial literacy, all aiming to create a balanced and joyful learning experience.
Lastly, Judy's personal journey is nothing short of inspiring. Learn how she overcame the odds, including battling cancer and financial hardships, to build a thriving educational institution. With a heartfelt reflection on the importance of family support and perseverance, Judy emphasizes the values of respect, collaboration, and appreciating the unique contributions of every individual. This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration and practical insights for anyone passionate about creating nurturing educational environments.
Call us: (954) 584-3466
Visit us: https://summitquesta.com
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Jeremy Wolf.
Speaker 2:Hello, hello, friends, family, great community. Welcome back to another episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast. I'm your host, jeremy Wolf, and our guest today actually had the pleasure of meeting at the most recent Davie Cooper City Chamber of Commerce luncheon. She was actually the guest speaker and she spoke very passionately about what she does and I'm excited to get into this conversation with her today. I am here today with Judy Dempsey, and Judy is the founder and the principal of Summit Cuesta Montessori Schools. Judy, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3:Good morning, Jeremy, and thank you for having me on your podcast. I'm looking forward to answering any questions that you have.
Speaker 2:Well, the pleasure is all ours. This is what we do, and I'm excited to get into this today with you. Heard a lot about Montessori schools over the years, but I think there's a lot that I don't know, as with most of our listeners. So, without further ado, why don't you tell us a little bit about Montessori and kind of, I guess, summit Cuesta particularly?
Speaker 3:Okay, well, yeah, in a nutshell. I mean, you know I give parent ed lectures all the time and we could go on for hours. But, in a nutshell, montessori is a very well-rounded approach to education and it was created by Dr Maria Montessori over a hundred years ago. Ironically, you would think it would not be current in terms of research, but just the opposite. She was way ahead of her time. She was a scientist, a physician, she studied brain development. So she created this method that allows children to grow up in communities of learning, like small classroom families, which is why we mix the ages, typically a three-year age mixture, for example, with preschool students from three to six years of age. You know, it's a separate, it's like a little family. So the younger children are learning from the older children, the older children are becoming little leaders and teachers and nurturers. So it helps everyone. It's really a beautiful concept.
Speaker 3:And then, of course, the learning tools that she designed. Really, she began that whole term hands-on learning, because she virtually created hands-on materials that allow children to be learning multiplication. Because not abstractly, because they're building the multiplication tables with the beads and they can see it very naturally and understand it concretely, so they actually understand later on, why two times two equals four. So you've got the academic difference from conventional learning, you've got the social and emotional you know combinations of a classroom family. And then we've got the respect for each child as an individual, that they're learning at their own rate and at their own pace, which allows for the whole spectrum, typically the very, very bright child. Because the curriculum is open-ended, they can go as far as they need. And the opposite extreme if they're having difficulty or some challenges, we can give them some extra support and they're not feeling badly about themselves because they're not doing what everybody else is doing, because everybody else is doing their own thing. So that's kind of the nutshell.
Speaker 3:And at Summit Cuesta we are an authentic Montessori program from toddlers which starts at two years of age here through eighth grade, which is uncommon because most Montessori schools around the country actually, and particularly in our state, don't typically go all the way through eighth grade, middle school. So I had to work very hard to create that and keep it in place and it is still in place to this day, 25 years later. So we're very proud of that. So we're very proud of that and we see the final product. The eighth grade graduates are remarkable young people doing remarkable things. So and when I spoke at the chamber, I gave one example of how they've written these award winning newsletters, articles winning national awards for middle school journalism. So we're very proud of them. But that's a product of children going through an environment, through a learning community where they're supporting each other, helping each other and they're allowed to pursue their own personal passions in learning Makes a huge difference.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so a lot to unpack there and I want to get into some of this. There's obviously a lot left to be desired with the public school system. Right, it evolved the way it did, for whatever reason, over time. I love what you're doing and the concept. It makes so much sense and it resonates in my mind. Why is the public school system still so far lacking behind this model? If she started this 100 years ago and I want to also get into that what was the impetus for her to make this revolutionary change? But what is it about society the way it is now, that is stuck with this public learning system that seems to fail so many?
