How is a typical day different for a 5 year old between a Montessori class and a 'normal' class
TRADITIONAL SCHOOL
9:00–9:10 Morning Routine
The school day starts with all the children gathering together for the roll call. The teacher takes attendance, gives any important notices, and allows the children to share their news. Sharing is organized so that certain children have their turn on specific days. This routine helps the children feel part of the classroom community and ensures everyone is ready to start the day.
9:10–9:25 Handwriting Practice
The focus during this session is on learning and perfecting letter formation. For example, the children might be working on the letter L. The teacher provides a demonstration on the board, and the children copy the example to practice writing the letter correctly. After completing their work in their handwriting books, the children signal they are finished by raising their hands and waiting for the teacher to check their work individually. This encourages independence and fosters neatness in their writing.
9:25–9:30 Brain Break
A short break allows the children to recharge. They are given five minutes to walk around the classroom and enjoy a quick snack. This break helps them refocus for the next activity.
9:30–10:30 Literacy Session
This hour focuses on foundational literacy skills. The children might be working on the sounds s, a, t, i, p. Together as a class, they practice recognizing and pronouncing these sounds. The teacher then demonstrates how to blend sounds to form simple words.
The children are given dictated words to write using the sounds they’ve learned, reinforcing their phonetic understanding. Afterward, they complete a follow-up activity related to these sounds.
During this time, the teacher works with small groups on phonetic reading books, providing more focused instruction. Meanwhile, the other children engage in independent activities, such as revising sight words, matching sounds, or completing other literacy tasks designed to build on previously taught concepts.
10:30–11:00 Morning Tea
The children head outside (weather permitting) to enjoy their morning tea and have a play. This break is essential for burning off energy and socialising with friends.
11:00–11:10 Fluency Boxes
After morning tea, the children practice reading books they’ve worked on in previous lessons.
11:10–11:25 Big Book and Poem Time
The teacher reads a class “big book” aloud. Each day, there’s a specific focus, such as exploring how words are used in the story. The teacher might guide the children in using these words to create their own sentences, expanding their vocabulary. Sometimes, they also explore rhyming words, with the teacher encouraging the children to identify rhymes and think of new ones.
11:25–12:30 Maths
Maths begins with a 30 minute whole-class lesson. For instance, the children might be practicing counting from 1 to 20, both forwards and backwards, using a variety of activities. After the group session, the children work individually to complete two pages in their maths workbooks, consolidating the day’s lesson.
12.30-12.40 The children all clean up the room, there may be time for a 2 minute teacher chosen game.
12:40–1:30 Lunch Break
Lunch is a longer break where children eat, play, and socialise, preparing them for the afternoon. If a child is at a large school there may be certain areas where they are allowed to play for example only 5 and 6 year olds can play in a certain playground.
1:30–1:40 Quiet Drawing or Colouring
After lunch, the children spend a few minutes on a calming activity like drawing or colouring. This also gives the teacher time to sort out any issues that happened at lunch time
1:40–2:40 Afternoon Activity (Varies by Day)
This part of the day changes depending on the school’s timetable. On one day, the children might visit the library to explore books. Another day could involve physical education with the whole school. Twice a week, the children participate in a science lesson; this term, they are learning about birds. These sessions are hands-on and designed to engage the children’s curiosity.
2:40–2:50 Pack-Up Time
As the school day comes to a close, the children tidy up the classroom by putting away activities and materials. The teacher, with help from the school cleaner, ensures the room is cleaned and prepared for the next day.
MONTESSORI SCHOOL
9:00–9:10 Arrival and Greeting
Montessori children start the day by greeting their teacher and peers. They transition smoothly into the classroom, often putting away their belongings and beginning the day with a chosen activity.Depending on the mood of the day and the feel of the classroom there may not be a roll call allowing children to move organically into their own day.
9:10–11:45 Extended Work Cycle
The Montessori method emphasises uninterrupted work periods, often referred to as “work cycles.” During this time, children move freely between activities that interest them, covering a range of subjects like literacy, numeracy, and science.
Activities are on shelves that the child retrieves and completes and places back onto the shelf they got them from.
The child may choose to work alone or with others. They choose where they wish to sit. The teacher monitors to ensure work is being done. If the child is disturbing others the teacher may move them somewhere else or choose different work for the child to do.
Activities for a 5 year old may include:
- Sewing, art, gardening, baking
- In literacy, a child might use moveable letters to spell words phonetically and then check their words with cards.
- In numeracy, they might work with hands-on materials like coloured beads to learn counting and quantities.
- In science, they could explore natural objects, such as shells or leaves, learning about their properties using teacher made self correcting resources.
- In social studies the child may be looking at the common needs of humans across cultures by matching pictures to answer cards. An older peer may be working on how needs of people have changed over particular time periods.
Teachers act as guides, giving individual lessons when needed, rather than leading the entire class in a single activity. This means that at any time there are multiple curriculum areas happening e.g. one child might be learning about pH levels while another child is composing music.
Some children will be working independently, some in groups of their choosing.
The teacher may be working with a child or observing what is happening in the class to help them know what to say or present next.
At the end of the session the children do a brief tidy of the class and may come to the mat to share what they have learned.
Morning Tea and Outdoor Play
Children enjoy a morning snack and outdoor playtime, usually at a time of their own choosing. Montessori emphasises unstructured outdoor play as an extension of the classroom, where children can explore nature, climb trees, and engage in social play. There are lots of loose parts and a natural environment for children to explore.
11.45-12.30 Lunch (students eat and play in the order that suits)
12.30 – 2.45pm Hands-On Learning
The teacher reads a book to the class, students may eat their lunch.Children uninterested in the book may go and quietly get out their own work.
The children return to their work cycle, with activities now often focused on cultural studies, geography, or science. For instance, they might learn about continents using a puzzle map or explore life cycles by observing living things, such as plants or insects. Activities are designed to foster curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world.
There may be a whole class activity too. Children who do not wish to participate are allowed to go and get out their own work as long as they are being respectful of children who are in the lesson.
2:35 Whole class jobs
All tamariki help with various jobs around the classroom. These might include
-loading washing in the washing machine
-hanging out washing
-doing the dishes
-vacuuming
-mopping floors
-cleaning tables
-watering plants
2:50–3:00 Reflection and Tidy-Up
As the day comes to an end, children reflect on their work and experiences their might be opportunity for a game or activity, often these are suggested by the children.