Sep 03 2009
Setting Up the Classroom
On Monday of this week, we returned to school to set up for the return of students next week. I had stopped in for an hour the previous Friday, because I always require a “Zen” moment of alone time in the room to lay down the rough draft for the year. And then, we were done on Monday.
I can never set up the classroom the same way twice. First, I can never remember exactly how it was, anyway! Second, the kids are different every year, requiring different needs. After all, Montessori is about preparing the environment, right?
With this year being mostly 3 year-olds, I moved more of the shelves back against the walls, creating no real pockets of hiding space, other than under the loft. I took extra steps to hide the hiding places under the loft, where those little 3 year-olds bodies could fit to hide. I increased floor space and reduced table space. I took out one large language shelf and turned it into an extra Practical Life shelf.
I am starting the year with much fewer Montessori materials out than usual. The materials for younger children have all been moved to the front of the room; materials for the older children have moved more toward the back of the room. I close most of the Practical Life in the afternoon and focus on bigger projects for the extended day in the back part of the room. Lots of simple manipulatives are out to keep the young ones occupied until they are all phased-in and there is more time to give them lessons elsewhere in the room.
How do you set up your classroom each year? Do you keep it the same, or do you mix it up a bit from year to year? How many materials do you put out?
