Montessori vs. Mainstream Ed

 Montessori  Mainstream
 Based on helping the natural
development of the human being.
Based on the transfer of a national
curriculum.
Children learn at their own pace and
follow their own individual interests.
Children learn from a set curriculum
according to a time frame that is the
same for everyone.
Children teach themselves using
materials specially prepared for
that purpose.
Children are taught by the teacher.
 Understanding comes through the
child's own experiences via the
materials and the promotion of
children's ability to find things out
for themselves.
Learning is based on subjects and
is limited to what is given.
 Learning is based on the fact that
physical exploration and cognition
are linked.
Children sit at desks and learn from
a whiteboard and worksheets.
 The teacher works in collaboration
with the children.
The class is teacher led.
 The child's individual development
brings its own reward and therefore
motivation.
Motivation is achieved by a system
of rewards and punishments.
 Uninterrupted work cycles. Block time, period lessons.
 Multi-age classrooms. Single-graded classrooms.
 Working and learning matched to
the social development of the child.
Working and learning without
emphasis on social development.