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The Nourishing Classroom: Creating Rhythms, Routines, and Rituals with Real Food for Young Children
About This Reading Roundtable
Is snack an afterthought in your classroom? Is menu planning intimidating? Whether you're just beginning to introduce food work or looking to deepen an existing practice, this session will guide you from theory towards a more polished approach.
Join Montessori educator Tinora Powell for a Reading Roundtable that transforms how you think about food in the classroom—moving beyond "providing snack" to building a comprehensive food preparation practice.
What You'll Explore
In this dialogue, we'll discuss:
Building a Food Foundation
How to design a monthly snack menu that gives children up to 20 interactions with a single food and why this matters for supporting a relationship with food
The strategic progression of starting the school year simple with whole apples and building towards more complex snacks
How and why to create predictability surrounding the food you provide, and why this supports both children and teachers
Implementing Food Preparation Activities
When and how to introduce food preparation activities based on classroom observations (hint: not every child has to be ready)
The difference between creating food preparation stations and using individual trays on a shelf, and how to successfully set up either option
Setting up your physical environment: from using color-coordinated trays, to organizing supplies, to deciding to use aprons (or not), and how many food preparation options to offer at once
Progressing Through Skills
Specific food preparation examples that progress in skill and level of challenge—banana slicing, egg slicing, avocado mashing, and beyond
Integrating cooking traditions that extend beyond development of skills that anchor your school, from individual birthday cake baking to making Mother's Day gifts from wildflower and local honey
This Workshop Will Challenge You To:
Observe differently – Recognize signs of readiness for food work and know when to switch activities
Start where you are – You don't need a full kitchen or to be a master chef to create an engaging introduction to food
Embrace the mess – Because you are prepared for the mess, prioritizing the experience over tidiness
Practice beforehand – Setup and recipes should be practiced just like any other Montessori lesson, so that you can be calm and present with your children
Who Should Attend
This roundtable is ideal for:
Montessori educators in 0-6 environments
Administrators who are designing or refining food programs
Elementary educators curious about adapting these practices
Bring your questions about allergies, budget constraints, and messy realities. This is a space for honest, practical problem-solving in order to discover next steps for your classroom.
Meet Your Facilitator
Tinora Powell is a second-generation Montessori educator who has spent the past 15 years working closely with young children and their families, supporting functional independence and sustainable daily rhythms. She is the owner of Tulip Tree Montessori, a boutique micro-school for toddlers rooted in beauty, nature, and nutrition.
Drawing from her lifelong background in cooking from scratch and a deep love of herbalism, Tinora has made food preparation an integral part of the classroom experience. She has spent her career inviting even the youngest children to participate in the kitchen—chopping, grinding, stirring, tasting, and preparing food that supports their senses, confidence, and connection to the earth.
Tinora's work centers around creating environments where children and their caregivers experience nourishment beyond mealtime, through community, connection, and collaboration.
Why Choose MNNM?
At the Montessori Network of New Mexico, we’re committed to making professional development accessible, affordable, and relevant for educators like you. Our sliding fee scale ($5-$25) ensures everyone can participate, regardless of their budget.
Reserve Your Spot Today
Space is limited, so don’t wait! Join us on Saturday, December 6th, to connect and learn with Montessorians from around the world as we continue to strengthen skills.
Invest in your growth. Empower your teaching. Connect with your community.
Questions? Contact us at info@nmmontessori.org
Registration Fee (Sliding Scale): $5 - $25
We are offering a sliding scale fee to make this event accessible to all. Please pay what you are able to within the $5-$25 range.
About This Reading Roundtable
Is snack an afterthought in your classroom? Is menu planning intimidating? Whether you're just beginning to introduce food work or looking to deepen an existing practice, this session will guide you from theory towards a more polished approach.
Join Montessori educator Tinora Powell for a Reading Roundtable that transforms how you think about food in the classroom—moving beyond "providing snack" to building a comprehensive food preparation practice.
What You'll Explore
In this dialogue, we'll discuss:
Building a Food Foundation
How to design a monthly snack menu that gives children up to 20 interactions with a single food and why this matters for supporting a relationship with food
The strategic progression of starting the school year simple with whole apples and building towards more complex snacks
How and why to create predictability surrounding the food you provide, and why this supports both children and teachers
Implementing Food Preparation Activities
When and how to introduce food preparation activities based on classroom observations (hint: not every child has to be ready)
The difference between creating food preparation stations and using individual trays on a shelf, and how to successfully set up either option
Setting up your physical environment: from using color-coordinated trays, to organizing supplies, to deciding to use aprons (or not), and how many food preparation options to offer at once
Progressing Through Skills
Specific food preparation examples that progress in skill and level of challenge—banana slicing, egg slicing, avocado mashing, and beyond
Integrating cooking traditions that extend beyond development of skills that anchor your school, from individual birthday cake baking to making Mother's Day gifts from wildflower and local honey
This Workshop Will Challenge You To:
Observe differently – Recognize signs of readiness for food work and know when to switch activities
Start where you are – You don't need a full kitchen or to be a master chef to create an engaging introduction to food
Embrace the mess – Because you are prepared for the mess, prioritizing the experience over tidiness
Practice beforehand – Setup and recipes should be practiced just like any other Montessori lesson, so that you can be calm and present with your children
Who Should Attend
This roundtable is ideal for:
Montessori educators in 0-6 environments
Administrators who are designing or refining food programs
Elementary educators curious about adapting these practices
Bring your questions about allergies, budget constraints, and messy realities. This is a space for honest, practical problem-solving in order to discover next steps for your classroom.
Meet Your Facilitator
Tinora Powell is a second-generation Montessori educator who has spent the past 15 years working closely with young children and their families, supporting functional independence and sustainable daily rhythms. She is the owner of Tulip Tree Montessori, a boutique micro-school for toddlers rooted in beauty, nature, and nutrition.
Drawing from her lifelong background in cooking from scratch and a deep love of herbalism, Tinora has made food preparation an integral part of the classroom experience. She has spent her career inviting even the youngest children to participate in the kitchen—chopping, grinding, stirring, tasting, and preparing food that supports their senses, confidence, and connection to the earth.
Tinora's work centers around creating environments where children and their caregivers experience nourishment beyond mealtime, through community, connection, and collaboration.
Why Choose MNNM?
At the Montessori Network of New Mexico, we’re committed to making professional development accessible, affordable, and relevant for educators like you. Our sliding fee scale ($5-$25) ensures everyone can participate, regardless of their budget.
Reserve Your Spot Today
Space is limited, so don’t wait! Join us on Saturday, December 6th, to connect and learn with Montessorians from around the world as we continue to strengthen skills.
Invest in your growth. Empower your teaching. Connect with your community.
Questions? Contact us at info@nmmontessori.org
Registration Fee (Sliding Scale): $5 - $25
We are offering a sliding scale fee to make this event accessible to all. Please pay what you are able to within the $5-$25 range.