Our Typical Daily Schedule
I’ve had a few inquiries from readers asking what the typical day looks like at my school , so I thought it was good to give you a glimpse of what a typical day is like in the classroom of my Montessori classroom.
Before I started working at the school I currently work I used to having a morning class and an afternoon class with each class lasting two-and-a-half hours long. The afternoon class ran each week for four days, while the morning class was every week for five days and it worked wonderfully.
In the class that I teach the daily routine is different. The requirement for the community to offer classes for longer then 2 1/2 hours. It was also necessary to offer more flexibility in regards to how often the students go to school each week. Believing in the needs of the local community, the proprietor decided to establish a four-hour programme (9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.) in order give parents the option to enroll their children three, four or five days per week. This definitely makes the process slightly more challenging since there’s often one group per day. It is also evident that it is a lot more time for a child that is only coming every two days to master the routine than for a child who is coming every day for a week.
It’s a changes to the Montessori program’s daily routine was a shock to me at first, but as with the majority of situations, I’ve come to adapt, accept and love the new routine. Today, I am awed by having the same students for the entire day. When I truly develop a relationship with them. They don’t seem as hectic and the extra time allows me to build a unique connection with each of them. I also love the fact that a lot of kindness and grace skills are strengthened during lunchtime as everyone is seated and eating together. Below is an outline of what happens during a normal day at my preschool Montessori and I hope you will find it useful.
A Typical Day in a Montessori Preschool Classroom: Daily Schedule and Routine Planning
8:50 a.m.
We open the doors for the students to be greeted when they arrive. One Montessori teacher is at the entrance to greet parents and students and shake hands. She also assists the child locate their cubby , so they can get off their coats and shoes. One Montessori teacher is seated in a in a circle while classical music plays and welcomes the students one-by-one by smiling and handshake. He encourages them locate a spot in the circle and to sit across the table.
9:05 a.m.
When all of our Montessori students are in the classroom We begin with the Good Morning song, a few finger-plays as we review the news and calendar and then the designated helper is selected to help us throughout the day. The helper is a special one who feeds Monty the fish in our classroom and also counts every classmate within the group (in the two languages of French in French and English). If any group presentation is needed during the day, they will be delivered during the circle moment, like any fresh Practical Life or art-related activities available on the shelves.
9:20 a.m.
I typically have my students close their eyes and reflect on what they would like to do to start today. They can also do this after they have come up with something to ask them to raise their hands. I then walk around the circle, gently tapping every child’s hand (one at a time). It’s a very peaceful way to start the day. It also helps the child start the day with a clear mind and eager to discover an activity that they can work on. While the kids work independently I offer groups and individual lessons. my wonderful Montessori assistant reinforces the essential guidelines and rules of our class. She assists in settling any problems as they arise in the morning.
10:15 a.m.
False Fatigue is a common occurrence ……around this time of the morning, when the volume of noise increases and usually there are a lot of “wanderers”. This agitation was observed by Maria Montessori as she observed classrooms . She called it “False Fatigue”. At times I was extremely anxious and uneasy whenever it happened, as I thought I had done something wrong, but now I realize this is typical in the Montessori classroom and it’s essential to stay at peace and carry on with the Montessori teaching process. If I stay cool, calm and calm, the agitation is gone and the kids settle back into their activities until around 11:30 a.m. at which point the music starts to signal that it is time to clean up.
11:30 a.m.
The helper’s special button presses “play to play on our player to indicate that it’s time to tidy up. The music is soft instrumental CD, which serves as an excellent reminder to tidy up in a tranquil serene manner. After the students have cleaned up their work, we have a meal together for circle time. After that, we sit down for a brief circle, take a look back at the day, and engage in an activity that involves transitions and then they are then sent each to the bathroom to wash their hands before lunch. The lunch hour is the ideal occasion to emphasize the importance of courtesy, grace and respect for others at the Montessori preschool classroom. ……it is an important time of the day!
12:00 p.m.
By noon, students are done eating clean up on tables and the floor and put their lunch boxes back in their storage cubbies, and are ready to taken off their shoes and coats to head out. Each child is encouraged remain in a circle and enjoy studying until everyone is prepared.
12:10 p.m.
When every student is dressed and ready to leave the helper assigned to each student is responsible for calling students one at a time to gather at the front door. Only those who sit in a respectful manner and are polite are first called. It’s a pleasure to watch , and the specially assistant is always so satisfied!
12:15-12:45 p.m.
There is usually a good 30 minutes to spend outdoors and the outdoor Montessori setting is incredible…the perfect place for jumping, running and playing in the sand or watering the garden making bubbles and blowing them, pulling another around in a wagon drawing with chalk, and playing on the monkey bars and slide. The 30 minutes go through so fast!
12:45 p.m.
For the end of the day the children go to our rooms and everyone sits down on the mat for story time. A Montessori teacher reads out stories, and another teacher is at the front of the room, watching the parents to arrive. Once parents arrive and the teacher announces the child’s name and asks them to come to the cubby to get ready for their return. After the child has been prepared and dressed the teacher shakes the child’s hand with a warm and encouraging goodbye before opening the door and ensures that the child gets straight back to the parent. Story time is an ideal way to close the day, and it makes your time at the end of the day calm and peaceful.