Montessorian and Piagetian teaching philosophies are quite similar in many regards; however, the two educational approaches do have some differences.
The philosophies are similar in that they both value motor and verbal skills, and the children learn by using manipulatives and a wide variety of hands-on lessons and activities. The teacher acts as an observer and a supporter to the child, and the child is free to move about the activities.
The Montessori Method, as with Piagetian principles, both emphasize knowledge coming from activity. The Montessori classroom has jobs the children can do for as long as their attention will allow, and when their attention wanes, they can move on to a different activity. The two philosophies also allow for a lot of reinvention. The children can do the same activities over and over and always glean something different from it. The children are ultimately allowed to figure it out for themselves and the teacher acts as a demonstrator, respecter, and facilitator to the child. The lessons in both teaching methods are highly individualized; however, they differ in the implementation and overall desired result of the lesson.
A Piagetian classroom stresses routine and edges closer to teacher-directed, while a Montessorian classroom is more child-directed and allows for almost total child choice. Piaget instills the idea of working on a job until it is done, but with Montessori the child can stop when the child feels like it.
Piagetian classrooms create more of a feeling that though there are many things in life that we don’t like to do, that doesn’t mean you don’t do them. For example, naptime is an option in the Montessori classroom; if the child feels sleepy, the child can sleep; however, in the Piagetian classroom, naptime is a daily routine and is required of the children.
The Montessori classroom tries to create the “Montessori World,” and in this world disequilibrium is not wanted. Since the child is free choose what he would like to do, when he would like to do it, his world never gets shaken up because he is almost completely internally motivated. Piagetian classrooms produce more disequilibrium; they attempt to create the understanding that school isn’t really a choice, and even if the child doesn’t like it, it is still something that has to be done.
Overall, both philosophies are valid and result in an educated child. However, since everyone and every child is different, some mixing and matching never hurt anyone.
The philosophies are similar in that they both value motor and verbal skills, and the children learn by using manipulatives and a wide variety of hands-on lessons and activities. The teacher acts as an observer and a supporter to the child, and the child is free to move about the activities.
The Montessori Method, as with Piagetian principles, both emphasize knowledge coming from activity. The Montessori classroom has jobs the children can do for as long as their attention will allow, and when their attention wanes, they can move on to a different activity. The two philosophies also allow for a lot of reinvention. The children can do the same activities over and over and always glean something different from it. The children are ultimately allowed to figure it out for themselves and the teacher acts as a demonstrator, respecter, and facilitator to the child. The lessons in both teaching methods are highly individualized; however, they differ in the implementation and overall desired result of the lesson.
A Piagetian classroom stresses routine and edges closer to teacher-directed, while a Montessorian classroom is more child-directed and allows for almost total child choice. Piaget instills the idea of working on a job until it is done, but with Montessori the child can stop when the child feels like it.
Piagetian classrooms create more of a feeling that though there are many things in life that we don’t like to do, that doesn’t mean you don’t do them. For example, naptime is an option in the Montessori classroom; if the child feels sleepy, the child can sleep; however, in the Piagetian classroom, naptime is a daily routine and is required of the children.
The Montessori classroom tries to create the “Montessori World,” and in this world disequilibrium is not wanted. Since the child is free choose what he would like to do, when he would like to do it, his world never gets shaken up because he is almost completely internally motivated. Piagetian classrooms produce more disequilibrium; they attempt to create the understanding that school isn’t really a choice, and even if the child doesn’t like it, it is still something that has to be done.
Overall, both philosophies are valid and result in an educated child. However, since everyone and every child is different, some mixing and matching never hurt anyone.
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