The Montessori Director / Directress

"The teacher's task is no small or easy one! He has to prepare a huge amount of knowledge to satisfy the child's mental hunger, and he is not, like the ordinary teacher, limited by a syllabus. The needs of the child are clearly more difficult to answer."

Doctor Maria Montessori chose the name Directress to differentiate teachers from Montessori teachers who facilitate and guide.

The basic principle of Montessori Education is respect for the child in the learning process. It is as much an acute understanding of how children acquire knowledge, as it is helping them to discover the knowledge that sets the Montessori teacher apart. Montessori teachers regard themselves as facilitators who present knowledge at the right stage in a child's development. They are patient and encouraging people who place great importance in preserving the child's self esteem in a non-competitive classroom environment. They prefer to work with the children individually, are sympathetic to their learning needs, and each child can see his or her progress.

To become a Montessori practitioner requires extensive specialised Montessori studies in addition to any tertiary qualification they may have. Above all they have a respect for children as individuals and their potential to learn.