How much work do Montessori students finish in a day?
We know that we need to follow the child, but what if the child wants to only work on deepening their knowledge of parts of the invertebrates? In a Montessori environment, students ARE allowed to do this. However, we know that that student, and every student, needs a balanced plate of math, language, and cultural studies.
So, do you just let students pick a math, language, and cultural material a day then?
Well, how I do it is by following a work plan. This is my favorite work plan I have created, because it allows the students to have a balanced, individualized plate of learning.
The students have to complete 7 daily works and a math, language, and cultural work. That is 10 works in a day, but we also have silent reading time at the end of the day and the students complete a reading work, so really if they finish all their work in a day, it is 11 works.
The daily works include: math card, editing, math facts, journal, Raz-Kids, Waseca Reading, and typing.
Do all of the students finish their work all day, every day? Nope, but that is why I like daily work, because I know that the students are still practicing at least math, language, and reading each day.
Some students get on “free choice”, which means that if they finish all 10 works on their work plan, they can choose what they want to do. They choose what they want to work on, and follow the maps I have created to see what they have to work on next, but it is still their choice what to work on. After they choose and complete all of their work, with my guidance, they can then choose to create something or read or do something else.
Usually students are on free choice for about 30 minutes. I do have high standards for my students and the work matches at or above their level and they are just not picking and choosing “easy” works for them. Of course, students sometimes finish their work during the 3 hour work cycle, and that is something to be proud of. If that happens and at least 2-3 students will have about an hour of free choice in the afternoon, I will usually do a learning activity with the whole class.
I am not a fan of just letting a student complete one cultural work in a day, although some cultural works are longer than others, but sometimes that happens. That is why I like that they have to do the editing sentences, math cards, and reading work daily because then at least they are practicing math and language skills.
If you have students who have trouble finishing their work, make the work plan work for them. Let them complete at level work or repeat a work so that they can feel the accomplishment of finishing their work. Once they realize they CAN finish all the work in one day, they are more likely to do it again and again.
To answer the question of how much work a Montessori student completes each day, it is dependent on the student, but having a set “limit” of work so that the can feel accomplished and have a goal that restarts everyday, is very helpful in the students learning more.
Watch the video to hear more: