[isaoma]

Hi everyone. I've only posted here once before, but have learned a lot by lurking for sometime now.

I have a 2.5 year old dd that has just started a M clasroom this month - the school had a late opening and we wanted to try it out before making the big decision for fall. I'm a little concerned about their morning schedule, I think it might be too strict for little ones, but I wanted to know what you all thought about it.

8:45-9:00 dropoff
9:00-9:30 circle time
9:30-11:30 work
11:30-12:00 lunch
12:00-12:15 pickup

Dd is only going half days so I pick her up at noon. As you can see, she doesn't have time for a playground break, or any sort of break during the morning session. There was another M school that we looked at that had a much gentler schedule (short recess break around 10 am). We didn't choose that school because it was farther away and frankly at the time I didn't realize that the schedules could be so different.

So, what do you think? Does the above schedule seem right for a M school, or does it seem a little much for the younger kids?

 

[spedteacher30]

the schedule you posted seems unusual to me because it doesn't allow for a three-hour work cycle.

Our son's school's schedule is more like:

8:15-8:30: drop off and re-orienting
8:30-11:30: three hour work cycle (which includes self-scheduled snack and self-selected "outdoor environment"--there is a guide who is outside supervising for all four CH rooms on the shared playground).
11:15-11:30: closing circle time (kids who are still working drift over as they finish)
11:30-12: outdoor play (and pickup for morning students)
12: lunch

but, outdoor time might be built into her schedule already. We didn't realize how they did outdoor environment until he started there because last year during our tour, it was raining, so no one was outdoors that day.

 

[bobandjess99]

I too am confused as to why there is "circle time" but yet not a 3 hour work cycle. Is this some sort of "montessori-inspired" school or something?

 

[isaoma]

Dd has only been there for 5 half days, so I *could* be off a bit on schedule, but I don't think so. All I know is I drop her off before 9 am and pick her up a little after 12 noon. The teachers are all AMS certified and the school is as well. I'll ask next week why they don't have a 3 hour work cycle...

But, back to my original question, I am worried that dd won't have an outside break during 9-12. To me it is an issue, I think 2-3 year olds are too young to spend the whole morning inside. I know for sure that an outside break isn't a part of the morning work cycle, because they are letting dd go outside with the toddlers in the morning to help with her transition, but it won't last for long.

 

[Lingmom]

I'm pretty sure that the idea of a sustained, uninterrupted work cycle (whether 3 hours or 2 1/2 or whatever), with or without some kind of "gathering" or "meeting" or "circle time" preceding or following it, is pretty typical of Montessori. In the primary and elementary class that my kids are in, the outside time doesn't happen until lunch and then again in the afternoon before pick-up. For climate reasons, there are plenty of days that kids can't go out at all and I haven't heard that it's a problem.

In a traditional (elementary) school, the kids are sitting in desks and focusing on work and there is limited movement... so the idea of recess is a time to be free to talk or walk or run or do what you want. Montessori is different since the kids are working under a different kind of structure and there is a lot of movement (i.e., building a tower or pouring water) and talking and a lot of free choice so it's not as if you need to break that up to take a recess...

Is your daughter having trouble with the work period? It's nice that they're letting her go out with the younger children if that's what she needs. I'm assuming she is considerably younger than the rest of the kids, so keep that in mind... she will certainly be doing some growing in the next five months and will probably be very ready to participate fully when school starts in the fall.

 

[eepster]

None of the Montessoris around here have full uniterupted 3 hr work cycles. When it comes to meeting state regulations to provide a certain amount of time on a playground that also meets state safety regulations, and meeting all the other state regulations, it just isn't possible without breaking the law. So, there are plenty of school that are otherwise strict followers in the M philosophy that don't have full uniterupted 3 hr work cycles.

 

[CityParkMom]

My DD's school is similar only I drop off at 8am--they have circle time, then work cycle, then recess, then goes home--I don't remember the exact times. I think it's something like:

8-8:30am--Circle time
8:30-11am--Work cycle
11-11:30am--Recess
11:30am--Goes home

She leaves at 11:30am since she is half-day (so no lunch there).

 

[Shaki]

My Dd is in the toddler class at our M school (starts 3 to 6 in the fall) her current schedule is:

12:20-12:30 drop off
12:30-1:45 work (they move freely about the classroom and have both indoor and outdoor space available)
1:45 circle (circle is singing songs and reading stories in both english and spanish)
2:00 snack
2:15 ish (sometimes later depending on if children are still eating) the go to either the gym or playground.
2:45-3pm pick up

The work cycle will get longer next year and snack will become part of it (in other words no formal snack--snack will be available to whomever wants it whenever they want it during the work cycle).

I agree with the pp who mentioned that there is so much freedom in the work cycle that "recess" or a break isn't needed in the same way. My DD will often give herself a break during the work period (sit quietly or just walk around) and then go find a new work and get back into it. I have observed (I volunteer in the classroom a lot) that when the kids go into the gym or onto the playground they release tons of energy. Our teacher says they've been so calm and focused until then, and they do need that time to run around be noisy etc.

