Montessori vs. Traditional

Montessori Method: 1. Emphasis is on cognitive and social development 2. Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom 3. Environment and method encourage self-discipline 4. Mainly individual instruction 5. Mixed age grouping 6. Grouping encourages children to teach and help each other 7. Child chooses own work 8. Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching materials 9. Child works as long as he wishes on chosen project 10. Child sets own learning pace 11. Child spots own errors from feedback of material 12. Child reinforces own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success 13. Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration 14. Organized program for learning care of self and environment 15. Child can work where he chooses, move around and talk at will (yet not disturb the work of others); group work is voluntary 16. Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process

Traditional Method: 1. Emphasis is on social development 2. Teacher is center of classroom as "controller" 3. Teacher is primary enforcer of discipline 4. Group and individual instruction 5. Same age grouping 6. Most teaching is done by the teacher 7. Curriculum is structured for the child 8. Child is guided to concepts by the teacher 9. Child is generally allotted specific time for work 10. Instruction pace is usually set by group norm 11. If work is corrected, errors usually are pointed out by the teacher 12. Learning is reinforced externally by repetition and rewards 13. Fewer materials for sensory development 14. Less emphasis of self-care instruction 15. Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group sessions 16. Voluntary parent involvement