Montessori emphasizes
learning through all five senses, not just through
listening, watching, or reading. Children in
Montessori classes learn at their own, individual
pace and according to their own choice of activities
from hundreds of possibilities. Learning is an
exciting process of discovery, leading to
concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a
love of learning. Montessori classes place children
in three-year age groups forming communities in
which the older children spontaneously share their
knowledge with the younger ones. Montessori
represents an entirely different approach to
education.
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Montessori
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Emphasis on cognitive structures and
social development
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Teacher’s role is unobtrusive; child
actively participates in learning
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Environment and method encourage
internal self-discipline
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Individual and group instruction adapts
to each students learning style
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Children are encouraged to teach,
collaborate and help each other
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Child chooses own work from interests
and abilities
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Child formulates concepts from
self-teaching materials
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Child works as long as s/he wants on
chosen project
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Child sets own learning pace to
internalize information
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Child spots own errors through feedback
from material
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Learning is reinforced internally
through child’s own repetition of
activity, internal feeling of success
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Multi-sensory material for physical
exploration development
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Organized program for learning care of
self, others and environment
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Child can work where s/he is
comfortable, move and talk at will (yet
doesn’t disturb others); group work is
encouraged
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Traditional
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Emphasis on rote knowledge and social
development
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Teacher’s role is dominant, active child
is passive participant
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Teacher is primary enforcer of external
discipline
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Individual and group instruction
conforms to the adults teaching style
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Most teaching is done by teacher and
collaboration is discouraged
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Curriculum structured with little regard
to child’s interests
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Child is guided to concepts by teacher
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Child usually given specific time for
work
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Instruction pace set by group norm or
teacher
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Errors corrected by teacher
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Learning is reinforced externally by
rewards, discouragements
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Few materials for sensory, concrete
manipulation
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Little emphasis on instruction or
classroom maintenance
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Child assigned seat; required to sit
still and listen during group sessions
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