The prepared environments and the role of the teacher in the classroom distinguishes Montessori from other educational approaches. At Montessori School of Rochester the teacher spends the day giving presentations or representations of activities available on the shelves; meanwhile, children not actively engaged in a presentation will be working independently, getting their own snack, or going to the bathroom when the need arises. This freedom fosters responsible behavior under the guidance and verification of watchful adults. By giving children responsibility for their behavior, to the extent that they are capable of acceptably responding to it, self-control and an internal set of guidelines are established as part of the child’s personality. The special environments enable children to explore qualities of materials through various tasks which induce thinking about relationships. The prepared environment also offers practical occasions for introducing social relationships through free interaction; the logical, sequential nature of the programs and curriculum provides orderly structure that guide discovery. ...read more