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We tend to
think of a teacher as presenting lessons to an entire class of students at once
while standing at the front of the room. Montessori teachers operate very
differently. Their role is to observe each child and present individual lessons
when the child is ready for them. They spend their time moving quietly about
the classroom observing the class at work, helping a child choose something to
work on, presenting a lesson to one or two children at a time, answering
questions, and posing provocative questions that promote learning. They don’t
to have to spend much time managing classroom behavior because the children are
actively absorbed in doing activities they themselves have selected. Students
in a Montessori classroom tend not to act out due to restlessness or boredom because they are busy concentrating on their work. The teacher controls the environment, not
the children. A Montessori teacher is a guide, mentor and friend.