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Montessori education is unlike any other early childhood eduaction. Learning is an activity as opposed to the passive education found in many traditional schools. This does not mean the classroom is unstructured; rather the child’s learning experience is tailored to where they are in their educational journey. For this reason, the environment in the classroom is based upon independence and respect. However, students are encouraged to interact quietly with one another, helping each other learn and sharing interests. Students are not always working individually, but often utilizing teamwork as a useful tool to accomplish a task. The classroom is based upon cooperation and not competition; a child receives no grades based on their performance which further emphasizes the Montessori belief of emphasis on the process rather than the specific end product
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Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development.
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Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom activity; child is an active participant in learning.
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Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline.
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Instruction, both individual and group, adapt to each student’s learning style.
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Mixed age grouping.
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Children are encouraged to teach, collaborate and help each other.
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Child chooses own work from interests and abilities.
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Child formulates own concepts from self-teaching materials.
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Child works as long as he/she wishes on chosen projects.
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Child sets own learning pace to internalize information.
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Child spots own errors through feedback from material.
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Learning is reinforced internally through the child’s own repetition of an activity and internal feeling of success.
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Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration.
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Organized program for learning care of self and environment (Polishing shoes, cleaning the sink, etc.).
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Child can work where she/he is comfortable, moves around and talks at will (yet does not disturb work of others); group work is voluntary or negotiable.
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Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process.
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Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development.
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Teacher has dominant, active role in classroom activity; Child is a passive participant in learning.
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Teacher acts as primary enforcer of external discipline.
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Instruction of both individual and group conforms to the adult’s teaching style.
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Same age grouping.
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Teacher does most of the teaching and collaboration is discouraged.
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Curriculum structured for child with little regard for child’s interest.
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Teacher guides child to concepts.
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Child generally given specific time limit for work.
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Instruction pace usually set by group norm or teacher.
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If work is corrected, errors usually pointed out by teacher.
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Learning is reinforced externally by rote repetition and rewards/discouragements.
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Fewer materials for sensory development and concrete manipulation.
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Less emphasis on self-care instruction and classroom maintenance.
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Child usually assigned own chair: encouraged to sit still and listen during group discussion.
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Voluntary parent involvement, often only as fundraisers. Not participants in understanding the learning process.
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All activity is guided by a respect for the teacher, a respect for the work of others, and a respect for the materials themselves. Dr. Montessori never equated goodness with silence and immobility. Self-discipline, she felt, should be acquired gradually through absorption in meaningful work.
When a child becomes vitally interested in a classroom activity, his behavior almost always matures. If a child misbehaves in a Montessori classroom, the teacher usually helps him select work which will more fully absorb his attention.
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Important Forms:
