One of the contrasts between a traditional classroom and a Montessori classroom is the role of the teacher. When you enter a traditional classroom, you will typically find the entire class working on one specific lesson that was presented by the teacher. The children will often be completing worksheets or other methods of formal instruction in order to demonstrate their understanding of the lesson.

A Montessori classroom is different! When you first step into a Montessori classroom, you may not immediately notice the teacher. What you will see are children throughout the classroom working on a variety of Montessori materials either independently or with their peers. The children are allowed to choose the Montessori materials they will work on according to their individual interest and their level of readiness. (This is the principle of the Sensitive Periods.) A Montessori teacher will be in the background quietly observing the children as they work and watching each child individually as they engage in the materials. The focus is not on the teacher teaching, but rather on the children learning.

“The instructions of the teacher consist then merely in a hint, a touch—enough to give a start to the child. The rest develops of itself.” – Maria Montessori

In a Montessori classroom, the role of the teacher is to prepare and organize the environment according to the varying needs and interests of the children. The children explore their environment and the teacher observes them as they work. The children are shown how to do the Montessori “works” and then they are allowed to complete them on their own. They are encouraged and empowered to find their own solutions, and supported and assisted when necessary.

A Montessori teacher facilitates peace and order in the classroom while modeling desirable behavior. Their goal is to prepare and empower the children to be able to work on their own.

“We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.” – Maria Montessori

A child should see learning as something they do for themselves, not as something that is done to them. Then they will develop a love for learning that will extend far beyond the classroom!

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to be able to say ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.'” – Maria Montessori