A Typical Day in Pōhutukawa

Children have a three-hour work cycle between 8.55am and 12.30pm. The three-hour work cycle may be preceded or concluded with whole class activities, lessons or sharing. In the afternoon students may have whole class, strand or syndicate activities in which to participate, these activities are an important part of our schools whanaungatanga (community). The classroom environment is prepared in a way that enables students to choose work in which they succeed, but will also be challenging. Throughout the day the student may work independently, in a small group with peers, or have lessons with a teacher or teaching assistant.

The teacher spends a significant part of their day observing the class to see what particular areas students are enjoying or need support in and then adapts the classroom environment accordingly. Children are given opportunities to choose materials, develop their own projects and plan part of their day. As a child gains more independence, they are able to plan the majority of their workday. We encourage children to do a lot of deep thinking about their work. Students are taught to use the people and physical resources in the class to help them solve problems peacefully. Our major goal is to empower children to be humble, thinking, resilient people capable of sharing ideas and working together with their peers and their teachers. We do not foster competition but enable cooperation.

Life in a Montessori classroom may look quite different to your own primary school experience or those of your child’s peers in other schools. Below is a general outline of how Montessori differs from many mainstream schooling models. Otari school’s curriculum and culture offer many ‘Montessori’ aspects in both the Original and Immersion strand.