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A Day in the Life of Ridgeline
The Montessori classroom is an active, industrious
place. Aided by daily and weekly goals set in consultation with the
teacher, each student begins the school day by choosing work from a variety
of prepared materials. Perhaps today it will be a building project
that teaches spatial relationships and essential math concepts, or maybe two
or three students will choose to collaborate on a project that combines
Greek history and geography. Throughout the day's generous work periods,
teachers move around the multi-age classroom challenging, encouraging, and
when necessary, re-directing energies. Whole-group lessons and
assignments are used sparingly, in recognition of the fact that students are
engaged in learning that is focused on individual abilities and interest.
In Montessori classrooms, appropriate conduct and
respect for others are fully integrated into the curriculum and the
environment. Despite a variety of learning activities taking place at
one, the classroom culture promotes an atmosphere of order, calm and
civility that is quite remarkable. At Ridgeline Montessori, class
meetings are held periodically, and decision-making follows a consensus
model. In this way, students grow to understand and welcome their
future roles in productive society.
Ridgeline Montessori follows the District 4J calendar
for the school year. Below is a sample schedule:
(note: lunch and recess times will vary for each
classroom)
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8:15-8:30 |
Students arrive, greet their teacher, and begin choosing their work for
the day |
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8:30-11:30 |
Work time. This includes a 9:15 a.m. morning meeting, in which new materials or lessons are introduced, and
current events or classroom concerns are discussed. This nearly
3-hour block contains the core curriculum – math, language arts, and
cultural studies (science, geography, history, etc.). |
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11:30-12:00 |
Lunch. Lunchtime is instructional time, as it is held in the classroom
with the teacher or assistant and includes lessons in grace and
courtesy, positive social interaction, problem-solving, and conflict
resolution. |
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12:00-12:30 |
Recess |
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12:30-2:30 |
Spanish, P.E., art, and music/drama classes are each held twice a week
for a half-hour each. This is also time for Cultural studies
(science, geography, history, etc.), small group presentations, and
additional work time. |
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2:30 - 3/3:15 |
Classroom cleanup and dismissal. K and lower elementary get out at
3:00. Upper elementary and middle school get out at 3:15; EARLY
RELEASE FOR ALL STUDENTS ON FRIDAYS-1:00 PM |
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