The Children’s House (3 through 6 years)
CMS has five Children’s House classrooms that begin at 8:15am. Four of these communities are set for the traditional school hours. Young children may leave at 11:30am or stay for lunch, take a nap in the nap room and depart at 2:45pm. The older children in these classes have an afternoon work period and also leave at 2:45pm. In the All Day community, children begin class at 8:15am and may stay as late as 6:00pm. The All Day younger children have a nap in an annex to their room, while the older children have an afternoon work period. The class has access to Montessori materials the whole day, but also has cooking, gardening and outdoor activities late in the day. Children entering the Children’s House classroom are expected to be independently toileting before entering this environment.
When children arrive, they hang up their coats themselves, receiving help if necessary. A snack is available and the children serve themselves when they become hungry. There is a three-hour work period in the morning. During this time, the children can use materials with which they are already familiar, have new lessons with the guide, or work in small groups. The children move freely within the classroom, selecting work that captures their interest, rather than passively participating in lessons and projects selected by a teacher. By allowing children to develop a meaningful degree of independence and self-discipline, Montessori sets a pattern for a lifetime of good work habits and a sense of responsibility. The children take pride in doing things for themselves carefully and well.
Classrooms are organized into five curriculum areas: practical life (including art), sensorial, math, language and cultural areas (science, music and geography). Children at this age have a conscious Absorbent Mind, learning effortlessly those things which capture their interest, so the classrooms are intentionally beautiful and enticing. Dr. Montessori believed that the hand is the chief teacher of the child. In order to learn there must be concentration and the use of materials that involve the eye and hand working together. It is the responsibility of the guide to use keen observation skills, recognizing the child’s readiness for learning in particular areas and seeing the progress of each child. This progress is recorded in carefully maintained records.
During the morning, children are sometimes gathered in both small and large groups to sing, read books, or have group lessons such as with science or geography. After lunch the older children have another work period in the afternoon, followed by playground time before their departure. The children participate fully in their environment with activities such as helping to set out lunch or snack, watering plants, and arranging flowers. These jobs reinforce the children’s awareness that it is really their community.