Speaker 3:Well, you know what, jeremy? It's a huge machine and that's why it's stuck. You know, the public system has tried to change and they need to do testing that they need to prove that children are learning. So they're really not using methods that are developmentally appropriate today at all. And yeah, I mean you go back in history and I don't even want to pinpoint and listen. I have many, many friends who have private schools, conventional schools, but it's really the whole structure, not just public schools. I think public schools suffer the most because, you know, you've got such a wide variety of population with students who have all different kinds of needs. But even in private conventional situations, the same traditional method is pretty much still in place Everybody's sitting learning the same thing at the same time. That's completely opposite of what Montessori does.
Speaker 3:Educator, she didn't want to be an educator but she was fascinated with how children learn, about how the brain works.
Speaker 3:So in her work as a physician in a hospital, she came across this group of children who at that time you know, over a hundred plus years ago they actually called them idiot children because they didn't know what to do with them.
Speaker 3:They were, so you know, behind and she was fascinated so she took that on as kind of you know an experiment and studied, looked at all the people who were working with children with needs like that at that time, developed these materials, took a couple, three years. Those same children actually passed the state exam for children who are going into conventional school. That's how she received all of her acclaim working with children without special needs. But she took a group of young children that were running wild in the slums of Rome and the government asked her to take these children and see if she could do something with them. And voila, that's where it all really began, for her method that exists today. She took those 50 or 60 young preschool students and pretty much transformed their lives and created the method that we, like I said, still use today. So it was really pretty. It's a remarkable story really, yeah, fascinating.
Speaker 2:So everybody has their own unique journey. You've been doing this, I think you mentioned at the chamber meeting 30 years or so.
Speaker 3:you started Well the school I founded going on 32 years ago. But I started on this journey right out of college, back back in 1976. And, ironically, at that time I graduated with a degree in elementary education in New York City, and it was at a time which was not usual. There were no teaching jobs, so I pounded the pavement looking for any job I could find and I found one in a Montessori elementary classroom, a private school. They hired me as the assistant because I didn't have Montessori training, and when I walked into that classroom and started working there I was just blown away and I was like how did I not know about this? Why does something like this exist? I just received a degree in elementary ed and I didn't know anything about it.
Speaker 2:You had no idea right.
Speaker 3:No idea. Well, that was it. I was hooked from that day forward and just passionate about it. And you know, I really am passionate about it because I know it works and I see how it works with our children and I have seen how it worked from that time, 1976, to today. So it's really an incredible, incredible way and natural way for children to learn and develop in a well-rounded way, and that's another thing that we look at very closely in Montessori.
Speaker 3:You know we value academics and our academic curriculum is very high level. However, that's not the only thing driving us. We want them to be developing socially, emotionally, physically and also surrounded by nature. It's a really big deal, you know. We want them out engaging in nature. So we have 10 acres, we have gardens, we have farm animals, we have school pets, we have on and on and on and on where the children are actively engaged and caring for them and nurturing them and just being surrounded by them, and we feel all of that contributes to their you know well-rounded development. All of that contributes to their well-rounded development.
Speaker 2:It's so ludicrous to think about the current public school system and, as I watch my kids go through, to think that you take a bunch of kids, put them in a room, talk at them all day about subjects that they seemingly don't even care about and you make learning not so fun for them. Right, it's not an enjoyable experience and learning should be fun, and it seems like everything you're doing is geared towards making the experience of school enjoyable for kids. Now, do you guys do? You said you're into nature a lot. Do you have like mindfulness practices incorporated into your curriculum? Do you teach like basic finance principles, like how to operate in society, instead of what they teach in school, which is just the subjects, the hard math and sciences and a little bit of physical education sprinkled in?
