Benefits
Montessori Method Vs Traditional Approach
| Montessori Method | Traditional Method |
|---|---|
| Emphasis on cognitive and social development | Emphasis on social development |
| Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom | Teacher is center of classroom as “controller” |
| Environment and method encourage self-discipline | Teacher enforces discipline |
| Mixed age grouping | Same age grouping |
| Grouping encourages children to teach and help each other | Most teaching done by teacher |
| Mainly individual instruction | Same age grouping |
| Child chooses own work | Activities structured for child |
| Child works as long as he wishes on chosen project | Child generally allotted specific time for work |
| Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching materials | Child is guided to concepts by teacher |
| Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching materials | Child is guided to concepts by teacher |
| Child sets own learning pace | Instruction pace usually set by group |
| Child spots own errors from feedback on material | If work is corrected, errors usually pointed out by teacher |
| Child reinforces learning by repetition and feelings of success | Learning is reinforced externally by repetition and rewards |
| Organized program for learning care of self and environment (polishing shoes, cleaning the sink, etc.) | Less emphasis on self-care instruction |
| Child can work where he chooses (yet not disturb work of others); group work is also encouraged | Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group sessions |