When do kids just get to 'read' books in the primary classroom?

[nanette0269]

I'm having issues with their before/aftercare routine...and I think it has more to do with the care provider in the class, rather than the school policy, but I'd like some feedback before I determine if this warrants a complaint.

I understand that the kids in before/aftercare are not allowed to touch the lessons...makes sense to me. They have some toys that they are allowed to pull out of the closet to play with during these times. But, they are not allowed to use the books in the classroom (they are also not allowed to bring items to school, such as toys and books). It was implied that they are like the lessons, and they only use them during the work cycle. But, all the primary classrooms obviously have different books...so if my child is not a student in the class that has beforecare, essentially he will never be able to touch the books that interest him.

Really...are the students encouraged to peruse books during their workcycle? I would have thought that the specific tactile lessons are the focus of the workcycle.

How can the shelves upon shelves of books be attuned to specific lessons? I could not fathom that the individual books have to be demonstrated to each and every student prior to allowing them to touch them...Shouldnt they be encouraging kids to peruse books rather than toys that my son has less interest in?

I'm trying to grasp the reason for this, and it is simply beyond my understanding. I'm presuming its because they don't want to clean up the books after the kids peruse them...which is more of an instructor issue than a child issue I think. Any insight as to why they would have this policy? Or, do you think, like I do, that this is a rule to encourage order in the beforecare program by the care provider in charge? I might also add that she is the aide to the teacher in this same classroom (of which my children are not in)....so I'm thinking that my issue is with her and her teacher's rules, rather than the school.

TIA

[Annie Mac]

Before I say anything, let me disclaim that I know very little of the Montessori curriculum, but this issue seems ridiculous enough to me to comment.

So they're not allowed to touch lessons, some of the toys and all of the books? What do they do in before/after care? Are they in totally structured, teacher-led activities?

I don't know why they wouldn't let the kids read books. Resulting disorder sounds unlikely -- not impossible, but unlikely. It's easy enough to show kids how to put books back on the shelf. In fact, it's a great lesson, especially if your books are coded with the dewey decimal system.

What if your kids brought some of their own from home and put them in their backpack afterwards? Personally, if I were the supervising teacher, a classroom full of kids reading books would sound great!

[nanette0269]

To clarify...in before and aftercare, the kids are only allowed to play with the toys. They cannot touch the lessons (which I understand), but also cannot peruse the books (which I don't understand).

[lach]

I don't think that's a Montessori thing, I think that's just a weird school policy. Maybe with less supervision and a less calm atmosphere, books have gotten ruined by the aftercare kids? Which still doesn't really make sense.

My daughter's Children's House classroom has a reading corner with some little couches and a bookshelf with books that get rotated out. It's not a lot of books (maybe 10?) but they change them pretty frequently. It's not an area for work, it's an area the kids can use when they don't feel like doing a work and just want to chill. I'm pretty sure that DD has called it "the quiet corner." I think it is also used as sort of a "time out" area... not so much as punishment, but if a child is acting up it is gently suggested that maybe they'd like to sit in the quiet corner and look at some books for a while.

So treating the books as work is definitely not a general Montessori thing. It sounds to me more like they just don't want the books to get the additional wear and tear of the aftercare kids. Which is really unfair to them, especially since they're not allowed to bring their own books!

[nanette0269]

phew.... I'll bring this up to the director (who I may see tonight) or her teacher (which I will definitely see this friday). Again, i think its just the teacher and her TA's rule, in which the beforecare/aftercare students are held...and maybe my DD's teacher and the director are not even aware of this.

[BCFD]

Yeah, that doesn't seem right at all. However, are they books like Primary Phonics that go along with a workplan? Or are they simply picture books? I could understand the kids not allowed to touch books such as Primary Phonics, but picture books? Wha? In DD's kindy classroom last year they had a reading corner with picture books (a chill area as a PP said) and then they had an "endcap" at the other end of the room with the Primary Phonics and BOB books (not exactly "fun" books in my opinion! Actually, they rather SUCK! They serve a purpose, but b.o.r.i.n.g. :::yawn:::: )

If they are not allowed to touch picture books in a reading area, then I would ask if my child could bring 3 or 4 books in their backpack to look at during before/after care. NO child should ever be discouraged from flipping through a book. Ever. For any reason.

[AllyRae]

Yeah, I think that's just a weird school thing. DS's montessori school has before/after school care, and while they can't touch the lessons, they are more than free to read. In fact, the before/afterschool care happens in a room separate from the classrooms, so the lessons and school related things aren't even available...but there are books & toys in the childcare room.

And the kids get "silent reading" time as part of the work cycle if they'd like it. There's not a specific lesson on the books (besides "how to turn pages without ripping the book") and if a child wants to take some time to read and relax, they are able to.

[nanette0269]

There was a parenting workshop on their phonics approach "Words in Color" last night, and the owner and the administrator were in attendance. I mentioned this to the administrator and she was quite surprised to hear this, and indicated that if I talk to her, things get done

Hopefully, it was just simply a miscommunication and the aide was following an inappropriate guideline. Regardless, sounds like it will be remedied soon enough.

Thanks for everyone's comments.