Montessori vs. Traditional Education

Montessori Education

- Observing, judging, discovering

- Teacher in background
- Individual, small-group instruction
- Mixed-age grouping
- Cooperative interactions
- Self-Correcting Materials
- Individually-paced learning
- Many multi-sensory materials
- Emphasis on independence
- Emphasis on independent learning
- Movement in the classroom encouraged
- Choice maximized
- Self-motivation, self-discipline

Traditional Daycare

- Memorizing and reciting
- Teacher central in the classroom
- Large-group instruction
- Same-age grouping
- Competitive interactions
- Teacher corrections
- Group-paced learning

-Limited sensory materials
- Emphasis on conformity
- Emphasis on teacher-directed instruction
- Movement in the classroom discouraged
- Choices minimized
- Rewards and punishments