MONTESSORI SCHOOLS PROVIDE BETTER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAN TRADITIONAL MODELS OF SCHOOLINGS

Do Montessori schools provide better learning opportunities than traditional models of schoolings?

Do Montessori schools provide better learning opportunities than traditional models of schoolings?

The goal of both Montessori and Traditional schooling in Hawaii is the same: To provide learning experiences for the child. The biggest differences lie in the kind of learning experiences each school provides and the methods they use to accomplish this goal. Montessori educators believe both differences are important because they help shape what a child learns, his work habits, and his future attitudes toward himself and the world around him (Louise, 1997).

Montessori

Traditional

Emphasis on Cognitive and Social Development

Emphasis on Rote Learning and Social Behavior

Teacher has guiding role

Teacher controls classroom

Environment and method encourage self-discipline

Teacher acts as primary enforcer of discipline

Mainly individual instruction

Mainly group instruction

Mixed age groups

Same age groups

Grouping encourages children to teach and collaborate

Teaching is done by teacher; collaboration is discouraged

Child chooses own work

Curriculum structured for child

Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching materials

Child is guided to concepts by teacher

Child is allocated time to work on and complete lesson

Child generally allotted specific time for work

Child sets own learning pace

Instruction pace set by group

Child spots own errors from feedback of material

Errors in child's work highlighted by teacher

Child reinforces own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success

Learning is reinforced externally by repetition, rewards and punishment

Child can work where he chooses, move about and talk at will (yet not disturb work of others), group work voluntary

Child usually assigned seat; required to participate during group lessons

Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration organizes program for learning care of self and environment

No organized program for self-care instruction - left primarily up to parents

In Montessori, ...