Characteristics of Montessori Education	Characteristics of Traditional Education
Active Individual Learning through Stimulating, multi-sensory teaching materials.	Passive Class Learning through teacher- centered class lessons, paperwork.
Ungraded 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 Grouping necessitates external rewards such as grades, competition and social conformity.
Freedom of Choice involves decision-making. Student selects work according to individual interest.	Class Curriculum demands that students cover the same work at the same time with no regard to individual interests.
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 directed affected by the progress of the whole class.
Integral Education balances academic work with freedom of movement and 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.
Independence is fostered by a classroom that is specifically designed to encourage maximum learning.	Dependence is promoted since the teacher initiates the activities.
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 is the basis for abstraction.	Abstract Education  has students learning through mechanical memorization
Close Student-Teacher Interaction enables complete and precise evaluation of the student?s progress, both academically and psychologically.	Class Oriented Teaching prevents close interaction between individual students and teacher. Standardized tests are necessary to determine student?s progress.

How Montessori Teachers Meet The Needs Of So Many Different Children?
Philosophical Differences                      Traditional                                                     Montessori
Direct Instruction	Small Group Exploration
Teacher Centered	Student Centered
Abstract	Concrete (Easier To See)
Paper/Pencil	Hands-On
Assigned Seats	Freedom To Move
Grade Level Pace	Individual ? Student-Pace Developmental
Curriculum Driven 1 Year With Teacher	Question Concept Driven 3 Years With Teacher
Cognitive	Whole Child
What To Think	How To Think
Product Oriented	Process Oriented
Teacher As Authoritarian	Teacher as Guide ? Child Peer Helpers
Character Education	Grace & Courtesy Through Practical Experience
Freedom With Responsibility Structured According To Needs Of Child