Empowering Your Team To Grow

By Diana Bradley, Executive Director for the Montessori Society AMI (UK)

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

Maya Angelou

Every adult in a Montessori environment has the role of teacher put on them – they are required to know how to support children to follow their interests and be a model for exploration and imitation. As one Montessori guide and parent once said, “when my 3 year old is only this tall in a sea of legs, how does she know which legs are trained? The answer should be that it doesn’t matter because every adult in the environment is trained.”

Dr. Montessori’s idea that everyone in the classroom can teach extends to the adults as well as the children. A potential threat to the harmony of Montessori communities exists when the definition of ‘trained’ becomes a polarising force among teams. Tensions may also be intensified by the attention that must be paid to qualification levels and ratios.

It becomes apparent that guides and assistants have an obligation to regularly check in with one another, to spend time structuring and sharing their knowledge and discoveries so that the teams’ talents are evenly spread and the children enjoy an equitable learning environment at all times. With this approach, the effects of staff shortages, sickness and holidays can be mitigated by a shared vision, shared practice and ongoing dialogue.

Diana Bradley joins us in our January Musings webinar on Tuesday 24 January at 19.00 (UTC – London time) and will discuss some of the key components of the Montessori Coaching course. She will explore tools that deepen connections with the work, strengthen collaborations and capture creativity in a communicable and arresting way. Your team will be inspired to claim ownership of their individual growth and to be responsible for each other professionally, for the good of whole. Register here for the webinar.

Diana Bradley has enjoyed more than 25 years of working with children, families and teachers. She holds Montessori diplomas at the 0-3 & 3-6 levels, a 6-12 certificate and is completing an MA in Education with Montessori. Diana currently serves as Executive Director for the Montessori Society AMI (UK) and is excited to soon be a grandmother.

You might also like our previous blog post and webinar recording on The Evolution of a Montessori Guide.