In class this week we began discussing many of the very influential people within the history of our profession, and how all these theorists still find their ways into the classrooms of today through influence and power over generations. One particular theorist that has always stood out to me is that of Maria Montessori, and the idea of the Montessori classroom. In a Montessori classroom, the child is seen to be completely in control of their own learning, and is very much based on scientific observations of children, and attempts to develop children in all parts of their world, including social aspects, physical aspects, and emotional aspects.
Many of the things that Maria Montessori stated over her career resonate with my own beliefs of how a classroom should be run, including her quote, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher.. is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.” When reading this quote, I immediately thought to how I feel as an educator, that students should be able to lead their own learning and you are there as a guide, which is exactly what this quote is stating. In the Montessori view of a classroom, the teacher’s authority is still present, but not as strong, as we are not there to feed information, but to provide learning tools in order for information to be processed.
As I continue learning and growing as a future teacher, I find myself thinking about how I want my classroom environment to feel someday, and this is exactly it. I want children to feel independent and competent, and know that they are capable of learning whatever they put their minds to!
