MONTESSORI |
TRADITIONAL |
Emphasis on: cognitive and social development |
Emphasis on social development |
Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom |
Teacher is center of classroom as "controller" |
Environment and method encourage self-discipline |
Teacher acts as primary enforcer of discipline |
Mainly individual instruction |
Group and individual instruction |
Mixed age groupings |
Same age grouping |
Grouping encourages teaching and helping each other |
Most teaching done by teacher |
Child chooses own work within limits |
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 wishes on chosen projects |
Child generally allotted specific time for work |
Child sets own learning pace |
Instruction pace usually set by group norm |
Child spots error by feedback of material |
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 |
Few materials for sensory exploration |
Organized program for learning care of self and environment |
Less emphasis on self care instruction |
Child can work where he chooses, move around and talk at will (yet not disturb work of others); group work is voluntary |
Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group lessons |
Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process |
Voluntary parent involvement |