This came up in my small group coaching community this week, and I want to set the record straight and take some pressure of you: a 3 hour work cycle is NOT 3 hours of strictly shelf work. In a primary classroom at a Montessori school, yes, the children participate in a 2.5-3 hour block of time in which they stay in their classroom. During that time, however, they are doing many things within a room that is set up like an entire home: having a group lesson, choosing work independently, watching other children at work, getting themselves a snack and enjoying it, passing out snack to friends, going to the bathroom, choosing more work independently, having a one-on-one lesson, observing other children at work again, waiting for a turn to use a favorite work, reading a few books, doing the same work over and over again. Maria Montessori observed that 2.5-3 hours was the ideal amount of time for a child to become absorbed in a rhythm of activity – a rhythm that INCLUDES play, practical life, and grace and courtesy, and not just shelf work. Remember that your “3 hour work cycle” at home can include things like making a snack, helping with laundry, playing outside, observing others, reading a book, AND choosing shelf work.
