Scheduling for Independence: Why Time Matters

05/30/2023

Scheduling for Independence: Why Time Matters

Present moment. Beautiful moment.
Thích Nh?t H?nh, 1926-2022, Zen master

“Supporting children to make choices requires teachers to think intentionally about their daily schedules and to consider how they support children’s right to choose and linger with materials,” write Lisa Porter Kuh and Iris Chin Ponte in their book, Complementary Curriculum: Transform Your Practice through Intentional Teaching. They continue:

In order for children to have enough time to explore the choices offered to them, they need sufficient blocks of open time. An appropriate amount of time for classroom choices should be at least one to two hours, because that gives children and teachers enough time to dig into their endeavors. Montessori classrooms often have a two-and-a-half to three-hour work cycle or open play period. Long stretches of open play and exploration are also common in Reggio-inspired classrooms. The goal is that during choice time, children will take up and pursue a range of activities— independently, with peers, and with teachers—as opposed to being assigned to an activity by an adult…It’s important to develop a schedule that is both predictable and flexible. Children feel more settled in an environment where they know what to expect and know their needs will be met.

Later they add,

In the same way that children feel a sense of empowerment by being able to take care of classroom materials, they also derive a sense of agency when they have the opportunity to make choices, have enough time to engage with materials, and are in charge of their own learning. Teachers benefit too from the additional time to observe children and support their work. All this contributes to what the settled classroom looks like—a place where children pursue their own interests, stay engaged with an idea or project, and persevere when their work gets challenging.

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