Speaker 3:No, listen, we do it all and even starting in elementary I mean middle school we really perfect some of it with their financial awareness. But even in elementary we just had market days where our elementary students are all of our fourth and fifth grade students created businesses Right Beginning to end.
Speaker 3:Many entrepreneurs the entrepreneurs and then set up a market day. We had the tents, we had a market day fair. Everybody in the community came and supported their businesses and so they raised lots of money. But, again, as part of our Montessori principles, they kept a percentage for their entrepreneurial work, but they also donated to charities. So you know, we're very much about giving back and caring about others and the environment and those in need. So you know, I believe the charity they chose I want to. Well, it's either for the hospital or you know, it's dealing with children, I can't remember. We contribute to quite a few charities and right now it's escaping me which one they chose, but it is going to a charity. So, yeah, I mean we do all of that.
Speaker 3:Everybody gets PE, everybody gets swim, everybody gets time out in the gardens, everybody gets free play. I don't allow recess to be taken away. It's children need recess, their brain needs recess, and that's what Dr Montessori taught us. That you know, if you look at the brain and what the brain tells us, it's there for us to understand. And that's where traditional education and public school education is missing the boat. They're not paying attention or if they are, they're not changing to make it work, you know, along with brain development, and that's the difference. So I think we understand that happy children learn more. Happy children's brains are open to learning more. So probably I'd say 95% of people come on tours here and when they're walking around with us they always comment everybody seems so happy. I said, well, yeah, that's by design.
Speaker 2:Hello, that's how it should be. It shouldn't be miserable. School shouldn't be a punishment.
Speaker 3:No, right, it should be a happy place, an exciting place, right, a fun place to learn. And that does not mean because I've had parents say, well, tell me here, because I don't want any bullying and I'm sick of this and I'm sick of that, I said, well, listen, I'm not telling you that miraculously. You know, human behavior is going to change dramatically. Our children get jealous, our children get upset, our children get unhappy at times when they don't understand something or don't like something. It's how you handle it that makes a world of difference. There's really, you know, we don't believe in punishment, we believe in guiding them through course correction.
Speaker 3:Yes, a process to understand how to make better decisions. And so, yes, that includes mindfulness, that includes peace tables. We have a peace curriculum where we teach them how to communicate better and how to come up with mutual solutions. So, again, all of that well-rounded experience for sure.
Speaker 2:You nailed it there and this is something that's funny, something that on the North side of 40, I'm finally learning after 40 years right, it's how it's to understand that, yeah, you are going to get thrown curve balls, You're going to have all these emotions come up, You're still going to get angry, You're still going to get jealous. All these human emotions, all these negative emotions that come up, it's, it's what you do with them when they arise and how quickly you can train your attention away from that. Just recognize that all it is is just a thought. Recognize it for what it is. Maybe ask it what it's trying to show you, thank it for coming up, and then it just magically disappears and you go back to your life. So many people get consumed by these thoughts and allow it to take hours, days, sometimes weeks, months of their life for no reason, unnecessary suffering.
Speaker 3:Yes, I agree 100%, Jeremy. So we are actively working on that and we see, we see the results. So we are actively working on that and we see, we see the results because, honestly, if we, how to go through that process of how to deal with their emotions, how to deal with their feelings, how to step aside, how to take deep breaths, how to go sit under a tree, and it works right, mindfulness works so anyway. So, yeah, we're happy about the success there as well.
Speaker 2:So I remember I don't know how long ago it was I have a 10 year old and a 12 year old and at one point we were looking at my wife and I were looking into possibly private schools and the idea of Montessori came up and I remember having that conversation with her.
Speaker 2:The idea was intriguing to me and I mentioned it and I think, like many other folks out there, they have some strong misconceptions surrounding education that is outside the orthodoxy, right Outside the norm, and it's like you know, you see these different curriculums, and I remember her bringing that up to me and saying well, what you know, it's so far away from the traditional education system, like what if it doesn't work? What if it this that? What would you say to parents out there that have that same operating framework in their mind about what is right for the kids versus what you're doing and the fact that, again, montessori has been in existence for so long but it really hasn't caught on to some aspects of it might have. So what would you say to parents out there to kind of alleviate that concern and get them maybe to open the window, open the door for them to look into this a little bit further and at least educate themselves so they can make an informed decision for their child.
