Spiritual Development Of Montessori Teacher

One element that separates Montessori education from mainstream teaching methodologies is our holistic approach to teaching. We are not satisfied with simply teaching children to read, write, and recite geography lessons- though Montessori students do these things beautifully. We aim higher; we endeavor to nurture children in a way that allows their best selves to emerge. We create environments that foster creativity, curiosity, independent thinking, community skills, emotional intelligence, wonder, and joyful concentration. In our parent-teacher meetings, we discuss not only a child’s academic progress but also her interpersonal, emotional, and even spiritual development. Our aim is to help children become academically proficient and to help them step into the best parts of themselves. We work to nurture their entire beings.

In order to do this lofty work, we need to prepare ourselves in ways that mainstream teachers might easily neglect or avoid. As Montessori stated, “The first step an intending Montessori teacher must make is to prepare herself” (1995, p. 276). The best way for us to teach compassion, wonder, joy, and connection is to embody these things ourselves. This takes practice, it takes dedication, and it takes willingness to change. Who we are and how we embody spiritual qualities like patience, courage, and self-respect are essential elements of our work. We need to prepare ourselves just as we prepare other integral aspects of the child’s environment.

Spirituality also involves looking deeply within to bring self-knowledge, healing, and growth to our entire beings. Spirituality is the process of discovering what a good and meaningful life is, and making any changes necessary to live that life. It is working to enhance our personal evolution so that we can be our best selves more of the time. In doing this, we diminish our suffering and increase our health and joy. So, as I see it, the spiritual jour- ney is a quest for deep self-knowledge, and it is an undertaking of constant self-refinement; in tandem, these efforts contribute to our overall health and joy. In yoga, we use a Sanskrit word for this concept-Satchitananda- which means the consciousness and creative joy that is connected to clearly perceiving reality. …