What Does It Mean To Be A Montessori Teacher And Why Is It Preferred?

Teachers have great importance as children and parents in the education system. Studies investigating teachers' views in methods other than traditional teaching methods are valuable sources of the method. In this study, it is aimed to reveal why teachers prefer to be a Montessori teacher rather than a teacher in a traditional classroom and what it means to be a Montessori teacher. Five teachers, aged 23 to 56, were enrolled in the study, which included children from different countries in Vilnius, Lithuania, and who worked in the Montessori school. The criteria for inclusion in the study group include working in Vilnius Montessori Preschool and becoming a certified Montessori teacher. Five teachers from the study group received the Montessori trainer certificate from the Montessori Teacher Trainer for Woodlands Training Center. The fact that the school was an international school was considered to be a good example of Montessori's universal definition of children. The main questions of the research are why teachers prefer to be Montessori teachers rather than teachers in a traditional classroom and what it means for them to be Montessori teachers. In this context, research has been carried out by qualitative research methods phenomenological design. The evaluation tools used in the research are the General Information Form and the Structured Interview Form consisting of 10 open-ended questions developed by the researchers who can clearly identify the research problem. These forms developed by the researchers were prepared in English. The data obtained from the interviews were coded using the open coding method. As a result of the study, it was seen that individuality, respect, mixed age group advantages and prepared environment themes were formed. Themes are discussed in the context of the researcher’s experiences, literature, the principles of Montessori Approach, researches. It was concluded that the teachers internalized the principles of Montessori and that being a Montessori teacher gained meaning for them according to these principles