A Day in the Life of an All Year Montessori Student

and has been a member of the All-Year Montessori class since he was two and a half. Brian asks his mother for the keycard to the vestibule as he jumps out of the backseat of the car. When Brian enters the school he and his mother can smell the sweet fragrance of breakfast cooking in AYM. He hastily kisses his mother goodbye and hurries through the classroom door. While hanging his coat and hat on his hook, Brian notices two of his AYM friends entering the coatroom. The children reminisce about their evening at home and walk together into the kitchen.

Brian sees his teacher watching closely as she helps another child flip the pancakes on the griddle. He also observes two more children pouring milk into small pitchers for the breakfast tables. Brian greets his teacher with a confident "Good morning," and a strong handshake. Brian searches a tray for the place card with his name on it. He also helps a young friend to find her name as well. After finding a table, he begins to set his place. Everything that Brian needs, plates, small glasses, silverware and beautiful hand sewn cloth napkins are all placed on a low shelf where he can get to them easily and independently. When he finishes the task he quickly finds the next place where he can be most helpful. Brian decides to replenish the syrup bottles. Soon after Brian finishes, it is 8:00 and time for the children to enjoy the breakfast that they worked so hard to prepare.

Brian is refreshed and ready to challenge himself in the classroom. While heading into the class to make a choice he sees several of his friends helping in a variety of ways. Some are feeding the animals and others are folding napkins for lunch. One child is diligently sweeping the patio outside.

Brian decides he would like to begin his day working with The Farm material. At the same time as he is setting up the animals, a close friend joins Brian's work. They giggle as they arrange the farm with care. The two children then head toward the shelf to get the labels that describe each animal. They will continue through the early morning reading many labels together helping each other along the way with the adjectives that challenge their reading skills. The children will also place small symbols that represent articles, adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions, and nouns in the short phrases that they are reading.

to look out a classroom window at the vegetable garden in the yard attached to the environment. He notices some of the plants in the garden wilting in the warm sun. Brian returns to the shelves and gathers the watering exercise. He fills the watering can and tells one of his teachers that he will be going outside to the garden. Brian makes several productive trips outside making sure to give every last plant a drink.

and asks Brian if he would like to have a conversation. They sit and talk until it is time to get ready for lunch.

many tasks that need attention. He decides to divide the supply of hot lunch into many bowls for the tables. Brian and his classmates eat family style and are able to enjoy each other's company while learning important mealtime grace and courtesies. It is one of Brian's favorite times of the day.

sweeping all of the crumbs, and loading the dishwasher. Also, the children set up the small beds for the young children who still take naps. Brian fondly remembers when he was three and still took naps. He was tucked in by one of his teachers and read to by his older friends.

afternoon outside. Brian perseveres day after day to master the journey across the monkey bars. He also enjoys gathering a small group of friends to play games in the meadow.

with their teacher to discuss the week's events.

Brian settles on baking snack. He finds a partner who will help him to read the recipe. They bring all of their supplies to their tables. Today, Brian will be making scones for his class to eat at snack. Brian takes great pleasure in measuring and adding each ingredient into the large bowl. He and his partner return each ingredient to the baking shelf as they are used. So in the end, all that remains of baking is the delicious aroma of baked goods in the air.

Brian's dad usually picks him up around 5:15. Brian still has time to sit with a friend and eat the still warm scones that he baked. He even has time to write a story using the Moveable Alphabet material. Brian decides to write about his day. This day was much like any other day in the All-Year class at Countryside Montessori School, but it was special to Brian and he looks forward to starting it all over again tomorrow.