Roots and Wings          Montessori

Some differences between Montessori and Traditional Preschools

The goal of both Montessori and traditional preschools is the same: to provide learning experiences for the child. The biggest differences lie in the kind of learning experiences each school provides and the methods they use to accomplish this goal. Montessori educators believe these differences are important because they help shape how a child learns, their work habits and their future attitude towards themselves and the world around them.

Montessori School
Emphasis on: cognitive and social development
Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom
Environment and method encourage self-discipline
Mainly individual instruction
Mixed age grouping
Grouping encourages children to teach and help each other
Child chooses work
Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching tasks
Child works as long as they wish on chosen project
Child sets own learning pace

Child spots own errors from feedback material
Child reinforces own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success
Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration
Organized program for learning care of self and environment (serving self food, wiping a table. etc.)
Child can work where they chose, move around and talk at will (yet not disturb work of others); group work is voluntary

Organized programs for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process.

Traditional Preschool
Emphasis on: social development

Teacher is center of classroom

Teacher acts as primary enforcer of discipline

Group and individual instruction
Same age grouping
Most teaching done by teacher

Curriculum structured for child
Child guided to concepts by teacher

Child generally allotted specific time for work

Instruction pace usually set by group norm
If work is corrected, errors usually pointed out by teacher
Learning is reinforced externally by repetition and rewards
Fewer materials for sensory development

Less emphasis on self-care instruction

Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group sessions

Voluntary parent involvement

American Montessori Society K.211