Speaker 3:Well, first of all, I'm glad you bring it up because it's very common. You know, it's very common for people to have misconceptions because they don't really understand it. You know, it's a very, very different method and therefore not many people really do understand how it works. And some of the misconceptions are one oh, they can do whatever they want, right? Oh, there's no structure. Oh, you know, which is very, very untrue. There is a different kind of structure.
Speaker 3:We don't have the same structure as a traditional or conventional setting, because that's not who we are, but there's definitely structure in our Montessori classrooms. It's what allows four and five-year-old children to work harmoniously, helping each other, you know, supporting each other. Working, you know, with 30 students in a classroom when you can walk in and it's calm and it's peaceful and happy. And so let's now jump to the end of it in middle school. You know, here's the thing we have been graduating students for 25 years and I would say 95% of our graduates go into high school better prepared than their peers coming from conventional programs. And why? Because we have been teaching them real life skills all the way through. Middle school is when we refine it. Middle school is when we refine their approach to high school. So we are teaching them how to refine their time management skills, how to refine their communication skills that they're going to have to then, because they expecting from them and every teacher may have different expectations Then they also have to learn how to set goals about how they're going to complete their work, because we give the middle school students a whole series of assignments and then we say, ok, we need to, you need to learn how to plan this.
Speaker 3:So they have to plan ahead, they have to know that they have to meet this deadline by this time. So all of those real life skills that they're getting, which they don't typically get in a traditional setting, you know the teacher's always telling them what to do. We are there supporting, like, for example, the first day of an eight-week cycle. We give them the study guide with all the work that's due, all of it, and we say, okay, that has to be finished in eight weeks. Okay, and you're going to be working with the teachers, communicating with the teachers, taking the lessons when the teachers are giving them. But your assignments are there, they're due, get your planners and start planning.
Speaker 3:And then we support that when I tell you our students in eighth grade are masters of those real life skills. They go into high school they come back all the time and tell us nobody else knows how to do this Right. We didn't understand that. We thought everybody knew how to do this. Nope. And then also, they're usually in honors classes, they're in AP classes. They are just knocking it out of the ballpark because of all the skills they've acquired and the self-confidence and the self-confidence Question for you, then why stop at eighth grade?
Speaker 2:Why doesn't Montessori do high school?
Speaker 3:Well, you know what, I'm sure you can imagine, I am asked that all the time. Well, you know what I just honestly tell parents I'm getting too old to do high school. I mean, it's a huge. It's a huge effort, right the need. I would probably pursue it with a younger person taking charge. But let me tell you, I see the eighth grade students wanting to spread their wings and fly off into the future.
Speaker 3:I don't know how many of them would want to stay. I think we've given them everything they need to have and they go off and they are rock stars out there and they see that. They hear the alumni coming back and telling them that and there's so many options for them in high school in Broward County that you know it would be hard to compete. We might get a small group, but many of them are athletes and scholars. You know they want to go off to the big schools, they want to join the big teams. They want to, you know, join the theater or the arts. You know. So they have aspirations and high goals and they follow those based on what the schools offer. So that's pretty much the honest answer why I haven't done it, not to say someone here younger might not take that on for the future. But at this point, no, I'm just, I have my hands full with middle school. Let's put at this point, no, I'm just, I have my hands full with middle school. Let's put it that way.
Speaker 3:Because, they're still adolescents, right, and they're still going through all that emotional stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. I mean, I was thinking it might be a little bit of a shock to the system from them coming out of that ecosystem and then coming into the regular high school. But in a way it's a good thing for them because it's almost like they're primed for that experience and then they are getting a taste of what the real world is going to be like when they get out there, because society is very much in line with the traditional schooling system and education and if you insulate them too far from that it could be a shock to the system when they get out into the workforce.
