Montessori says, “The first step to be taken in the preparation of the adult is a change in attitude”.
Rather look upon the young child as helpless, small and having to be ‘filled-in’ with knowledge and experience, Montessori discovered the power of the child and their ability, assisted by nature, to construct him/her self. On the other hand, the aim of the Montessori teacher (directress) is to develop the whole personality of the child through motor, sensory, and intellectual activity. But Montessori teachers do more than present curriculum. The secret of any great teacher is helping learners get to the point that their minds and hearts are open and they are ready to learn, where the motivation is not focused on getting good grades but, instead, springs from a basic love of learning. As parents know their own children’s learning styles and temperaments, teachers also develop a sense of each child’s uniqueness by developing a relationship over a period of years with the child.
In order to be a true teacher who ‘lead out’ the innate potentials in the young child, it is important to recognize and follow up the ‘Qualities of a good teacher’.
Qualities of a Montessori Teacher:
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Development of Self – knowledge: The first step towards becoming a Montessori teacher involves a person who has a realistic knowledge of self and is able to reflect objectively on his/her own capabilities and behaviour.
“The real preparation for education is the study of one’s self. The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more that the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit.”
Thus the training process not only includes the preparation of the teacher’s self but also the child. Therefore a Montessori teacher must be a growing person keeping her/his imagination alive.
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Understanding his/her (teacher) relations with children: the teacher needs to understand what it is that stands in the way between an adult and a child. The relationship between teacher and child is in the psychological realm. The teacher’s part and its techniques are similar to those of the valet; they are to serve, and to serve well, for example; if a child does a piece of work with great concentration, the teacher must keep out of the way, but if the child shows a wish for the teacher’s approval, than the teacher should give it generously.
The adult has not understood the child… … and therefore is in a continual strife with him the remedy is not that the adult should learn something intellectually,… … He must find a different starting point. The adult must find in himself the hitherto unknown error that prevents him from seeing the child as he is.”
Teachers should free themselves from the pre-conceived ideas concerning the levels at which the child may be. The teacher should see the child as single normalized type, and that this child before her will show his true nature when he/she finds a piece of work that attract and begin to concentrate.
It is necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, so that she may always be ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience.
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Adapting Passive attitude: Montessori stated that “The adult must recognize that he must take second place, endeavour all he can to understand the child, and to support and help him in the development of his life. This should be the aim of mother and teacher. If the child’s personality is to be helped to develop, since the child is the weaker, the adult with is stronger personality must hold himself in check, and taking his lead from the child, feel proud if he can understand and follow him.”
Through the methods of new education discovered by Maria Montessori, her focus was on the needs of the child (i.e. to develop his/her personality) and the role of an adult (parent or teacher). She felt that adult assume the child as an ‘empty vessel’ and weaker, on the other hand it makes adult strong and the creator of the child. Adult tend to shows their authoritarian and egocentric attitudes towards the child, which should be diminish. Montessori strongly believed that the teacher should put efforts to adapt the passive, active and influence role. She should approach children with humble nature recognizing their role as secondary one.
For example: when the child begins to show interest in the particular activity, the teacher should not interrupt, because this interest of the child correspondence with natural laws of development like Concentration and opens up a whole cycle of new activities. “as soon as concentration has begun, act as if the child does not exist” (the Absorbent Mind).
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Desire and Ability to observe child: To understand and follow up the child’s developmental process and progress, the teacher needs to play the role as an Observer. Especially when observing the whole child, means that it is important to watch what the child says and does. This technique helps the teacher to understand the particular feelings, attitudes about the child and also the progress of child’s learning and social interactions. As Montessori says; “The teacher must understand and feel her position of observer: the activity must lie in the phenomenon”. For observation, the teacher can do the following things.
- Greeting the child every morning as they come in, this will help the teacher to predict the child’s day.
- Observation on the first activity of the day for few minutes can show the direction to the teacher on the interests and needs of the child.
- The teacher should face the class, with back to the wall, when working with individual or groups. This helps the teacher to know what is going on in the class at every angle.
- As the teacher listens to children read to each other or having social interaction, she should always jot down quick notes on academic progress of the child.
- Reflect on the day. At the end of the day it is good to take 10 minutes to jot down any observation that were missed earlier.
Thus the role of a teacher as an Observer can give the teacher a lot of information’s about the child or children in the class. However, Montessori gave the following “guide to psychological observation” of the child, which reflects in three key areas. Basically it shows guidelines to make vital observations of the child through his Work, Conduct, and Obedience.
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Work: To observe ‘When a child begins to occupy him/her self for any length of time upon a task’.
- What the task is?
- How long the child is working on the task? (slowness in completion and repetition of the same exercise)
- To What tasks and How much perseverance the child applies during the same day?
- If the child shows sensitivity towards the tasks so for how many days it continues?
- How easily the child desire to progress?
- What task the child chooses in their sequence, working at them steadily?
- Any distraction from the environment makes the child to Continue or Resumes the task from which his/her concentration was distracted?
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Conduct: To observe ‘the state of Order to Disorder in the act of the child’.
- Disorder actions of the child?
- Change in behaviour during the development of the phenomena of Work?
- During the establishment of ordered actions there are: cries of joy; intervals of serenity; manifestations of affection?
- To observe the part the child takes in the development of his/her companions?
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Obedience: To observe ‘if the child responds to the summons (order to come or call upon) when he/she is called’
- When the child begins to take part in the work of others with an intelligent effort?
- When the obedience to summons become regular?
- When the obedience to order becomes established?
- When the child obeys eagerly and joyously?
- To observe the Relation of obedience in their degree with the above two phenomena? (i.e. development of work and changes of conduct).
These are the three areas, where the teacher can observe the child’s psychic development.
Other Qualities of the Montessori Teacher are as follows.
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Training of the Spirit: In order “To observe it is necessary to be trained.” The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more than learning of ideas. It included the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit. Training of the teacher for scientific observation is more than the mechanical skill of the scientist; that is, the direction of the preparation should be toward the spirit rather than towards the mechanism.
There are three elements involves in training the spirit:
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Interest in Humanity: the relationship between the children and the teacher should be a close personal one. The teacher should regard herself “as one that serves”. The teacher must limit her interference by leaving the child free to choose his/her work.
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To see children as Individuals: Montessori teacher should treat each child as an individual, unique and unlike any other. Different child has their own potentiality for life, whereas the teacher’s duty is to provide a prepared environment for his/her psychic development. Importantly each child is Loved and has the right to Be Loved.
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Faith: The Montessori teacher is constantly looking for a child who is not yet there. The teacher must have a Faith, that the child will reveal himself through work.
The Montessori teacher’s preparation position has, therefore, made a systematic view of the teacher’s role as an Observer that assists the child psychic development. Equally, it is also the qualities of the teacher that supports the role and responsibilities of a good Montessori teacher.
Bibliography:
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Montessori, M., The Absorbent Mind, chapter 27, Clio Press England, 1997.
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Montessori, M., The Discovery of the Child, chapter 10, Clio Press England, 1997.
