Many of you who follow us might be curious to join us at a typical day at a glance? Here is an example of what our daily rhythms look like.
8.00 AM- 8.30AM : WELCOMING CHILDREN AND CIRCLE TIME.
8.30AM-9.00AM : DRAWING/PAINTING/MODELING.
9.00AM-9.30AM : INDOOR PLAY, TIDY UP.
9.30AM-10AM : OUTDOOR PLAY.
10AM-10:30AM : SNACK TIME.
10.30AM-11AM : STORY TIME.
11AM-11.45AM : NATURE WALK; CLEANING.
11.45AM-12PM : CRAFT.
12PM-12.45PM : LUNCH.
12.45PM- 2PM: NAP TIME
All meals are vegetarian and carefully planned to contain all necessary nutrients to support healthy development. All our children are on full scholarships as they come from families living below the poverty line, these meals are really appreciated.
Before class, our pedagogues arrive early to set up the classroom and prepare the day’s activities.
As the children arrive, the pedagogues make a circle outside and greet the students, welcoming them. Sometimes the greetings are in French, Sometimes in English, depending on the day.
Then they move inside all honoring to remove footwear at the door in a tidy fashion. First a candle is lit to consolidate the energies and allow for everyone to arrive both physically and mentally. The morning circle is a way to enact a story together with the children. Some weeks it is done in English some in French. These circles include gestures, movements, songs and poems. The theme of the circle changes every couple of weeks. If there is a festival coming up, songs to teach the students about that focus area are incorporated. Other important elements in the circle are games, finger games, clapping games, counting games.
The children make a train before going to draw and they sing the drawing song. The pedagogues tell a story about a rainbow, a sun or the forest. Then the children clean up the crayons together with the pedagogues. After drawing the students have time for indoor free play where they enjoy from a range of natural materials and toys for creative play. After indoor play, the students tidy up the room together with the pedagogues. When complete they will leave the classroom for outdoor free play. The snack, typically yogurt and banana, is taken outdoors and is followed by story time. During story time a carefully selected tale is told supported by props to make the imagination come alive.
After the story all children and pedagogues go on a walk in nature. Some days a soothing bath is enjoyed in the nearby river. Other days it could be climbing the trees in the lush forest or visiting the neighboring farm lands.
Following the nature walk some sort of craft is made. It could be working for example with wool to make balls, yarn to make finger knitting or making a broom out of leaves and wooden sticks. Lunch is held at the beautiful wooden table indoors. The children help to set the table and there is always an element of nature on the table such as flowers, rocks or beautiful leaves. A song is sung prior to eating to bless the food and each other and good table manners is practiced. After the meal the children help in the chores of cleaning up and then the little ones take a much appreciated rest.