“An ordinary teacher cannot be transformed into a Montessori teacher, but must be created anew, having rid herself of pedagogical prejudices.” — Maria Montessori
Being a regular teacher isn’t a walk in the park. I can tell you that. Being a Montessori guide…well… let’s just say they are not quite the same. After earning my degree and teaching for a couple of years, I got curious about preschoolers and how they are taught. At this stage, I had taught both primary and secondary school students over a period of time. But teaching the preschoolers somewhat gave me the heebie-jeebies. Anyway, I rose up to the challenge and encouraged myself with Elvis Presley’s song, “It’s now or never…” And here I am! I heard about the Montessori Method and decided to learn about it.
Unlike traditional schools, children in the Montessori environment are allowed to learn at their own pace. The child is given the freedom to explore his interests which will meet his needs. In the traditional classroom, the teacher has the primary task of directing the children to follow a particular path and children are evaluated through tests. In the Montessori classroom, a love of learning is cultivated in the children and they derive joy in doing just that.
