Play in the Transition Class is less informal.  After the age of six certain ambitions grow and must be satisfied.  The aspects of life are more separated, and concentration on individual ones is commoner; this means more separation into subjects, and thus a child is more willing to be organised, and to have his day to some extent arranged for him.  While in the nursery class only what was absolutely necessary was fixed, in the Transition Class it is convenient to fix rather more, for the sake of establishing certain regular habits, and because it is necessary to give the freshest hours to the work that requires most concentration.  We must remember, however, that it is a transition class, and not set up a completely fashioned time-table for the whole day.  Reading and arithmetic must be acquired both as knowledge and skill, the mother tongue requires definite practice, there must be a time for physical activity, and living things must not be attended to spasmodically.  Therefore it seems best that these things be taken in the morning hours, while the afternoon is still a time for free choice of activity.

The following is a plan for the Transition Class, showing the bridge between absolute freedom and a fully organised time-table—­

MORNING.  AFTERNOON.

Monday   |Nature |Reading    |Stories from       |Organised games and
|work.  |and Number.|Scripture or other |handwork.
---------|Care   |-----------|literature, and    |-----------------------
Tuesday  |of the |Reading    |stories of social  |Music and handwork.
|room.  |and Number.|life; music and    |
---------|Nature |-----------|singing; industrial|-----------------------
Wednesday|chart  |Reading    |activities such as |Excursion or handwork.
|and    |and Number.|solving puzzles,   |
---------|General|-----------|playing games of   |-----------------------
Thursday |talk.  |Reading    |skill, looking at  |Dramatic representation
|       |and Number.|pictures, arranging|including preparations.
---------|       |-----------|collections.       |-----------------------
Friday   |       |Reading    |                   |Gardening or handwork.
|       |and Number.|                   |

Granting this arrangement we must be clear how play as a method can still hold.

It does not hold in the informal incidental sense of the Nursery School:  there are periods in the Transition Class when the children know that they are working for a definite purpose which is not direct play—­as in reading; and there are times when they are dissatisfied with their performances of skill and ask to be shown a better way, and voluntarily practise to secure the end, as in handwork, arithmetic and some kinds of physical games.  The remainder is probably still pursued for its own sake.  How then can this play spirit be maintained side by side with work?