The first couple of weeks of school can be tiring for all--kids and teachers alike! It is a tricky blend of entertaining these little people while helping them learn all of the classroom routines, procedures and rules. At times it may seem a tiny bit boring to the kids as we can't really "let them go" in the classroom until they truly understand the expectations. This is particularly important in a multiage classroom. Since our materials cover a wide range of abilities, it is extremely important that they children understand the expectations for behavior, work habits, etc. before we are able to have our uninterrupted work cycle.
One way we accomplish this "orientation" to the Montessori environment is by slowly introduce the grace & courtesy lessons as well as the materials while having our new, youngest students in a more controlled environment (which happens to be the hallway outside our classroom door). In this way, they are able to work with a limited choice of materials while learning the expectations and work habits before they are able to work freely in the full classroom. Here are some examples of the kids working in the hallway:
Our PK & K students have been having a little "Montessori Boot Camp" where we review lessons from various areas of the classroom/curriculum each day before we have an abbreviated work cycle I take the time to really remind them of our work habits/expectations while they are working--pushing in chairs, not yelling across the room, choosing work you've had a lesson on, completing your work & returning it to the shelf appropriately. Here's a peek at these students at work: