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