The Montessori Classroom

Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development

Teacher's role is unobtrusive child actively participates in learning

Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline

Individual and group instruction adapts to each student's learning style

Mixed age grouping

Children are encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other

Child chooses own work from interests, abilities

Child formulates concepts from self-teaching materials

Child works as long as necessary on a chosen project until completion/ full understanding 

Child sets own learning pace to internalize information

Child spots own errors through feedback from material

Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration and development

Organized program for learning care for self, others, and the environment

Child can work where he or she is comfortable, moves and talks at will freely

Learning is reinforced internally through child's own repetition of activity, internal feelings, sense of success and comprehension

The Conventional Classroom

Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development


Teacher's role is dominant, child is a passive participant

Teacher is primary enforcer of external discipline


Individual and group instruction conforms to the adult's teaching style

Same age grouping

Most teaching done by teacher and collaboration may be reserved for special projects

Curriculum structured for group progress

Child is guided to concepts by teacher


Child usually given specific time for work


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Instructional pace set by group norm or teacher


Errors corrected by the teacher


Few materials for sensory, concrete manipulation


Little emphasis on community development or classroom maintenance

Child assigned seat; encouraged to sit still and listen during group

Learning is reinforced externally by rewards,
discouragements