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The Child in a Montessori ClassroomJune 2, 2008 by Miss Norma | 2 comments

As I observe and learn about the children in my Montessori classroom I am more and more amazed of what children know. Children at this age are like sponges, they absorb everything. Everything they see and hear becomes part of them, they imitate it and try to understand it through their imitation of it. As a Montessori Primary teacher you need to be their model, do as you want them to do. You cannot show them something one way and not follow it. If you change it then they will change it too. For example, you cannot say you carry a chair with two hands and then when you carry it, carry it with one because first they will question you about it and then they will try to carry it that way too. You have to be consistent. The child is the one that leads the directress to what he knows and is ready to learn.

The directress is the one that follows and encourages the child to work with the materials he could be successful with. The child is the one that holds the key to each door and you are the one that shows them how to successfully open it.

When one opens the door for a child one shows them where to go and how to get there , but the child is the only one who can get there. He will get there at his own pace and his own way. The directress needs to observe him and let him lead the way. It always gives me great joy when I give a child a lesson and then they do exactly as I showed them and they say “I did it.” It also brings them joy and confidence to see that they can do it. Then they will do it again and again and do their own variations of it. The child in a Montessori classroom is as much the educator as is the directress. He educates the directress about him and what he is ready for.