Respect

Maria Montessori emphasizes the importance of respecting the work that a child engages in and encourages us to try to understand them. She sees each child as an individual capable of accomplishing or learning how to perform tasks to become independent.

Step back for a moment and consider how having respect means allowing others (whether child or adult) to do things for themselves or discover their way of being, rather than imposing your will and way of doing things on them. Micromanagement takes a lot of energy. It is exhausting trying to bend everyone to your way. As a teacher giving a lesson to a child, you can show someone how you do something, then let them try, and allow them the space to discover their own way.

It is easy for me to recall my own experience of having my way of doing something criticized and my negative, resistant response to criticism. Some of us carry criticism wounds from our childhood that make us touchy and very resistant to this type of “teaching”. Yet if someone invites me to do a task with them and shows me how they do something and allows me to try along with them, I am much more receptive. Likely, I will learn from what I am shown and then add my flair to what I have learned and make the process my own. In turn, they may also learn something by showing me and then observing what I end up doing. This is one way in which teachers become better teachers is by observing their students and seeing the students’ ideas being added to their own.

Prepared Environment

Montessori Teachers should spend time preparing the environment for their students. In a classroom where children are working, the teacher observes how the students are responding to their environment and will be making notes regarding what is working or not. Is something hard for the student to get to? Is there enough space for children to do their work? What type of energy does the room seem to influence? Are the children interested in the activities? Is there an activity on the shelf that nobody is using, and why?

Look at your own home or work area. Like you observe children in a classroom, observe yourself in your space. How do you feel in your environment? Clutter can cause anxiety. It is very helpful to regularly make donations of things you are no longer using. What things do you have in your space that remind you of negative experiences? Maybe these things need to be purged. Can you reach the shelves you need to get to? Do you need to have a step-stool available? Continually adjust things and prepare your environment for your success.

If you have children in your home, it is important to prepare an environment for them as well to encourage their independence, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Some Montessori homes even have a small fridge that may give a child access to snacks or drinks they can get for themselves. short shelves, accessible dishes, and cleaning supplies. I cannot stress the importance of having your children be part of a community that cares for the environment. They get a lot more from the experience of being part of the family community instead of being served, and that works best when the home environment is created with them in mind.

Humanitarian values

Maria Montessori said, “The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.” In a Montessori classroom, the teacher promotes peaceful resolutions, conversation, expression of feelings, empathy for others, internal discipline, and, most importantly, models these principles to their students. This is an important area in which to align yourself. In your life, are you seeking peaceful resolutions to problems? Are you engaging in meaningful conversations, looking for agreeable solutions with others? Are you expressing your feelings healthily? Are you considering other people’s feelings? What do you do to practice internal discipline? In a world so full of conflict, as Montessorians, we should be doing our best to be a beacon of peace and hope for the people in our lives.

Having a positive outlook and looking for the good, focusing on love and kindness, can make a difference in your life and the people around you. Take time to be present in nature. Look at all the beauty. Make sure to seek good things to fill your soul and don’t allow yourself to get sucked into negativity. I do not mean to be naive or avoid all that may be going on, but try to stay balanced and make sure positivity can permeate into your soul so you can share it with others.