Observation Guidelines for Elementary

 

Lyonsgate Elementary Observation Guidelines

Thank you for taking the time to observe in our environment. An observation is an opportunity for you to get a glimpse of how a Montessori environment functions. There are a few things to consider when you are observing in the classroom:

  • Please enter the school through the cloakroom by using the side gate and doorbell.   If you have a coat, bag or beverage with you, please leave these in the cloakroom.
  • The observation chair is placed in a specific spot in the classroom. This is the place where observers can view work occurring in different areas while allowing the environment to operate as usual with as little disruption as possible.
  • The guide will not be available to answer any questions during the observation; please ensure you make note of any questions to raise at your Parent-Teacher Conference.
  • The children may approach you. The best way to ensure that you are seeing an accurate depiction of the space is to politely say “Hello,” and tell them that you are here to see them do their work. Please refrain from engaging in conversation with them.
  • When your observation is complete, please quietly exit the classroom without interrupting the students to say goodbye.  We thank you for joining us, and hope that you thoroughly enjoy your time in the environment.

When you are observing, you may want to take some of the following questions into consideration:

  1. Are the children engaging in independent or collaborative work?  
  2. How do the older children engage with the younger children (and vice versa)?
  3. What examples of Practical Life tasks do you see occuring in the Elementary environment?
  4. Which other subjects do you see students investigating?
  5. How do the children resolve conflict?
  6. How do children transition from one activity to the next?