Dulles Montessori School

A COMPARISON OF MONTESSORI AND TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

Montessori philosophy differs from traditional school in primarily three ways :

Multi-aged classrooms that provide the opportunity for the young child to look to the older child for social and academic guidance. The older child gains a sense of responsibility and a high level of self-esteem.
Abstract ideas taught in a concrete way enabling the child to truly understand the concept.
An individualized program for each child where children are treated as individuals and their strengths are capitalized

Montessori Education	Traditional Education
Three-year age span	All one age
Motivated by self-development	Teacher motivated
Self-correcting materials	Teacher corrects errors
Hands on learning manipulating objects	Teacher lectures
Individual learning	Group learning
Teacher is observer & directress	Teacher is focal point & dominant influence
Cycles of activity completed within child's time	Activity cycles determined by set time
Few interruptions	Frequent interruptions
Freedom to move & work	Assigned specific class periods
Materials used in sequence with presentations	Materials used with no prior instruction
Work for joy and sense of discovery	Materials used with no prior instruction
Environment provides discipline	Teacher provides discipline
Encouraged to help each other	Seek help from teacher
Child chooses materials	Teacher sets curriculum
Child sets own pace	Teacher sets pace
Emphasis on concrete	Emphasis on abstract
Reality oriented	Much role-playing and fantasy
Recognition of individual sensitive periods	All children treated alike
Child free to discover alone	Teacher continuously guides child
Carefully organized environment	Materials placed at random
Multisensory materials to develop specific skills	Play materials for non-specific skills
Self education through self correcting materials	Use of reward and punishment in motivation
Respect of child foremost	Community needs take precedence