Our Class
Known simply as Room 9, our class is part of Tawa Primary School and fully participates in school-wide activities. While guided by the teacher, students take an active role in running their classroom community—building independence, responsibility, and a strong sense of belonging.
History
Seeing their children thrive in a Montessori preschool environment, a group of parents formed the Manaaki Montessori Education Trust (a charitable trust) in 2000 and set out to establish a Montessori primary class alongside its founding teacher, Anna McLean (now the Principal of Primary at Wa Ora Montessori School). In January 2004, Manaaki Montessori was established at Tawa Primary School.
What began as a dream with just six students has grown into a full class that has withstood 20 years of changes in the education landscape. Today, we proudly offer quality Montessori education to families across Wellington’s northern suburbs, providing a nurturing, child-led environment where curiosity and independence flourish.
What happens in our Montessori Classroom
Our mornings are built around a 3-hour uninterrupted work cycle, where students engage in hands-on learning with literacy and numeracy integrated across the curriculum. This focus helps children develop concentration, confidence, and independence, while key concepts are introduced and scaffolded by the teacher as needed.
Sample Daily Schedule:
8:30 am – 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 (structured and scaffolded learning)
students choose when to have their snack break and an optional brain break withing the 3-hour work period.
12:10 pm – 12:30 pm – Tidy-up and prepare for lunch
12:30 pm – 1:20 pm – Lunch and play
1:20 pm – 3:00 pm – Afternoon activities: project work, PE, library, or creative learning
2:55 pm – Dismissal
“A good teacher does not have to be entirely free from faults and weaknesses… We must be taught and we must be willing to accept guidance if we wish to become effective teachers.”
Maria Montessori