What Are The Characteristics Of A Montessori Teacher?

“The task of the educator lies in seeing that the child does not confound good with immobility and evil with activity”- Maria Montessori

Before we explain the characteristics of a Montessori teacher, the most important difference between a traditional teacher and a Montessori teacher is the level of trust Montessori teachers place within the abilities of the youngsters.

Being a Montessori teacher is not at all an easy task, it requires great patience and dedication. People from varied backgrounds come forward to become Montessori teachers, however, they all share a commitment for the full development of the child.

Following are some characteristics we think a Montessori teacher should definitely possess

• Observation Skills: A Montessori teacher needs to observe what the child does to guide him/her better. Proper observation gives a chance to see the child’s development and what skills they are working on.
• Leaning the child towards independence: In a traditional classroom model, we see that the teacher is at the centre stage and the students learn from the teacher and ask doubts if necessary, however, this is not the same with Montessori teaching. In a Montessori classroom, the children play the most important role. As a teacher, your main motive would be to guide them and direct them to self-reliance rather than spoon-feeding them.
• Ready to Learn: Even after taking a Montessori training course, you should always be ready to learn while you are teaching. You should possess this characteristic, as a good teacher should always be ready to learn from their mistakes which would transform you from good to best.
• Model Correct behaviour: When you are a Montessori teacher, you are involved with the kids continuously and they are always observing you. So, try to model proper behaviour in front of them and refrain from gossiping, complaining, or being too loud which can negatively impact the child.
• Taking Care of the Classroom: Classroom plays a centre stage in the Montessori method, so try to always take care of the classroom. As an educator, you should always tell the kids how they should clean their own spills, take their shoes off, put things neatly in the classroom. It’s a special place for them and they should be taught how to properly take care of it.
• Trusting the Montessori Method: When you are a Montessori teacher, you must trust the Montessori method. You need to give time to the children so that they are slowly accustomed to the Montessori method. The key is to be consistent and careful and allow the child to learn from the Montessori teaching method properly.
• Teaching Environment: In many cases, a child learns directly from the environment and other children in the classroom, instead of the teacher or the textbook. So, a Montessori teacher should create a well-prepared environment of learning and inquisitiveness designed to move students from one level to the other. Building a good teaching environment is an important characteristic of a Montessori teacher
• Never Criticizing: A Montessori teacher should never criticize a child for their failure to perform an activity properly. As a teacher, you should create a trusting atmosphere that would help the child’s personality to grow.

Summing Up

These are some of the characteristics of a Montessori teacher. However, there is no hard and fast rule that each Montessori teacher possesses these characteristics, but these are some general characteristics that are found to be effective in Montessori teaching. However, to become a Montessori teacher, you must take a proper Montessori Training course. You can pursue your course from IIMTT!