Unlike traditional educational settings where the teacher lectures at the front of the classroom, instructors at a Montessori academy serve more as guides and observers. This role is vital to the individualized instruction and classroom community that are at the heart of the Montessori method.
Below, we break down how the Montessori guide’s preparation and day-to-day actions result in self-reliant students with a love of learning.
Observing the Students
One of the key aspects of serving as a Montessori instructor is student observation. The teacher observes how each student engages with the classroom environment, educational materials, and their peers.
Instructors use these observations to find ways to enhance each child’s experience. They create learning plans that guide the student toward certain materials in accordance with their style and pace of learning. Proper observation skills ensure that the instructor meets the needs of each student while maximizing potential.
The Montessori teacher, frequently called a guide, does not force the child’s work in a certain direction. Instead, they provide materials that spark the student’s curiosity in personally beneficial ways.
Delivering Individualized Results
As an offshoot of observing the students, the role of a Montessori teacher is to individualize the educational opportunities at hand. Through direct observations, he or she will know when to provide individual or small-group instruction. They also know when to step back and allow a child to explore certain concepts alone.
Instructors determine the proper pace of learning for each student and introduce materials in a manner that gives them the best chance at success. As the child gains more confidence and skills, a Montessori guide can adjust the available materials to help them progress at a faster pace.
Each child receives the appropriate level of guidance and help required for individual success.
Serving As a Mentor
As part of building relationships with each student, the Montessori guide serves as a mentor by focusing on early social and emotional development. They also provide moral and ethical leadership for the children to develop in their own ways as they learn to navigate interpersonal dynamics in a group setting.
Through this mentorship, guides forge close ties with the students. The role of a Montessori teacher is to offer a supportive and nurturing environment while helping the students develop a deeper sense of self-reliance.
Cultivating Students’ Independence
Independent development has been a primary focus for the Montessori method since its beginnings more than a century ago. Each student will have specific interests, and the model helps them find and explore those interests. Unlike a traditional classroom where all students do the same things and advance at the same pace, regardless of their comfort level, the Montessori method encourages independent learning.
Even when instructors are working with small groups or with an individual student, they observe the other children participating in free play learning during these times. Instructors can see what interests them and how they interact on their own.
Setting Up the Classroom
A key role of a Montessori teacher in the classroom is creating a prepared environment for the students. When students visit the classroom at the start of each day, the instructor has materials in place to spark their curiosity. Students can then select whatever interests them on any given day. While this might seem random, by setting up the classroom in a certain way, instructors can be there to guide the students in educational directions that give them the best chance at success.
Students are more likely to delve deeper into subjects that interest them. Instructors find ways to create a classroom that’s appropriate for the development of each student and supports their educational journey. And while teachers don’t force them to go in a particular direction, they nevertheless understand where every student is on that journey and how to empower them as they go along at their own pace.
For schools with multiple instructors, collaboration between teachers is vital in finding just the right learning methods for each student. Teachers will compare notes and bounce ideas off each other to find ways to reach each student, developing tailored lesson plans accordingly.
Nurturing a Constant Love of Learning
Montessori schools focus on a child-centered approach to education with the hope of creating a lifelong love of learning. When students can select the areas that interest them, research shows they’re more likely to retain the information.
The role of a Montessori teacher isn’t to punish or praise students based on their results. Instead, the instructor guides the students along the learning journey, letting the students find the answers on their own and only helping when necessary.
Receiving rewards from the instructor after accomplishing tasks can cause students to focus on the love of receiving rewards. With the Montessori method, students learn that the reward is the ability to learn new information or skills. They become more excited to acquire new knowledge or dive deeper into a familiar subject.
Managing the Rules and Expectations
Even though the structure of the Montessori classroom is different from its traditional counterpart, rules and expectations are still part of the process. The instructor ensures that the students understand the rules by encouraging the balance between responsibility and freedom of expression.
The instructor helps students find a peaceful resolution to conflicts. They also set expectations that the students will put on their own coats and boots, clean up and organize their materials, and collaborate with their peers.
Our Montessori Guide Is Devoted to Enhancing Your Child’s Development
At Montessori Children’s House in Miami Lakes, FL, we understand the importance of the instructor. The role of every Montessori teacher is vital to the success of everyone involved. We focus on treating students and parents like part of our extended family with Christian ethics and values at the heart of everything we do.
To experience our unique learning environment for yourself, call us today at (305) 823-5632. You can schedule a tour and learn more about how we serve students from pre-school through age 9.