The following is a comparison of the characteristics of a Montessori education versus a traditional education:
| Montessori |
Traditional |
| Active Individualized Learning: Student centered stimulation through hands-on materials |
Passive Class Learning:
Teacher centered class learning with paperwork |
| Working at One’s Own Pace: Each child works at his/her own potential independent of the class, moving ahead quickly as they are ready |
Group Learning:
Each child is directly affected by the progress of the whole class |
Independence:
Students are encouraged to make good decisions, confidence is promoted, and opportunities are given to choose work based on interest |
Dependence:
Activities are initiated by the teacher and are the same for everyone |
Concrete Based Education:
Uses hands-on materials and first hand experiences so students understand their work |
Abstract Education:
Learning through memorization and intangible concepts |
Self-Evaluation:
Students use self-correcting teaching materials and evaluate their individual work with the teacher |
Class Comparison:
Students evaluate themselves against the group and standardized tests are used to measure progress |
