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What Makes Montessori Different
Montessori (pronounced MON-tuh- SOR-ee) is a comprehensive approach to education from birth through adulthood based on the observation of children’s needs in a variety of cultures all around the world.

Beginning her work a century ago, Dr. Maria Montessori developed this art and science after coming to an understanding of children’s natural learning tendencies as they unfold in “prepared environments”
for multi-age groups (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12 and 12-14).

The Montessori environment provides specially designed, manipulative “materials for development” that invite children to engage in learning activities of their own individual choice. Under the guidance of a trained teacher, children in a Montessori classroom learn by making discoveries with the materials, cultivating concentration, motivation, self-discipline and a love of learning.
 
 Montessori Environment    Conventional School
1.
 Prepared kinesthetic materials with built-in control of error, specially developed reference materials  
1.
 Textbooks, pencil and paper,
worksheets and dittos
2.
 Working and learning matched to social development of child  
2.
 Working and learning without
emphasis on social development
3.
 Unified, internationally developed
curriculum		  
3.
 Narrow, unit-driven curriculum
4.
 Integrated subjects and learning
based on developmental psychology		  
4.
 Individual subjects
5.
 Uninterrupted work cycles  
5.
 Block time, period lessons
6.
 Multi-age classrooms  
6.
 Single-graded classrooms
7.
 Students active, vocal, with periods
of spontaneous quiet, freedom to
move		  
7.
 Students passive, quiet, at
desks
8.
 School meets needs of children  
8.
 Students fit mold of school
9.
 Special help comes to students  
9.
 Students leave for special help
10.
 Process focus, skills checklists,
mastery benchmarks		  
10.
 Product-focused report cards
         
Portions reprinted with permission from the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association www.Montessori-NAMTA.org
 
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