The Montessori Difference
The American Montessori Society offers the following comparisons between Montessori and Traditional Education.
Montessori vs. Traditional Education #1
Montessori:
Teacher’s role is unobtrusive; child actively participates in learning
Traditional:
Teacher’s role is dominant, active, child is a passive participant
Montessori vs. Traditional Education #2
Montessori:
Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline
Traditional:
Teacher is a primary enforcer of external discipline
Montessori vs. Traditional Education #3
Montessori:
Individual and group instruction adapts to each student’s learning style
Traditional:
Individual and group instruction conforms to the adult’s teaching style
Montessori vs. Traditional Education #4
Montessori:
Child formulates concepts from self-teaching materials
Traditional:
Child is guided to concepts by teacher
Montessori vs. Traditional Education #5
Montessori:
Child sets own learning pace to internalize information
Traditional:
Instruction pace set by group norm or teacher
Montessori education is a method of instruction developed by Dr. Maria Montessori which seeks out and capitalizes on the unique developmental stages of children using a child-centered, hands-on, individualized, respectful and engaging approach to learning.
Look who credits Montessori school as a key to their unprecedented success:
