Today was relaxing

So today I was either the best teacher ever....or the worst, I'm still deciding.

I spent my morning in the classroom with the children (and granted there were only 4 of them today) and got a lot of work done. I laminated and cut new classified cards and modge-podged a container for the newly completed land and water form pictures. Throughout the morning my students would wander over, ask if they could watch for a bit. We'd chat for a little while, they'd watch what I was doing and I'd explain and then they'd go off again when I told them it had been long enough.

That was it. That was pretty much what I did the whole morning work cycle. No striving to enrich their little lives, or trying to stun them with fascinating details of the world. I didn't present any new materials, or focus on learning letter sound with the sandpaper letters or sound games. I didn't set out to teach any new vocabulary, or impart another lesson in grace and courtesy. I sat and did my own work and watched what the children were up to.

So what all did they do?

Well, to put it bluntly they were amazing.

They all did fetching with the classified cards (multiple times for W!). They'd choose a packet and ask me for the extra set I keep in my cupboard and then one of them would sit in the chair by my stool (or on the stool if they were feeling really important) and send the other to find the matching card. I have to say they did a pretty good job. I relegated myself to reminding them to walk when they got to excited and only offered the vocabulary word if they expressly asked. They were all so busy and eager to work with one another.

It was the first day in a long time that I noticed W was really engaged in what he was doing and didn't end up wandering aimlessly around the classroom. He spearheaded most of the classified card fetching and later took it upon himself to clean up the spilled grains hiding under the red rod stand. I only suggested he use the dustpan and brush rather than the small crumb sweeper. He happily spent close to 15 mins meticulously sweeping up the rolling soy beans and cous cous, completely engrossed.

The other children? Well they also went about their day, moving from work to work and getting fully engaged with whatever they were working on. We had a slight interruption when they went out in little groups to make place mats for the Thanksgiving feast tomorrow, but they went out, did their little project and came right back in to work.

There were two instances where I did need to step in. M took out the Trinomial cube, which is a pretty complicated puzzle and one she's just beginning to learn. She spent close to 1/2 an hour trying to figure it out, finally managing to get it all in so the box would close and she could return it to the shelf. Well...at least until I pointed out that one piece was still at the table. Needless to say it just didn't fit anymore. M tried to get it to fit, but when the box just wouldn't close she stood up to walk away and I came in right away to help her put it together the only way it would all fit in the box. Meanwhile W had been inspired to take out the slightly simpler Binomial cube, but since he had never been shown the material before he was just as perplexed and needed help getting started.

Other than that all I really did was finish my own projects and chat with the children a little bit.

These are 3 year olds, 3 year olds. (Ok, so W just turned 4 but close enough) They spent almost 3 hours keeping themselves busy. This busyness resulted in no real messes or catastrophes. They all spent time with other children and working independently. They served themselves snack or made their own food if interested. They struggled with work, but respected their teachers right to continue her work first before helping them.

So I'm still not sure. I know I had a great day, and I know that my students sure seemed to as well. But I can't necessarily say that I actually 'taught' anything today. Luckily I'm a Montessori teacher. We respect that it's really the child that is teaching themselves and we're just there to assist them. And I'm pretty sure I accomplished that just fine today.