An amazing morning!

What a beautiful school that I had the opportunity to visit this morning.  It truly represents Montessori and showed such a profound respect for the children.  The children were gently gathered coming from outside coming together like a flock of ducklings into the classroom.  They sang two songs as a group to the sound of a guitar.  Then they were able to choose work.  One child said he didn't want to choose any work, and got up to look around the room instead.  In almost a three hour work period there was not one child that cried, no fighting, and no bells that rang causing the children to react.  I watched an older child tell one of the youngest not to run in the classroom.  I watched one of the youngest decide to paint, get out the paint and clean up completely without any mess.

Some other work that I saw-
-3 girls worked together to clean two wall length shelves.  In the process they removed every item including several plants and all of the sandpaper letters.  They traced many of the letters.
-Every child who was hungry served their own snack.  First they got a cloth placemat.  Second, they washed their hands.  Third a glass plate.  Fourth- using tongs they counted out 3 crackers and 2 apples based on the number in front of the bowl.  Each and every child.  If they were still hungry, they got seconds.
-Many children made necklaces or bracelets with a real needle and beads.  The only thing the teacher did was tie a finishing knot.
- Beads were spilled all over the floor and picked up.  Twice.
- Tables were washed.
- Plants were watered.
- Polygons were studied.
- Continents were built using puzzles and painted after being traced.
- Words were developed from practicing writing "sh"
- Children were learning about the concept of addition using the golden bead material.  In the thousands.

All of these children were 3-6.  Maybe only 3-5.  It's only the third day of school for the entire group together.

Montessori Education at it's best.  I loved it.