Montessori
- Child sets own learning pace to internalize information
- Child works as long as he or she wishes on chosen project
- Child formulates own concepts from self teaching materials
- Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom activities: child is an active participant in learning
- Child chooses own work from interest and abilities
- Mixed age grouping
- Children are encouraged to teach, collaborate and help each other
- Child can work where he or she is comfortable, moves around and talks at will (yet disturbs not the work of others); group work is voluntary and negotiable
- Child spots own errors through feedback from material
- Learning is reinforced internally through a repetition of activity and internal feelings of success
- Instruction both individual and group, adapts to each child’s learning style
- Environment and method encourage internal self discipline
- Emphasis on cognitive structure and social development
- Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration
- Organized program for learning care of self and environment (brushing teeth, washing dishes after eating, responsible for keeping classroom clean, etc.)
- Parental involvement and understanding Montessori learning philosophy encouraged and offered
Traditional
- Instruction pace usually set by group norm or teacher
- Child generally given specific time period for work
- Child is guided to concepts by teacher
- Teacher has dominant, active role in classroom activity: child is a passive participant in learning
- Curriculum structured for children with little regard to child’s interest
- Same age grouping
- Most teaching is done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged
- Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions
- If work is corrected, errors usually pointed out by teacher
- Learning is reinforced externally by rote repetition and rewards/discouragements.
- Instruction both individual and group conforms to adult’s teaching style
- Teacher acts as enforcer of discipline
- Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development
- Fewer materials for sensory development and concrete manipulation
- Less emphasis on self care instruction and classroom maintenance
- Parental involvement minimal at outside events like fundraisers and no effort placed on parental understanding of learning process.