Montessori | Traditional |
| Three year span | All one age |
| Motivated by self-development | Teacher Motivated |
| Ungraded | Graded |
| Self-correcting materials | Teacher corrects errors |
| Children learn by handling objects and teaching themselves | Teacher lectures |
| Individual learning | Group learning |
| Teacher is observer and director | Teacher is focal point and dominant influence |
| Child completes “cycles of activity” | Activity cycles determined by set time |
| Few interruptions | Frequent interruptions |
| Freedom to move and work within classroom | Assigned seats and specific class periods |
| Emphasis on more cognitive learning | Postponement of 3R’s, emphasis on social development |
| Quiet by choice and out of regard for others | Quiet enforced |
| Materials used for specific purpose with sequence of steps | Materials used in many ways without previous instructions |
| Work for joy of working and sense of discovery | Work because they are told to |
| Environment provides discipline | Teacher provides discipline |
| Encouraged to help one another | Seek help from teacher |
| Child chooses material | Teacher sets curriculum |
| Child sets own pace | Teacher sets pace |
| Emphasis on concrete | Emphasis on abstract |
| Reality-oriented | Much role-playing and fantasy |
| Specific place for materials, sense of order | Random placement, not necessary to return to specific place |
| Child provides own stimulus to learning | Teacher provides |
| Child-centered learning environment | Teacher-centered |
| Self-education through self-correcting materials | Use of reward and punishment in motivation |
| Recognition of sensitive periods | All children treated alike |
| Multisensory materials to develop specific skills | Play materials for nonspecific skills |
