A Day at Stepping Stones
from the perspective of First Grader, Fay

I’m so excited about school today because it’s Thursday, Land of Oz Club day! I’ve remembered my Munchkin Land costume and I can’t wait to show it to Miss Jen after school. Daddy kisses me at my classroom door and I am off! Last year I was in Miss Jen’s classroom so I still like to show her my outfits. There’s Miss Carrie, my new teacher! I wonder if she will sing me a silly song today, like “What a Difference You’ve Made in my Life!”

“Miss Carrie, should I take out my journal or my math practice book?,” I ask. “It’s up to you,” she says. I want the math first today. Last week, I finished my Montessori math workbook and I got a Saxon math book to work at on my own! Now I can do the Bank, use the bead cabinet, play math games, and have Saxon math like my older friends! Only I am in the classroom right now because I’m a few minutes early. Whoops! No, I’m not. There’s Ian, Miss Carrie’s son. Sometimes he makes me laugh. He is using a ruler to measure a shape in his Saxon math book. I’m going to do more than two pages in my book today. I’m going to do three, maybe four!

Now everyone has finished their math and journals and it is snack time. Miss Carrie is looking for more salt for kids to put in the floating egg experiment. She needs a lot of salt. I put 17 teaspoons in the cup yesterday, and the egg floated! My hypothesis was correct! Salt water does make things float. All of a sudden, Miss Carrie announces, “Fay, you’re the classroom manager today. Can you go ask Miss Jen if she has more salt?” Me? I’m the manager! Yay! I rush to Miss Jen’s classroom. Oh, there is Lucy. She’s almost 6. She’ll be in my classroom next year. Wow. She just read all of her /um/ words at the movable alphabet. Oh, and there’s Jordan. He is putting the numbers on the hundred board. I can do that whole board now! It used to be hard for me. Miss Jen gives me a hug and asks, “What do you need, sweetie?” I get a salt shaker and rush back to give it to Miss Carrie. There isn’t enough salt so she sends me to Mr. Mike’s older kids’ classroom.

They are very busy. Should I go in? They are reading papers out loud to the class about something. Raymond is reading that the South should separate from the Union to protect states' rights. Ariana stands up and shouts, “But we must remain one country, one United States of America!” I’m not sure what they’re yelling about, but it sure looks fun. I watch for a minute or two. Mr. Mike sends me to the Multipurpose room cabinet for salt. In here, there are violins playing a beautiful song together with Miss Betsy, their teacher. I loved it when the violins played Silent Night in our holiday show. Tessa played the piano. Alex was so funny in the Cold Miser song.

Well, I’ve got to get back with the salt. It will be Montessori work time soon. I’m going to use the continent mat to learn my South American landforms. And Jordan gave me a good idea. I want to see how quickly I can do the hundred board now that I’m 6!

“Free the child’s potential, and you will transform the world.”

—Maria Montessori