Montessori
Traditional Day Care/Pre-School vs. Montessori
The Montessori Method is an inclusive educational style in which classrooms are made up of 'prepared environments' with manipulative and instructional items to keep kids interested in learning. While a teacher guides them in a setting built to facilitate both autonomous and student-initiated work, children discover the delights of learning.
A teacher educates a group of pupils rather than guiding and supporting them through the learning process in a typical classroom environment. In a Montessori classroom, each student is guided by the teacher as he or she masters the ideas or abilities required to meet and surpass grade-level expectations.
The Montessori environment nurtures and supports a venue where a child may develop intellectual and emotional intelligence at their own pace, as illustrated in the table below.
| Montessori Setting | |
|---|---|
| The focus is on cognitive growth. | Social development is emphasized. |
| Individual training and guidance are the norm. | Instruction is typically given in groups. |
| Mixed-age classes | Age-related groups |
| The youngster determines the learning pace. | The group norm determines the instructional tempo. |
| The environment and approach encourage self-control. | The major source of discipline is the teacher. |
| Child is an active learner who is free to walk around and appropriately investigate the classroom environment. | Child is a more passive learner who is guided by an educational facilitator. |
| A teacher is a facilitator and guide for learning. | In classroom activities, the teacher plays a more prominent and important role. |
| Through feedback from resources, the child is able to identify his or her own errors; errors are accepted as part of the learning process. | The teacher frequently corrects the work; errors are considered mistakes. |
| The goal is to instill a passion for learning. | Mastering basic curriculum goals is the goal. |