Maria Montessori wrote “The concept of education centered upon the care of the living being alters all previous ideas. Resting no longer on a curriculum or a timetable, education must conform to the facts of human life.” This is profound. Imagine a school where respect and learning reigned. I am so excited by the impact of
montessori education. Teachers are called “guides” as the guide the child towards knowledge and learning.
Some basic differences between traditional classroom environment and montessori:
- Montessori: Based on helping the natural development of the human being
- Traditional: Based on the transfer of a national curriculum
- Montessori: Children learn at their own pace and follow their own individual interest
- Traditional: Children learn from a set curriculum according to a time frame that is the same for everyone
- Montessori: Children teach themselves using materials specially prepared for the purpose
- Traditional: Children are taught by the teacher
- Montessori: Understanding comes through the child’s own experiences via the materials and the promotion of children’s ability to find things out for themselves
- Traditional: Learning is based on subjects and is limited to what is given
- Montessori: Learning is based on the fact that physical exploration and cognition are linked
- Traditional: Children sit at desks and learn from a whiteboard and worksheets
- Montessori: The teacher works in collaboration with the children
- Traditional: The class is teacher led
- Montessori: The child’s individual development brings its own reward and therefore motivation
- Traditional: Motivation is achieved by a system of reward and punishment
