|
Montessori
|
Traditional
|
| Emphasis
on Cognitive and Social Development |
Emphasis
on Rote Learning and Social Behavior |
| Teacher
has classroom role in classroom activity; child is
an active participant in learning. |
Teacher
has dominant, active role in classroom activity;
child is a passive participant in learning. |
| Environment
and method encourage self-discipline |
Teacher
acts as primary enforcer of external discipline.
|
| Instruction,
both individual and group, adapts to each student's
learning style. |
Instruction,
both individual and group, conforms to the Adult's
teaching style. |
| Mixed
age groups |
Same
age groups |
| Children
are encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each
other. |
Most
teaching is done by teacher and collaboration is
discouraged |
| Child chooses own work
from interests and abilities. |
Curriculum structured
for child with little regard for child's interests. |
| Child
formulates own concepts from self-teaching
materials. |
Child
is guided to concepts by teacher. |
| Child
is allocated time to work on and complete lesson |
Child
generally allotted specific time for work |
| Child
sets own learning pace to internalize information. |
Instruction
pace is usually set by group norm or teacher. |
| Child
spots own errors from feedback of material |
Errors
in child's work highlighted by teacher |
| Learning
is reinforced internally through the child's own
repetition of an activity and internal feelings of
success. |
Learning
is reinforced externally by repetition, rewards and
punishment |
| Child
can work where he chooses, move about and talk at
will (yet not disturb work of others), group work
voluntary |
Learning
is reinforced externally by rote repetition and
rewards/discouragement.
|
| Multi-sensory
materials for physical exploration organizes program
for learning care of self and environment |
No
organized program for self-care instruction - left
primarily up to parents |