Speaker 3:Oh, absolutely, and that's why in middle school you know it's the first time we actually introduced grades right and tests and all these assignments that are expected to be completed or prepared for. So we teach them how to take proper notes. We teach them how to ask the right questions. Lots of discussion, and that's one thing I failed to mention. Montessori program teaches children to think, not just memorize information and spit it back for a test. They learn how to do that in middle school because they have to know how to do that. But in general, it's all about learning to think. Lots of projects together, lots of team collaboration, lots of Socratic discussion where we're asking questions all the time why do you think that happened? What could have happened if they did this differently?
Speaker 2:Really, really important.
Speaker 3:Thinking, thinking, thinking skills.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. It's like I remember talking to my kids the other day about kind of memorizing an algorithm to solve a math problem. Right, you memorize the algorithm, you'll forget it at some point, but if you learn the concept behind that, you'll likely not forget it. And furthermore and I think another thing that Montessori does which is fantastic is you have different grade levels together, so you'll have older kids teaching younger kids, which further reinforces the concepts yes, absolutely. Which is really powerful, because if you learn the concept behind it, then you teach others the concept. You will carry that to your grave. You'll never forget that, absolutely, it'll be ingrained in your brain.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, and it also builds up self-confidence and communication and public speaking. I mean it's astounding to see our eighth grade students because now remember, they've been talking in front of their classmates at science fairs, at all kinds of events, from early on through middle school. They get up on a stage at graduation and give speeches that make people cry, but with self-confidence, with panache, with just this really fun energy of being a confident person, looking forward to the future and grateful for what they had here at Summit Cuesta. So really beautiful.
Speaker 2:That's so important. So many people are terrified of public speaking and getting out there and putting themselves out there, and to teach that to kids at an early age is invaluable putting themselves out there and to teach that to kids at an early age is invaluable.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, we do so. 32 years. Obviously, over the course of that time, you've seen quite a few things. Is there one thing that comes to mind? First, maybe a challenge that you've encountered over your 32 years at Montessori and then, on the other side of that, something that a magical experience, right, Something that that that just speaks volumes. Maybe a story about a child, some kind of something that's just highlights everything that you do.
Speaker 3:Well, okay, so the first one, the challenge for me yeah, most definitely probably the biggest challenge I've had in my life and career was I was diagnosed with cancer back in 1986. I I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and not to go in all to the you know the ugly details, but actually I would. I'm very grateful for the experience because it taught me so much. A couple of things. One it made me fearless, fearless, fearless, fearless. You know, when you face your mortality, after that nothing seems as scary. And it was after I was recovering that I had the opportunity to purchase a small Montessori preschool where I was working, which was the beginning of my journey with, you know, founding Summit Cuesta. And I said why not? Right? I said, what have I got to lose? Right, I've got my life. As long as I have my life, what else? So if I lose everything, I'll start all over again. So I was fearless. It also taught me to keep working at whatever it is important to me and don't give up. Keep working at whatever it is important to me and don't give up. So those two major life experiences, the fearlessness and the continual you know, focus on, don't give up, don't give up. That's what lead led me to today. This is what led to my my remarkable experience in building Summit Cuesta.
Speaker 3:It has just been a journey and I'd have to say that that's probably one of my beautiful memories of sharing with you, besides the students, the community, because I believe in living our Montessori philosophy, not just a method to use in the classroom. So I have always built into our community not only our teachers and our children, but our parents, and so parents are very welcome here. They have to be respectful of our guidelines because Montessori classrooms can be disturbed, but in essence, they are here and they have been here with me from day, helping me to build, lending me money out here, carrying picnic tables on their backs, trying to get ready for school opening, painting classrooms. I mean, I can't even tell you, jeremy, the community efforts that have gone on, which warms my heart and it's one of the things I'm most proud of that we actually I helped to create a Montessori community that was inclusive of everyone. You know, our parents, our children, our teachers.