 

[BCFD]

I don't think many (if any?) schools around here have 3 hour work periods either. Your schedule looks very similar to ours.

8:30-9:00 - drop off/breakfast for those who didn't eat at home/before and after care "jobs" (puzzles, legos, and other manipulatives that aren't a part of their Montessori shelves)
9:00-9:30 - circle time/lesson of the day/calendar/spanish
9:30-11:30 - work cycle
11:30-11:50 - outside play
11:50-12:00 - line up, back to circle, and get called to wash their hands.
12:00 lunch

I usually arrive around 12:10 or 12:15 to pick her up. I have noticed that the kids are usually done with lunch way before 12:30. The full day children stay and go down for a nap (or read quietly) for 2 hours and then it's basically "daycare" with more outside play, a snack, and the before/after school "jobs". They still get out work rugs for these jobs, but they are mostly manipultives like you would find from Lakeshore Learning and puzzles.

However, on Thursday they do have a Yoga class for 1/2 hour which cuts into their work cycle.

 

[wrzos]

Our schedule runs like this:
8:15 - 8:30 drop off
8:30 - 11:30 work cycle
11:20/30ish- 11:35/40 ish small circle time (short song, story, whatever to wrap up the morning children)
11:45-12 playground for running and pick up from there.

My son asks that I be almost the last mom to pick up so he has more time to play outside. If the working day was particluarly wild, they'll bring them out a bit earlier as well. He gets plenty of park time and outdoor play at home, so I'm not worried about it - I'd rather he get his work cycle in while there.

 

[Koloe]

My DD's schedule is similar, though the group time is at the end of the day not the beginning. Her class is from 8:30 to 11:00 (2.5 hours - seems pretty common for preschool programs.) Her school actually has no outdoor space, so it's not even an option. Though they would really like to have some fenced in outdoor space to take the kids to weather permitting.

What my DD's class does for physical activity is walk around a circle to music, changing how they are walking. They also do yoga. The extended day children do have a room with a climber in it and toys - but because they don't have an outdoor space, children can only be there for 4.5 hours a day Max.

 

[spottiew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaoma But, back to my original question, I am worried that dd won't have an outside break during 9-12. To me it is an issue, I think 2-3 year olds are too young to spend the whole morning inside. I know for sure that an outside break isn't a part of the morning work cycle, because they are letting dd go outside with the toddlers in the morning to help with her transition, but it won't last for long.

i felt the same when we started at 2.75, and im sure it was quite the change for him... by the time he was 3, he wasn't neccesarily taking the outside break in the AM anymore at home, for better or worse. i don't think the work period comes exactly naturally to them- i know we had major issues just adapting to the school routine, and how that's not every child's ideal day. i still wonder about this!

re: the circle time, they say we have work 8:30-11:30, and technically any child can do work in that time- they do have a welcome gathering 'circle', but it's optional. there are also stories and other gatherings all throughout the morning, opportunities for self-snacking, etc. so not a solid 3 hours, there's also something going on- is that not normal? i can't imagine haveing them all do a circl for a while, then work, then circle again- that would be long, or else cut into the time.

we do actually ahve an all-day program, but we personally do not attend it. it seems that they rest after lunch, then work for about an hour, go outside a 2nd time, then they have about 2-3 hours left for more work- they dropped the 'day care style' actiivies in favor of more worktime last year... so their afternoon is 4-5 hours with a midway break- not a second 3hr worktime.

 

[Aufilia]

The work period at our school isn't 3 hours, either. I didn't find any local half-day Montessoris that really had 3-hour periods. Just my experience.

 

[isaoma]

Thank you to all that responded. Dd is younger than the rest of the students (2.5) and has not been in a daycare or preschool environment before (we have a babysitter). We are trialing the school for a month to see if it is a 'fit'. I agree with pps who mentioned that dd will grow up in the next 4-5 months and will probably be able to handle this schedule much easier than she is now. I do need to keep that in mind.

For the most part, the directress says that dd is working well with the materials and enjoys the other students. They are able to take snack and drink breaks whenever they choose and also take breaks to 'read' a book or look at the hermit crab. Dd just seems to have a lot of preschooler energy in the morning - I am glad that she is able to go outside if she wants with the toddler class for now. I was just hoping that school could work off some of her physical energy along with her intellectual/social energy. Our M school does have a full day schedule where the students get a recess break after lunch, then learn music, dance, art, take care of their garden & rabbits etc. But they only have a 5 day option (half or full time). Since my work is flexible, I just think it's too long of a work week for dd to go 5 full days next fall.

Thank you again for your insight(s)!

 

[Mum2JocelynAngus]

My kids, like yours, started at age 2.5 with no prior daycare/preschool/etc. They did just fine with a schedule similar to a lot of the above:
8.30-8.45 dropoff
8.45-11.15 work cycle (including snack whenever they want it)
11.15 circle time, goodbyes, pickup

The kids who stay for the full day go outside at lunchtime.