| Traditional Approach |
Montessori Approach |
emphasis on rote knowledge and social development
|
emphasis on cognitive structures and social development
|
teacher's role is dominant and active; child is a passive participant
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teacher's role is unobtrusive; child actively participates in learning
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teacher is primary enforcer of external discipline
|
environment and method encourage internal self-discipline
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individual and group instruction conforms to the adult's teaching style
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individual and group instruction adapts to each student's learning style |
same age grouping
|
mixed age grouping
|
most teaching done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged
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children encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other
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curriculum structured with little regard for child's interests
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child chooses own work from interests and abilities
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child is guided to concepts by teacher
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child formulates concepts from self-teaching materials
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child usually given specific time for work
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child works as long as s/he wants on chosen project
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instruction pace set by group norm or teacher
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child sets own learning pace to internalize information
|
errors corrected by teacher
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child spots own errors through feedback from material
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| learning is reinforced externally by rewards and discouragements |
learning is reinforced internally through child's own repetition of activity, internal feelings of success
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| few materials for sensory, concrete manipulation |
multi-sensory materials for physical exploration development
|
| little emphasis on instruction on classroom maintenance |
organized program for learning care of self and self-care environment
|
| child assigned seat; encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions |
child can work where s/he is comfortable, moves and talks at will (yet doesn't disturb others); group work is voluntary and negotiable
|
| voluntary parent involvement, often only as fundraisers, not participants in understanding the learning process |
organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process |
