We know parents have lots of questions. That’s why we’ve created this FAQ, to explain how Montessori education works within Tawa School, what your child will learn, and how we support their development every day at Manaaki Montessori.
Let’s dive in!
Who can join the Montessori class?
Preference is given to children with at least 2 years of full-time Montessori experience either in a Montessori preschool or another Montessori primary school.
Students without prior Montessori experience are welcome to apply if there are available places. As part of the enrolment process, they will have their school records reviewed and may be invited to attend class visits and/or be observed in their current class. This helps ensure your child’s learning needs can be supported while maintaining a positive classroom environment where all students have equal access to teacher guidance and support.
Can my child enter the class when s/he turns five?
In Montessori education, children are generally ready to move into the Second Plane of Development (ages 6–12) around the age of six. We strongly encourage children to complete the full 3–6 year cycle at preschool, as the final year (often at age five) is when they consolidate their learning, develop confidence, and take on important leadership roles. This experience provides a strong foundation—academically, socially, and emotionally—for the next stage of their education.
As part of the transition process, Room 9’s teacher consults closely with your child’s preschool teacher to determine readiness. In some cases, a child may transition slightly earlier, but it is essential that they are ready to work with independence.
Our classroom is a multi-age environment where children up to age 12 learn together. For your child to thrive in this setting, they need to be able to manage their personal care, work routines, and classroom responsibilities independently. This ensures that the teacher can guide the whole group effectively and that your child feels confident and capable in their new community.
How does the Montessori class work with the rest of Tawa School?
Our class is simply known as Room 9, and we like to say we enjoy the best of both worlds. While our curriculum has a Montessori focus, we’re still very much part of Tawa School. Our students join in all school-wide activities—sports days, assemblies, visiting performers, school camps, and more.
Our Year 7 and 8 students also take part in “tech” classes alongside the rest of the school’s Intermediate team, so they experience the full range of opportunities Tawa School offers.
Are your teachers Montessori trained?
Our head teacher is AMI Montessori-trained, a fully registered New Zealand teacher, with decades of experience in Montessori primary classrooms in NZ and overseas.
The Montessori teacher also attends regular Professional Development. This includes MANZ conferences and NZ Curriculum-specific PD, where Montessori educators collaborate to ensure teaching remains up to date with curriculum changes while maintaining the integrity of Montessori principles.
How does the Montessori classroom meet the government requirement of one hour a day in maths, reading, and writing?
One hour a day in each subject does not necessarily mean sitting in front of a whiteboard, listening to the teacher for a full hour. In the Montessori classroom, as in the rest of Tawa School, we follow Cognitive Load Theory, which research shows is essential for optimal learning and retention. Lessons are broken into short, focused sessions that introduce key concepts and allow students to practise and consolidate skills without becoming overloaded. Younger students may begin with shorter activities (around 20 minutes), and as they grow, their stamina and ability to focus on longer work periods increases.
In a Montessori class, learning is not segmented into long blocks for individual subjects. Instead, students are free to move from one activity to another, giving their brains moments of intense focus followed by a gentler, reflective activity—all with the purpose of learning. For example, a student may spend 40 minutes on a challenging division exercise, then choose to spend the next 20 minutes quietly reading a book they enjoy. This prepares them for the next challenging activity or lesson, making their brains more receptive to learning. Sciences, Geography, arts, music and drama are woven beautifully into their literacy and maths learning.
What does a day look like in a Montessori Classroom?
Our mornings are built around at least 3-hours of uninterrupted work cycle, where students engage in hands-on learning with literacy and numeracy integrated across the curriculum. Activities offer structured, scaffolded and independent learning.
Sample Daily Schedule: How Reading, Writing, and Maths Might Fit into the Day
- 8:30 am – Classrooms open, students arrive; quiet work until the bell
- 8:55 am – Mat time, roll, greetings, notices, karakia
- 9:00 am – 12:20 pm – Morning work cycle may include a variety of 20-30 minute guided and independent activities and key lessons
- structured literacy/Grammar key lesson
- maths/geometry key lesson and equipment practise
- Great Stories/Science/history/social science activities (math & literacy across the curriculum)
- Arts/Music/drama (may also be integrated into maths and literacy)
- Guided or independent handwriting practice
- Guided or independent reading practise
- practical life activities (cooking or Going-out)
- self-chosen snack break and brain break – 10 mins each
- 12:20 pm – 12:40 pm – tidy-up then eat
- 12:40 pm – 1:20 pm – Lunch play with the rest of school,
- 1:20 – eat again
- 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm – Afternoon work cycle can include:
- Self-chosen project work
- Virtues/ Grace and Courtesy role playing (social skills)
- Te Reo lessons
- PE/ sports
- whole-school activities, assembly, library time
- 3:00 pm – Dismissal
Why doesn’t the Montessori class have breaks at 10:30am with the rest of the school?
Students are not required to play outside during the school’s morning tea break because the Montessori classroom follows a 3-hour uninterrupted work cycle. This gives children the chance to develop concentration and fully absorb their learning without disruption. Instead of stopping at a set time, students choose when to have a snack or take a short brain break, guided by class routines. Because they select activities based on how their brain is feeling, they naturally balance demanding tasks with lighter ones—for example, completing a challenging spelling activity and then moving on to drawing and labelling polygons. This approach builds self-regulation and decision-making, showing that breaks are most effective when taken intentionally—just like adults choose when to pause, rather than following others automatically.
If students are free to choose their work, how do you ensure children receive a well-rounded education in a Montessori classroom?
In a Montessori classroom, freedom is always coupled with responsibility. Children are encouraged to make choices about their work, but this process is carefully scaffolded. Students who need support with decision-making receive guidance, while those who are independent and self-directed have more freedom to choose what, when, and with whom they work.
Teachers use a variety of tools to ensure a balanced and comprehensive learning experience:
- Teacher conferences: Regular one-on-one meetings to review progress, set goals, and guide learning in all areas.
- Work journals: Children record their activities and reflections
- Printed curriculum: Provides a clear overview of expectations and learning goals for each subject area
- Reflections: on top of their regular journal reflections, they also reflect on their goals at the end of each term
This approach allows each child to take ownership of their learning while ensuring they engage with all areas of the curriculum.
Watch these videos to see a child explaining one of the tools to encourage responsibility and autonomy in class.
Do they have tests? How is my child’s learning assessed?
Room 9 follows school-wide assessment practices to ensure every child’s progress is monitored and supported. For senior students, standardised tests in literacy and mathematics are available such as PAT and DIBELs. Teachers use formative assessment, which means they observe, provide feedback, and adjust teaching to meet each child’s learning needs. Parents can also track their child’s learning and achievements through the Seesaw App, giving a clear view of progress, growth, and areas for further development.
How well do Montessori children integrate into a state high school?
From their time in the Montessori classroom, they know how to manage themselves and their work. They are academically well prepared to move onto a state high school.
Watch this video to see how Montessori children adapt and integrate into state Intermediate and High School settings.
Can I visit the classroom to see Montessori learning in action?
Yes, you are most welcome to book a classroom observation! This is the best way to see Montessori learning in action.
Book your observation, contact us.
Occasionally, the Manaaki Montessori Education Trust (MMET) also hosts Open Days for prospective parents to visit the classroom and meet the teacher. These events are advertised on the Manaaki Montessori Facebook page and shared with local Montessori preschools.