Traditional Classroom

Single age classroom 

Students passive, quiet

Expectation that the child must follow the norm

Block time, period lessons. Work according to a set schedule

Teacher centered Teacher provides the help Teacher provides discipline Teacher structures what Needs to be learned & when Teacher sets curriculum

Teacher motivated. Teacher corrects errors

Working and learning w/o emphasis on soc. Dev.

Children are expected to work in groups

Student fit mold of school expectation that the student must follow the norm. Textbooks Pencil and paper worksheets and dittos. Product focused report cards

Montessori Classroom

Multi aged Classroom

Students active, talking with periods of spontaneous quiet. Freedom to move

Recognition of the individual’s developmental needs & interest

Uninterrupted work cycles. Work for joy of working and Sense of discovery. Few interuptions

Child centered learning envir. Children help & teach one another Envir. Provides the discipline Child provides own stimulus to learning

Children choose materials and subjects From interest

Motivated by self development. Self-correcting materials

Working and learning matched to the Social dev. Of the child

Children may choose to work individually

School meets the needs of children. Recognition of the individual's devevelopmental needs. Prepared kinesthetic materials with incorporated control of error specifically developmental reference materials. Process focused assessment, skills checklists, mastery, benchmarks