Speaker 3:So that's the one thing my gosh stories of our students. I mean I don't even know where I could start with. There are so many beautiful stories of our children who have gone out and have accomplished so much. Just a couple off the top of my head Last year one of our eighth graders won the Channel 10 Eco Hero Contest, right because of her passion for the environment and saving marine life, and they she won the big contest with Channel 10 and they took her off to a beautiful environmental experience. That's just one of many. We've had the award-winning journalists. We've had students that have gone off and gone into like Ivy League schools, harvard, mit, staying in touch with us telling us the good work they're doing. You know, one is environmental law, where they're fighting to make laws that are helping the earth. I mean, those are the types of things that just warm my heart and make everything worthwhile that they're out there trying to change the world for the better.
Speaker 2:I can't imagine how powerful that must be. I always admire this with educators to see especially if you've been in this space for as long as you have to get to see the children that you teach from an early age get out into society and become successful. It's got to warm your heart and it just builds upon the passion that you teach from an early age get out into society and become successful.
Speaker 3:It's got to warm your heart and just, and it just builds upon the passion that you already have and the conviction and the belief in the program and what you're doing yeah absolutely, absolutely, because that's really, you know, my goal is to not only impact children's lives, but to impact the world in a better way, you know, to help us all.
Speaker 2:So the bigger community, absolutely so. I speak with a lot of local business owners, entrepreneurs, a lot of people, and one of the common threads across everybody I talk to that goes into business for themselves and start something great is family. It's usually the backbone of everything. Judy, tell us a little bit about your family.
Speaker 3:Okay, yes, and that's absolutely true. I'm married. I've been married for 45 years. My husband has always been there, right by my side.
Speaker 3:My mother and my father helped me in the very beginning, especially when I was diagnosed with cancer. They came to Florida, they lived in New York and stayed with us. So, you know, everyone could support each other. And then when I purchased that small preschool, they were there helping, right. So I couldn't. I literally had no money.
Speaker 3:This is why I said I was fearless, I was in debt, right and um, my husband had been laid off, I had had cancer. We've literally lived off of credit cards. We were in credit card debt and then that's why people were saying what are you crazy? You can't take on this. I said you know what I'm going to? Well, because we had no money, we had to do everything. So my husband cleaned the school every night, mopped the floors, cleaned the toilets. I was there doing everything, you know the payroll, the paperwork, everything. My mother worked at the front desk as a receptionist. She hugged every child that walked into the building.
Speaker 3:It was definitely a family event in terms of getting me off into this beautiful place we are now. Without them, I couldn't have done it right. We just we couldn't pay people to do anything. We had to do it all and, yes, absolutely Without family, I wouldn't have gotten, you know, to the point where, then, families in our community could help. So, and actually they're the ones who lent me the money, between my family and the parents at school, they lent me the money and I paid everybody off with interest. So it was, it was a, it was a great beginning.
Speaker 2:Now it sounds like it Do you have? Do you have your own kids?
Speaker 3:You know I couldn't have children, ironically because of the cancer treatments you know the the chemotherapy. I had a year of chemotherapy and then like 34 radiation treatments and it just it took its toll on my body and I couldn't have children because of it. But you know what I look at it, as I don't think I could have put in what I had to put in to build this school if I had had children, because I don't think I would have wanted to.
Speaker 2:Let's back up here. You didn't not have children, you've had-. Well, this is true. How many children have gone through the school system? I mean, those are all essentially your children in some way.
Speaker 3:Right, I've had thousands of children, right now 450 of them, and that makes me happy. I'm happy. You know there are times I have sad moments, thinking, oh, I wish. But no, I think, you know, it was meant to be the way it was meant to be.
Speaker 2:So you're at the point now where you probably had students that now have children that are in your school.
