Field Experience Essay
I observed and analyzed the design and delivery of an instructional unit in a Montessori school setting. I observed a classroom of grades 1-3 two times from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. at the Kennebec Montessori school. I was asked to sit quietly and to not interact with the children so I could get a realistic view of the class day and the children would pursue their chosen work.
When I first entered the classroom the atmosphere was very inviting and comfortable unlike most classrooms I enter for my own classes. There was a large skylight in the center of the ceiling as well as several windows that let in natural light. There are also green plants in a couple corners of the room. Each student has their own cubbies to put …show more content…

Students can move on to different assignments whenever they choose if they aren’t “getting” the concept. The teachers provide many interactive and visual materials for the activities they do for example, there were books, flash cards, counting beads, and physical models like globes.
The classroom was conductive to learning, the students were happy, excited, but at the same time completely focused on their objectives. Some students even sing or hum while working. When students complete their daily work they are given the incentive of doing a craft of choice or sitting in the library section of the class with a friend. Most of the students already have the drive to complete their assignments though, so incentives are just a bonus. If a student is struggling the teacher focuses on the concepts they do understand rather than dwelling on what they don’t. The instructors are very professional with one another and communicate very well. The classroom is very organized as well as the schedule carried out every day.
My overall experience was very good; it was nice to be in a Montessori school setting again. I attended a Montessori school myself for three years in pre-school, pre-k and kindergarten. The activities they did were similar to things that I remember doing even though that was fourteen years ago. I think that the safe and nurturing environment of a Montessori school is a better experience for the kids to grow and develop than in