“To aid life, leaving it free, however, to unfold itself, that is the basic task of the educator.”
In a Montessori classroom the place of the traditional teacher is held by a fully trained Montessori director or directress. Montessori directors have a teaching qualification as well as an additional Montessori teacher education diploma. The director is a guide or facilitator whose task it is to support the young child in his or her process of self- development. The director is foremost an observer, unobtrusively yet carefully monitoring each child’s development, recognising and interpreting each child’s needs, allowing them to develop self confidence and inner discipline.
The director provides a link between the child and the prepared environment, introducing the child to each piece of equipment when he or she is ready in a precise, clear and enticing way. On a broader level the director provides a link between the classroom and the parent, providing each child’s parents with information regarding their child’s progress. The teacher sets the example. They should to be: calm, consistent, courteous and caring. The most
important attribute of a director is the love and respect they hold for each child’s total being.
"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."
Beechworth Montessori School aims to:
- Acknowledge staff as one of the key ingredients in the provision of excellent education.
- Employ staff that are respectful, ethical and support Montessori philosophy.
- Recruit and retain teachers, assistants and ancillary staff of the highest calibre.
- Provide a professional and supportive workplace which encourages staff to grow personally and professionally.
- Provide staffing arrangements that enhance children’s learning.