Speaker 3:Yes, and they're here. Yes, they're bringing their children, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. That's so cool, so cool. So, judy, before we wrap this up here today, what would be if there was, I don't know one thing you'd like to leave our listeners with? It could be about Montessori, could be about just guiding principle in life, just a little piece of wisdom. What would that be?
Speaker 3:Well, I think, you know, I think a guiding principle for me has always been the Montessori principles of learning how to live in respect, right, and I think we could all learn a little bit more about respect for others, respect not only for our children, respect for our coworkers, respect for the world, respect for the earth. You know, to me it's such a powerful force and if we're truly respecting it's such a powerful force, and if we're truly respecting, you know, our planet, respecting others, then I, you know, I think we are open to a more collaborative world, a more a kinder world. That's what we, that's our goal in Montessori, is to make the world a kinder, more respectful place. And we start with the children, you know, respecting them as individuals, respecting them as having their unique gift to bring to the world, and that's what we believe.
Speaker 3:Dr Montessori taught us something which this is going to sound a little esoteric, but it's really not. She created what she called a cosmic curriculum in elementary, and the cosmic really just refers to the universe, not anything else, right? It's just that it's a universal view of what education should be. And you know, she taught us very early on that every single thing in the universe has a job, and if we respect the cosmic work of each person, then we're going to learn to treat it differently and to take care of it. And that would be my final wish that we all appreciate the job that everyone brings to this world, including the creatures and the trees, and the plants and the earth. You know they all have jobs. It wasn't until Montessori training that I learned that every, every single living creature on earth has a task. It's amazing, didn't know that before my Montessori training, but it does. So that would be my final wish, jeremy.
Speaker 2:I love it. Yeah, I try to teach my children all the time when I see them get stressed out and angry and upset over things. Gosh, life is just so much more enjoyable and so much more easy when you approach, come from a place of love and understanding and compassion. Just realize that people are going through it and sometimes you have encounters with people and maybe they're a little nasty to you, maybe, whatever the case may be, and just give them a little compassion, a little understanding, and everything's just a lot better that way.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, absolutely. The world will be a better place if we just try and get along a little bit better.
Speaker 2:Absolutely so. For anyone out there that's listening, that would like to learn more, how can they do that? Maybe share your website and your contact information.
Speaker 3:Yes, absolutely Our website. You can find us under summitquestacom. It's you know it's a long name, but it's two M's and one T and Q-U-E-S-T-A summitquestacom, or just call the office, 954-584-3466. Six, either way, give a call, come in and get a tour, look at our website and I think the website will share a little bit of kind of fun we have and because that's also part of our, our philosophy, life is fun and we want to enjoy it.
Speaker 2:So, anyway, feel free to come in and visit and see us and you are right next door to us in in davie. Right where's your location?
Speaker 3:on davie road, uh, between griffin and sterling, and you won't see us because we're kind of covered with all greenery on the street. You will see our sign. You'll see our sign summit quest of montessori school, but we're just in between griffin, sterling, actually right next to just south of St Joseph's Church, catholic Church, right there. So anyway, that's where we're located.
Speaker 2:All right. We will, of course, stick a link in the description with all of your contact information so that folks can reach out and learn more. Judy, it was a pleasure getting the opportunity to talk to you, learn about your story and thank you so much for all that you do Every time I speak with an educator or a first responder anybody that does great things for society, and clearly you're doing that for so many thousands of children. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you do for our great community and beyond.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much, jeremy. It was a pleasure talking with you today. I enjoy it.
Speaker 2:I love talking about what I love, so it clearly shows you're very passionate about what you do, so let this not be the last conversation. We'll definitely try to have you on the show in the future to see where you're at moving forward All right Sounds great.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much, Jeremy.
Speaker 2:My pleasure.
Speaker 1:Thanks, as always, to our listeners for tuning in and we will catch everyone next time on the next episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast. Everyone take care, have a wonderful day. Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast, cooper City. To nominate your favorite local business to be featured on the show, go to GNPCooperCitycom. That's GNPCooperCitycom, or call 954-231-3170.