Full-Day Preschool, Kindergarten and Grade 1
Regular Hours 8:30am – 3:30pm
Extended Hours with Before and Afterschool Care 8:00am – 5:30pm
The full-day preschool, kindergarten and grade 1 classes consists of 25 children and three teachers.
All classes at Burnaby Montessori School run Monday through Friday.
Full-Day Preschool, Kindergarten & Grade 1 Schedule:
School Doors Open - School building doors are opened for parents and children to enter into the school. The arrival time is a period of transition from home to school, this transitional period from home to school is best to be brief as possible as it becomes difficult for children to concentrate and focus on their work as other children trickle in.
Children find their cubbies, change into their inside shoes and hang up their coats. Once the children are ready to enter into the classroom, they line up along the outside wall of the hallway while waiting for the classroom teachers to open the doors to the classroom.
Classroom Doors Open - One by one the children are greeted into the classroom with a warm and brief greeting by one of the teachers while the other teacher is in the classroom guiding the children to either sit at circle or to choose their first piece of work for the day.
Work Time – During this time the children are free to choose work they have been introduced to previously. They may choose to work alone are or with one or two other children. During work time one teacher will be managing/supervising the classroom ensuring all the children are engaged in a piece of work and is also available to assist children as needed, while the other teacher is giving one-on-one lessons.
Snack is available for children through out the class.
Clean Up Time – Children begin to put their work away and get ready for circle time.
Circle Time – This group activity will include stories, songs, games, or lessons on new activities in the classroom. It is a special time to share finger plays, chants and rhymes, songs, play rhythm instruments, read a story, and participate in movement games and relaxation activities. Circle time provides a time for listening, developing attention span, promoting oral communication, and learning new concepts and skills.
Lunch Time – The children are dismissed for lunch. They wash their hands, get their lunch bag and choose a place to sit. We wait for all of our friends to be seated, say the thank you song and begin to eat lunch. After lunch, children clean up their lunch area and sweep the floor.
Outdoor/Indoor Play – Children are taken outside to the playground after lunch (weather permitting) or stay indoors for free play if the weather does not allow us to go outside.
Transition from After Playtime - Children come back to the classroom after lunch, change into their inside shoes and proceed to the circle for a few minutes of quiet time to calm their bodies and mind after play time followed by a short story before they settle into the afternoon work cycle.
Afternoon Work Cycle – In the afternoon work cycle, children have the opportunity to continue/finish any unfinished work from the morning. The teachers will also continue to present Montessori lessons and also encourage children to practice any previous lessons given.
The afternoons are also used to present larger cultural lessons, art projects, present small group lessons or more in depth circles theme for the older children.
Clean Up Time – Children begin to put their work away and get ready for afternoon circle time.
Afternoon Circle – The last circle time of the day is used to discuss the days activities, theme, calendar, weather etc.
Children are dismissed one by one as the teacher sees that their parent/guardian has arrived for pick up. Once the children have been dismissed, they then processed to their cubbies where the change into their outside shoes and gather their belongings to go home.
Children who are registered in the extended day program will be dismissed for after school care at this time.
After School Care - After school activities include snack time, outside play, art, board games, free play etc.
Children in the all-day, kindergarten and grade 1 program have gym classes twice a week and music once a week in the afternoons.
