The Traditional Approach vs. The Montessori Method
How does the Montessori program and curriculum differ from traditional schools and daycares?
| Traditional | Montessori |
|---|---|
| Emphasis on social development | Emphasis on cognitive and social development |
| Teacher is the center of classroom | Teacher has an unobtrusive role in classroom |
| Teacher enforces discipline | Environment and method encourage self-discipline |
| Same age grouping | Mixed age grouping |
| Most of the teaching is done by teacher | Grouping encourages children to teach and help each other |
| Activities structured for child | Child chooses own work |
| Child is guided to concepts by teacher | Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching materials |
| Instruction pace usually set by group | Child sets own learning pace |
| Learning is reinforced externally by repetition and rewards | Child reinforces learning by repetition and feelings of success |
| Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group sessions | Child can work where he chooses (yet not disturb work of others); group work is also encouraged |
