How Maria Montessori describes the role of a Montessorian
“A special technique is necessary to the teacher who is to lead the child along such a path of discipline, if she is to make it possible for him to continue in this way all his life, advancing indefinitely toward perfect self-mastery.” -Maria Montessori, Montessori Method
From the works of Maria Montessori, we can see that the role of a Montessorian, through a means of scientific preparation, is to lead a life which aims to explore towards self-improvement both for him or herself and to inspire others to do the same. “The special technique” referred to in the quote above would be the passive approach of the Montessori guide to entice a child into enjoying a life of discipline, and positive self-construction, through his or her own independent interest, will and desire to improve and achieve developmental goals in the prepared environment.
How the Montessorian contributes to society and inspires others to do the same
In Maria Montessori’s book “The absorbent mind”, she speaks about how the world is being torn apart and can be repaired again through the power of education. The child, in relation to this, has inborn powers from birth known as potentialities, which were spoken about by Maslow, the creator of the hierarchy of needs, as well. These potentialities, when they are guided and encouraged by the Montessori adults and the prepared environment, lead the child through all learned behaviors according to his or her own personal tendencies and phases of development, until eventually growing into a man or a woman with an outlook and a purpose driven towards selfless endeavors to do with the healing of the world and of society. The raising of such a child is done through his or her own independent effort, which is provided the right opportunities, stimuli, and environment to grow from the careful observations and passive approach of the Montessori teacher.
Montessori explained that inside of the psychic world of each developing child is also a very acute type of teacher, which is a power that drives human beings to achieve goals and to therefore achieve efforts towards helping the world and society later in life as well.
It is through understanding how the work that drives every Montessorian, man and child alike, can be likened to the work of an inborn teacher, that we may honor teacher’s appreciation week in the Montessori approach by honoring our own innate moral desires, goals, and tendencies, as well as by trying to act out on them. In this way, not only do we honor ourselves as individuals but also the society we live in, all who helped to raise us and the goals of the work that was driven so fervently by Dr. Maria Montessori as well.
Our Montessori teachers are the heroes.