Teacher role in Montessori

Montessori believed that “it is necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, so that she may be always ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience."

Montessori teacher is like a guide/ helper to the children. For better understanding a role of a teacher, we should know that there are two types of art of teaching; one is Productive and the other is Cooperative.

Productive Arts:

            In this art results are predefined as for example; activity of a shoemaker or tailor etc. always have the end product and without those, shoes and clothes can’t stitch.

Cooperative Arts:

            In this art the results or the end product is not predefined. This art is further elaborate in three common forms; Farming, Healing and Teaching. As without a farmer, doctor or teacher things can happen at their proper and particular time. They are helper to the given environment. 

The Teacher’s Role:

The key role of a teacher in Montessori classroom is:

Make children the center of learning: The Montessori teacher should not be a center of attraction for children or should not give a large group lessons many of times. Instead, make individual children the center of learning.

Giving new lesson: The new lesson should be comprehensive but brief, not like 1 or 2 hour continues lecture like in conventional school system.

Demonstrate a procedure for using a material: Teacher needs to demonstrate in an easy way for every new activity to perform or every new material to be used. Rest left to the children to experience themselves and learn with freedom.

Teachers are helpers and guides: Teachers responsibility is to wait and observe that if child need any help or guidance. They can help them by taking children’s permission.

Encourage children to learn by themselves: This can happen if freedom of choice given to children and also giving them a proper prepared environment.

Observe the child: In Montessori classroom, teacher is working with one or two children at a time. Their responsibility is to properly observe each child. They need to provide them proper material/ activity, proper instructions/ advise and give new lessons. Teacher needs to be polite and know that each child have a different sensitive periods.

Prepare the learning environment: This need to be done by best possible learning environment. By providing learning materials in low shelves and placed orderly.

Evaluate the children and environment: The teacher carefully observe each child and evaluate their progress and also evaluate the environment every day too.

Respect towards children: Montessori teacher need to be polite and friendly towards children. They should know that each child have different time span to learn anything. So no need to rush or empower things on children, instead of that give them respect and appropriate time to learn and grasp everything by their own.

Teacher should be supportive and non-judgmental: This is necessary for a teacher to be supportive and friendly towards children so that they can ask question easily from them. Teacher should not be judgmental or biased.

Good Communicator: Montessori teacher should be a good communicator among children and help children to learn how to communicate with elders.

Discuss children achievements: Teachers should discuss children’s achievement and success with their parents and with other teachers or staff. Children’s work properly displayed in classrooms so that they feel proud and happy.

Role Model: As children learn a lot from their mothers and then from their teachers. They should practice all progressive and positive behaviors themselves so that children can learn positive things. Teachers should practice clam, consistency and respect in the class.

Peace Educator: Teachers should project a peaceful environment. They need to be polite, courteous and helpful. Try not to practice any conflict kind of a situation in a class.

Diagnosticians: Teachers play a role of a diagnostician, as they keep a watch on children informally to get clues about each child. They have ability to diagnose and assess the learning problems of children. They identify the strength and weaknesses of each child.