|
Montessori |
Traditional |
|
Emphasis on
cognitive and
social development |
Emphases on social
development |
|
Teacher has unobtrusive role in
classroom |
Teacher is center of classroom as "controller" |
|
Environment & method encourage
self-discipline |
Teacher acts as primary enforcer
of discipline |
|
Mainly individual instruction |
Group and individual instruction |
|
Mixed age grouping |
Same age grouping |
|
Grouping encourages children to
teach and help each other |
Most teaching done by teacher |
|
Child chooses own work |
Curriculum structured for child |
|
Child discovers own concepts from
self-teaching materials |
Child is guided to concepts by
teacher |
|
Child works as long as he feels
the need on a chosen project |
Child generally allotted specific
time for work |
|
Child sets own learning pace |
Instruction pace usually set by
group norm |
|
Child spots own errors from
feedback of material |
If work is corrected, errors
usually pointed out by teacher |
|
Child reinforces own learning by
repetition of work and internal
feelings of success |
Learning is reinforced externally
by repetition and rewards |
|
Multi-sensory materials for
physical exploration |
Fewer materials for sensory
development |
|
Organized program for learning
care of self & environment.
(Polishing, cleaning the sink,
etc.) |
Less emphasis on
self-care instruction |
|
Child can work where he chooses,
move around and talk at will (yet not disturb work of any others);
group work is voluntary.
|
Child usually assigned own chair;
encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group
sessions |
|
Organized program for parents to
understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning
process |
Voluntary parent
involvement-which is not always welcome. |