Hi! I have been called Mars way before “mars” (and “girl”, “sis”, “teh”) became a thing in the Philippines where I live. When I was a Montessori guide working with children from 2.5 to 6 years old, I was called Teacher Mars–though variations abound and my favorites are Pitcher Mars and Teacher Mouse. One of my favorite little stories is when a 5-year-old friend heard about the planet Mars, he immediately remembered me and said, “That planet is named after Cara’s mom.” That’s me–Cara’s Momi–and needless to say, there is nothing else I'd rather be called.

I no longer work in or own a Montessori school now, but Montessori is still very much in my everyday (more now than before actually) as I co-learn with Cara. “Homeschooling”, “life learning”, “co-discovering”–I think the kind of learning we do can be summarized into what Rabindranath Tagore (poet, polymath and a supporter of Maria Montessori) said: The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence. That's why Montessori Cosmic Education is my guide.

It’s like a light-year long, but I’ve shared a little more about myself and a lot more about Montessori in this interview.