Typical Day
Mulberry Forest School morning session runs from 8:30 am - 12pm
Our full day session runs 8:30-3pm
8:30 a.m. Arrival
8:30-9:00 a.m. Mindfulness activity, morning meeting time
9:00-11:30 a.m. Montessori work period adjacent to Mattera Cabin
*Emphasis on English Language Arts (ELA) and Math blocks
11:45-12:15 p.m. Lunch
12:15-2:30 p.m. Land Stewardship-focused emergent work period in Forest
* Integrated Science and Social Sciences with emphasis on project-based and collaborative learning. Art, Music, Dance/Movement and Health Education will be built into these afternoon periods.
2:30-3:00 p.m. Afternoon meeting
3:00 p.m. Dismissal
Our day begins with a morning meeting, where children gather with educators (known as guides) to check in, ground themselves, and establish goals for the day. Morning and afternoon meetings allow children time to learn and practice important socioemotional skills, build community, communication skills, listening, drawing communication based on what they hear, and interacting in ways that are respectful and challenging.
Deriving from the Montessori approach, all children have an individualized learning plan, and the guides check in at or after morning meeting to review that children are aware of what learning or “work” (in Montessori language) they plan to engage with that day.
After the morning meeting, children enter the cabin to retrieve stored learning materials on the cabin’s upper level. The day begins with a one-hour math block, where children understand that they will be working on math-related tasks. Children take math materials outside and go about their learning tasks, individually or in small groups. The guides circulate among the children, offering mini lessons in a “three phase instruction” structure (see below). The guides observe and document student progress to better support their learning. An English Language Arts (ELA) block follows the math block, again with the same Montessori method.
True to Montessori principles, children will still retain flexibility to move among different learning activities and subjects, changing their learning materials for others during the morning independent work period. Based on accessibility research, we add learning blocks to offer predictability that can be important for diverse learners.
The children then break for lunch on the deck and areas behind the cabin, or under the pavilion when it rains.
The afternoon period consists of Montessori and emergent project-based learning in the Forest, integrating science, health, environmental education, and social studies. These projects will be built around emergent themes (e.g., seasonal change and ecosystem adaptation in the transition from Summer to Fall). The specific content will be facilitated by our skilled Lead Guides with an eye to drawing our specific learning outcomes around ecology, local history, contemporary governance, conservation, biology and physics. Particular themes and projects are determined by collective decision-making among children with support of the guide. These afternoon periods offer children ample opportunity to put into practice Math and ELA skills in a practical context in a way that encourages meaning and understanding of application, relevance and real world circumstances.
For example, children may construct an educational nature trail in conversation with the Conservation Commission. This project could involve writing a proposal for the project, measuring and complex math calculations, researching biology, social history, ecology to develop educational signs, applying art skills to design the signs, and ultimately constructing them and putting them up. This process is also physical education, whole child embodied learning, empowering children’s self-esteem and agency. Children will also practice various forms of critical reading and writing, encountering literature, poetry, scientific and historical texts, in relation to the learning experience.
The afternoon work periods also give the children the opportunity to practice collaboration and compromise, regulation and decision-making, among other important socioemotional learning skills.
On alternating days, we will intersperse arts instruction: music, dance, and visual arts. These subjects will be taught by our guides, also facilitated by local expert guest lecturers. One or two days a week we will incorporate Spanish language immersion through music and games with one of our guides.
Children will return to the cabin for afternoon meeting at 2:30 pm, where they will reflect on what was accomplished that day and begin setting goals for the following day.
Children and instructors will say goodbye to the forest for the day, to be picked up in the parking lot at 3:00 pm.
Our full day session runs 8:30-3pm
Schedule
8:30 a.m. Arrival
8:30-9:00 a.m. Mindfulness activity, morning meeting time
9:00-11:30 a.m. Montessori work period adjacent to Mattera Cabin
*Emphasis on English Language Arts (ELA) and Math blocks
11:45-12:15 p.m. Lunch
12:15-2:30 p.m. Land Stewardship-focused emergent work period in Forest
* Integrated Science and Social Sciences with emphasis on project-based and collaborative learning. Art, Music, Dance/Movement and Health Education will be built into these afternoon periods.
2:30-3:00 p.m. Afternoon meeting
3:00 p.m. Dismissal
Typical Day, Narrative Answer
Our day begins with a morning meeting, where children gather with educators (known as guides) to check in, ground themselves, and establish goals for the day. Morning and afternoon meetings allow children time to learn and practice important socioemotional skills, build community, communication skills, listening, drawing communication based on what they hear, and interacting in ways that are respectful and challenging.
Deriving from the Montessori approach, all children have an individualized learning plan, and the guides check in at or after morning meeting to review that children are aware of what learning or “work” (in Montessori language) they plan to engage with that day.
After the morning meeting, children enter the cabin to retrieve stored learning materials on the cabin’s upper level. The day begins with a one-hour math block, where children understand that they will be working on math-related tasks. Children take math materials outside and go about their learning tasks, individually or in small groups. The guides circulate among the children, offering mini lessons in a “three phase instruction” structure (see below). The guides observe and document student progress to better support their learning. An English Language Arts (ELA) block follows the math block, again with the same Montessori method.
True to Montessori principles, children will still retain flexibility to move among different learning activities and subjects, changing their learning materials for others during the morning independent work period. Based on accessibility research, we add learning blocks to offer predictability that can be important for diverse learners.
The children then break for lunch on the deck and areas behind the cabin, or under the pavilion when it rains.
The afternoon period consists of Montessori and emergent project-based learning in the Forest, integrating science, health, environmental education, and social studies. These projects will be built around emergent themes (e.g., seasonal change and ecosystem adaptation in the transition from Summer to Fall). The specific content will be facilitated by our skilled Lead Guides with an eye to drawing our specific learning outcomes around ecology, local history, contemporary governance, conservation, biology and physics. Particular themes and projects are determined by collective decision-making among children with support of the guide. These afternoon periods offer children ample opportunity to put into practice Math and ELA skills in a practical context in a way that encourages meaning and understanding of application, relevance and real world circumstances.
For example, children may construct an educational nature trail in conversation with the Conservation Commission. This project could involve writing a proposal for the project, measuring and complex math calculations, researching biology, social history, ecology to develop educational signs, applying art skills to design the signs, and ultimately constructing them and putting them up. This process is also physical education, whole child embodied learning, empowering children’s self-esteem and agency. Children will also practice various forms of critical reading and writing, encountering literature, poetry, scientific and historical texts, in relation to the learning experience.
The afternoon work periods also give the children the opportunity to practice collaboration and compromise, regulation and decision-making, among other important socioemotional learning skills.
On alternating days, we will intersperse arts instruction: music, dance, and visual arts. These subjects will be taught by our guides, also facilitated by local expert guest lecturers. One or two days a week we will incorporate Spanish language immersion through music and games with one of our guides.
Children will return to the cabin for afternoon meeting at 2:30 pm, where they will reflect on what was accomplished that day and begin setting goals for the following day.
Children and instructors will say goodbye to the forest for the day, to be picked up in the parking lot at 3:00 pm.