All new human beings, from conception to maturity, form themselves taking from the environment (the womb, the home, the school and community) the materials for self construction. We adults prepare and provide these environments upon which the children's work depends.
The Montessori classroom is prepared to help children accomplish their goals in their own manner, whether we call it work or play.
Gradually the children reveal qualities for which they are not usually given credit, such as:
Montessori classrooms are designed for a three year age mix, which allows for both individual and social development; younger children models for imitation and the older ones have the opportunity to reinforce their own knowledge by helping the younger ones.
Children work in a class composed by various abilities cultures and interests. This allows them to work at their own pace.
The Montessori classroom prepares children to take the responsibility for their own education, giving them the opportunity to make choices and become unique individuals.
The use of individual materials permits a varied pace that accommodates individual lessons at many levels of ability in the classroom. The child's interest grows leading to one level of complexity to another.
The classroom is a specially furnished environment designed to support the child's need for purposeful activity. It is a children's house:
Montessori teacher's primary role is not to merely transmit information from a prepared curriculum, but rather to help children to act and think for themselves, creating an atmosphere of calm, order and joy in the classroom to develop self-confidence and inner discipline.
The teacher demonstrates the correct use of materials, carefully watches the progress of each child and keeps a record of his/her work.
The AMI Montessori teacher serves as a link between the children and the prepared environment, encouraging respect, curiosity, creativity and responsibility.
The role of the teacher is that of an observer and guide whose ultimate goal is to intervene less and less as the child develops; knowing how to observe constructively and when, and how much, to intervene, is one of the most important talents the Montessori teacher acquires during a rigorous course of training at AMI training centers.
