Public School
Memorization is the primary basis for learning. Children memorize teacher-dispensed content, facts, dates and formulas. Information is memorized and repeated back. Children are scored for accuracy for recall, and then they forget about it. Most do fairly well; however some fall within a tolerance of the education/manufacturing process known as one or more ‘standard deviations’.
In a traditional 21st century classroom, students are praised for their ability to find correct answers to predetermined questions. Intellectual risk taking, creative thinking, and asking questions is often discouraged. The ability to get a good score on a test is valued more than the ability to get fully engaged in the learning process and pursue ideas that excite a student.
Kindergarten ratio is 30 or more children: 2 staff
Montessori School
Our legacy is that of the prepared environment and developmentally appropriate, multi-sensory, hands-on learning activities. Montessori teachers are guides, who help children engage in investigation and discovery. Our goals include fully developing each child’s potential and forming habits of life-long learning. Learning to think is not the same as learning to memorize.
Developing habits of persistence, taking on challenges, engaging with problems, and creatively designing solutions are not the same as learning to memorize.
Maria Montessori discovered that when children are placed in an environment designed for how they naturally learn, children will experience a transformation from impulsive behaviours. They will concentrate. And when children concentrate, they next develop self-reliance and become self-disciplined. For this to occur, the design of the materials and our own preparation must enable a child’s choice and spontaneous activity.
Ratio in a Montessori kindergarten classroom is 8 children: 1 teacher