Countryside Montessori

Maria Montessori graduated from medical school at the University of Rome in 1896, and was the first woman to practice medicine in Italy. Through scientific observation, she came to see how children interacted with one another, learned through the use of materials she provided, and went through specific phases of development. Her approach to education was developed based on her observations, in collaboration with her background in physiology and her belief in the education of children as a means to create a better society. She continued to observe children around the world, and found that the universal laws of development she had recognized were inherent to children of all races and cultures. The Montessori approach to education continues to be respected and practiced internationally.

Montessori educators teach in partnership with children. It is a partnership based on trust - a trust that each child will show us when he or she is ready to learn the next skill or concept. In this exciting research style of learning, elementary children work in small groups on a variety of projects, which spark the imagination and engage the intellect. Lessons given by trained Montessori teachers direct the children toward activities and life skills. The appetite of children to understand the universe and their place in it, directs the elementary work toward all aspects of culture. Elementary studies include geography, biology, history, language, mathematics in all its branches, science, music, and art.

This chart compares and contrasts the similirities and differences in the two teaching styles.

Compare and Contrast Chart
Montessori Education	Traditional Education
Active individual learning through stimulating, multi-sensory teaching materials.	Passive class learning through teacher presented class lessons and paperwork.
Class is a natural social environment that includes a wide range of ages and fosters self motivation. Students enjoy working for their own sense of accomplishment.	Chronological groups necessitate external rewards such as grades, competition and social conformity.
Freedom of choice involves decision making. Students select work according to individual interest.	Class curriculum demands that students cover the same work at the same time with no regard to individual interest or mastery.
Working at one’s own pace enables students to work for long periods without interruption. Each individual works at his potential, independent of the class.	Group learning involves each academic subject being scheduled for a limited period. Each student is directly affected by the progress of the whole class.
Independence is fostered by a classroom that is specifically designed to encourage maximum growth.	Dependence is promoted since the activities are initiated by the teacher.
Integral education balances academic work with freedom of movement. Harmony is created between physical, social, and mental activities. There is an interrelationship between subjects.	Fragmented education provides academic subjects that are not interrelated. Periods of intense mental effort are alternated with periods of vigorous physical activity to release tension.
Self-evaluation occurs as students learn to evaluate their work objectively through the use of self-correcting teaching materials and individual work with the teacher.	Class comparison occurs as work is evaluated and graded by the teacher. Students evaluate themselves against the group as best and worst in the class
Reality oriented education maintains concrete, first-hand experience and is the basis for abstraction.	Abstract education has students learning through mechanical memorization.
Close student-teacher interaction enables complete and precise evaluation of student’s progress - both academically and psychologically.	Class-oriented teaching presents interaction between students and teacher. Standardized tests are necessary to determine student progress.

Parents agree that Montessori teaching instills the love of learning in their children. Montessori children learn at their own pace, choose work and make decisions, learn spontaneously and creatively, discover the joy of learning and learn by doing while having fun.

For more information on AMS, please visit www.amshq.org. For more information on Montessori Education, please visit www.montessori.org