At traditional schools the teachers are the focus of the attention, but in the centers of education under the Montessori´s Method, it is different. Teachers are guides that are responsible for observe and follow the child and create a well prepared environment of learning. Teachers are called “guides” for this method and they are trained for help children to succeed by themselves. The emphasis is on the person learning, not on teachers teaching.
Taking students to the next level of learning is one of the activities of the guide, who remains a step back while the children are working, allowing them to learn from their own discoveries and come to their own findings. Instead of giving the answers, teachers ask Montessori children how they would solve a problem, thus students learn by experience.
The information given by the guide to the group of children must be precise and brief, so they feel the curiosity to investigate and learn much more by their own. More than consider the plan of lessons, Dr. Montessori believed that the most important is the child as a person and his interests, progress, behavior and mood. And the teacher as an integral human being that knows about many subjects and besides is capable of motivate, inform, work with small groups and lead children to a real learning without restrictions. As Dr. Montessori wrote in The Absorbent Mind: “The teacher, when she begins to work in our schools, must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work. She must free herself from all preconceived ideas concerning the levels at which the children may be. The many different types of children…must not worry her…The teacher must believe that this child before her will show his true nature when he finds a piece of work that attracts him. So what must she look out for? That one child or another will begin to concentrate”.
In the Montessori Method the guide must be tidy and clean, she should take care of the environment since the first moment she enters in the classroom until she goes it. Everything in the classroom must be organized and in perfect condition, she must be aware of her role as model, her influence is indirect but the children are capturing her signals all the time. As the activities develop, the teacher can interfere if it is necessary, she can sing, read stories, use poetry, anything she considers useful for the learning process and motivation.
Educators who want to teach under Montessori´s Method must follow the words of the creator of this theory: “in our system, the mistress does nothing more than facilitate and make clear to the child, the very active and prolonged work which is reserved for him, in choosing objects, and employing himself with them.” Also teachers must have always in mind that, as guides…
- They must observe their students and interpret their needs and evaluate their progress.
- Are the engines to facilitate children´s independence, letting them to choose the activities they like or feel closer to their interests.
- They must prepare the environment and also modify it looking for meet the requirements of each child, adding or removing materials.
- They know their limits, it is, how to respect and protect their students’ independence, they know exactly when intervene or interfere.
- They facilitate communication in the group and help the children to talk about their necessities and feelings.
- They motivate, communicate freely and show security, stability, acceptance, support, courtesy and calm to the children.
- They can interpret patterns of development and behavior and be peace educators who teach how to solve conflicts using kindness and courtesy.
- They are models that greet the children every morning and they know that their purpose is not to entertain but facilitate connections between kids.
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