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 |