Montessori education vs. Traditional education

This weekend/week we will be finishing our makeshift classroom that we have designated in our home (pictures to follow). We felt it was important to designate a room strictly for school activities that way the kids understand can really get in the mood when its time for school.

We don’t designate a specific time for school since its child led education. We let them choose what they want to do within reason of course and I like to take real life and turn it into a learning experience… it doesn’t get more hands on then that!

My next few blogs I will explain what subjects we will be participating in and why we chose those subjects. For now I wanted to share with you a Montessori vs. Traditional education table to help you better understand the differences between the two.

The following table shows the differences between Montessori and traditional schools.

MONTESSORI

TRADITIONAL

1)    Three-year age span 2)   Motivated by self-development 3)   Self-correcting materials 4)   Hands on learning manipulating objects 5)   Individual learning 6)   Teacher is observer and directress 7)   Cycles of activity completed within child’s time 8)   Few interruptions 9)   Freedom to move and work 10) Materials used in sequence with presentations 11)  Work for joy and sense of discovery 12) Environment provides discipline 13) Encouraged to help each other 14) Child chooses materials  15) Child sets own pace 16) Emphasis on concrete 17) Reality oriented 18) Recognition of individual sensitive periods 19) Child free to discover alone 20)Carefully organized environment 21) Multisensory materials to develop specific skills 22)Self education through self correcting materials 23)- Respect of child foremost

1)    All one age 2)   Teacher motivated 3)   Teacher corrects errors 4)   Teacher lectures 5)   Group learning 6)   Teacher is the focal point and dominant influence 7)   Activity cycles determined by set time 8)   Frequent interruptions 9)   Assigned specific class periods 10) Materials are used with no prior instructions 11)  Work because you have to complete task 12) Teacher provides discipline 13) Seek help from teacher 14) Teacher sets curriculum 15) Teacher sets pace 16) Emphasis on abstract 17) Much role playing and fantasy 18) All children are treated alike 19) Teacher continuously guides child 20)Materials placed at random 21) Play materials for non-specific skills 22)Use of reward and punishment in motivation 23)- Community needs take precedence