Comparing Montessori and "Traditional" Education  

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Traditional Class

  • Textbook, pencil and paper, worksheets and dittos; few materials for sensory, concrete manipulation
  • Working and learning without emphasis on social development
  • Narrow, unit-driven curriculum
  • Individual subjects
  • Learning is reinforced externally by rewards and discouragements
  • Block time, period lessons
  • Assigned seats and specific class periods
  • Single-graded classrooms; all one age
  • Most teaching done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged
  • Students passive, quiet, in desks
  • Individual and group instruction conforms to the adult's teaching style
  • Students fit mold of school
  • Students leave for special help
  • Little emphasis on instruction on classroom maintenance
  • Product-focused report cards
  • Teacher's role is dominant and active; child is a passive participant; teacher-motivated
  • Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline


Montessori Environment
  • Prepared kinestetic materials with incorporated control of error, specially developed reference materials - multi-sensory materials for physical exploration development
  • Working and learning matched to the social development of the child
  • Unified, internationally developed curriculum
  • Integrated subjects and learning based on developmental psychology
  • Learning is reinforced internally through child's own repetition of activity, internal feelings of success
  • Uninterrupted work cycles
  • Freedom to move and work within classroom
  • Multi-age classrooms - three year span
  • Children encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other
  • Students active, talking, with periods of spontaneous quiet, freedom to move
  • Individual and group instruction adapts to each student's learning style
  • School meets needs of students
  • Special help comes to students
  • Organized program for learning care of self and self-care environment
  • Process-focused assessment, skills checklists, mastery benchmarks
  • Teacher's role is unobtrusive; child actively participates in learning; motivated by self-development
  • Teacher is primary enforcer of external discipline

Source:

North American Montessori Teachers' Association, The Essential Montessori (by Elizabeth G. Hainstock and A Child's Place Montessori Schools

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