Differences between Montessori and Traditional Education Montessori Education | Traditional Education | Based on helping the natural development of the human being | Based on the transfer of a national curriculum | Children learn at their own pace and follow their own individual interest | Children learn from a set curriculum according to a time frame that is the same for everyone | Children teach themselves using materials specially prepared for the purpose | Children are taught by the teacher | Child is an active participant in learning | Child is a passive participant in learning | Understanding comes through the child’s own experiences via the materials and the promotion of children’s ability to find things out for themselves | Learning is based on subjects and is limited to what is given | Learning is based on the fact that physical exploration and cognition are linked | Children sit at desks and learn from a whiteboard and worksheets | Child can work where he/she is comfortable, move around and talk at will while not disturbing others | Child is usually assigned own chair and encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions | The teacher works in collaboration with the children | The class is teacher led | The child’s individual development brings its own reward and therefore motivation | Motivation is achieved by a system of reward and punishment | Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline | Teacher acts as primary enforcer of external discipline | Child works as long as he/she wishes on chosen project | Child generally given specific time limit for work | Uninterrupted work cycles | Block time, period lessons | Mixed age groups | Same age groups | Working and learning matched to the social development of the child | Working and learning without emphasis on the social development of the child | Shared emphasis on