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MONTESSORI
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TRADITIONAL
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Emphasis on: cognitive and social development
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Emphasis on social development
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Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom
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Teacher is center of classroom as "controller "
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Environment and method encourage self-discipline
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Teacher acts as primary enforcer of discipline
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Mainly individual instruction
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Group and individual instruction
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Mixed age grouping
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Same age grouping
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Grouping encourages to teach and help each other
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Most teaching done by teacher
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Child chooses own work
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Curriculum structured for child
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Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching materials
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Child is guided to concepts by teacher
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Child works as long as he wishes on chosen projects
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Child generally allotted specific time for work
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Child sets own learning pace
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Instruction pace usually set by group norm
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Child spots error by feedback of material
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Errors usually pointed out by teacher
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Child reinforces own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success
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Learning is reinforced externally by repetition and rewards
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Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration
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Few materials for sensory exploration
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Organized program for learning care of self and environment (polishing shoes, cleaning mirror)
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Less emphasis on self care instruction
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Child can work where he chooses, move around and talk at will(yet not disturb work of others; group work is voluntary
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Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group lessons
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Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process
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Voluntary parent involvement
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