THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MONTESSORI & TRADITIONAL TEACHING
Imagine if schools actually helped their kids identify your child's strengths by exploring their talents from a young age and growing their skills over 12 years, instead of letting them follow the same routine like sheep and leaving them confused in life after graduation. Tallie Dar.
The goal of both Montessori and Traditional schooling is the same: To provide learning experiences for the child. The biggest differences lie in the kind of learning experiences each school provides and the methods they use to accomplish this goal. Montessori educators believe both differences are important because they help shape what a child learns, his work habits, and his future attitudes toward himself and the world around him.
Chlid Development Checklist
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0-6 Months
Gross motor: - Eyes follow moving object or person. - Watches own hand. - Raises head and shoulder from a face down position.
Fine Motor: - Clenches fist. - Puts everything in mouth. - Clenches immediately when something is placed on medial side of the palm.
Activities of Daily Living: - Sucks finger when placed between the lips. - Coordinates sucking, swallowing and breathing. - Opens and closes mouth in response to food stimulus.
Receptive Language: - Startle response to sudden loud noises. - Looks at you with interest when you talk to him. - Comforted by a friendly familiar voice.
Expressive Language: - Shows random vocalization other than crying. - Uses vocal expressions of pleasure when played with. - Makes sucking sounds.
Cognitive Skills: - Recognizes bottle or breast. - Focuses on colorful and moving objects. - Recognizes mother.
Social Skills: - Looks at human faces. - Pats and pulls at adult facial features (hair, nose, glasses) etc. - Responds to primary caregiver by smiling.
Emotional Skills: - Most content when near mother/ caregiver. - Cries to show discomfort or fatigue. - Moulds and relaxes body when held, cuddles.
6-12 Months
Gross motor: - Crawls / creeps. - Bounces when held standing. - Claps hands.
Fine Motor: - Attempts to play with tiny objects like bottle lid / piece of paper. - Reaches and takes object placed at a distance. - Bangs objects on table.
Activities of Daily Living: - Eats mashed food. - Holds own bottle. - Swallows with mouth closed.
Receptive Language: - Pays some attention to music / songs. - Appears to listen to conversations between others. - Understands 'no' and 'bye bye'.
Expressive Language: - Babbles series of sounds that 'sounds' like speech. - Vocalizes loudly / Shouts for attention. - Attempts to communicate his/her intentions.
Cognitive Skills: - Plays 2-3 minutes with a single toy. - Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging,throwing, dropping, finds functional side). - Looks for an object he / she watched fall out of sight (such as aspoon that falls under the table).
Social Skills: - Holds arms up to be lifted. - Generally friendly. - Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others.
Emotional Skills: - Smiles and laughs at baby games. - Laughs at funny faces. - Shows anger when toy is taken away.
12-18 months
Gross motor: - Carries, pushes or pulls toys / objects. - Bends down forward. - Throws ball forward.
Fine Motor: - Able to hold and manipulate objects with both hands together. - Picks up crumbs from floor. - Points to recognized objects.
Activities of Daily Living: - Removes cap. - Indicates discomfort over soiled pants verbally or by gesture. - Lifts and drinks from cup/ drinks from a sipper.
Receptive Language: - Follows simple one step commands e.g., Get your toy. - Selects and brings familiar objects from another room when asked. - Responds accurately to action commands like "sit down" and "stop that".
Expressive Language: - Chatters continuously· while _playing. - Asks for something by pointing or by using ~me word. - Protests when frustrated.
Cognitive Skills: - Reacts to various sensations such as extremes in temperature and taste, textures. - Identifies self in mirror. - Puts a lid on a pot.
Social Skills: - Plays with other children; Seeks interactions with other children. - Waves bye-bye. - Plays ball cooperatively.
Emotional Skills: - Actively seeks comfort in a person or object when distressed. - Shows pleasure when familiar adults are nearby. - Expresses appropriate emotions.
18-24 months
Gross motor: - Able to get on to chairs without assistance. - Walks up and down the stairs with help. - Runs fairly well.
Fine Motor: - Scribbles spontaneously. - Opens cabinets, drawers f111d boxes. - Can pick thread, pins.
Activities of Daily Living: - Uses palm and fingers to fill and eat with spoon. - Able to swallow mixed textures. - Gives empty dish to adults.
Receptive Language: - Listens as pictures are named. - Recognizes names of familiar people and objects. - Listens to short rhymes.
Expressive Language: - Will use "no, not". - Names 3 pictures. - Says names of toys.
Cognitive Skills: - Enjoys picture books and recognizes smaller details. - Very curious about surrounding but has little understanding of common dangers. - Recognizes self in photograph.
Social Skills: - Engages in parallel play. - Interacts with peers using gestures. - Begins to be helpful, such as by helping to put things away.
Emotional Skills: - Shows preferences of likes and dislikes. - Curious about everything. - Demands parents attention.
24-30 months
Gross motor: - Able to get on to chairs without assistance. - Tries to catch a large ball. - Throws a ball overhead.
Fine Motor: - Opens doors. - Turns one page at a time. - Makes own designs or spontaneous forms in drawing.
Activities of Daily Living: - Pulls pants up with assistance. - Able to hold spoon with fingers appropriately. - Wipes nose if given towel.
Receptive Language: - Understands the meaning of most common verbs like 'eat' 'drink' 'sleep' 'wash' etc. - Understands the meaning of kinship terms like 'grandma' 'uncle aunty'. - Can name objects when told their use, for e.g. "Something that you cut with".
Expressive Language: - Asks for help with personal needs such as "wash hands", "do susu". - Names 5 pictures. - Uses 2 word combination (Me go, more bikki).
Cognitive Skills: - Plays with water and sand (filling and emptying). - Knows where things usually belong. - Little understanding of the need to-wait for something-including attention.
Social Skills: - Wants to help and please. - Plays side by side with other children, occasionally interacting. - Enjoys experimenting with adult activity.
Emotional Skills: - Increases his or her understanding and use of language related to emotions (e.g., says, "Mummy's happy now."). - Recognizes feelings when emotions are labelled by adult ( e.g., teacher says, "I know you feel scared about that," and the child calms a bit). - Takes pride in clothing.
30-36 months
Gross motor: - Unwraps small objects. - Rolls clay balls. - Performs running and jumping activities confidently.
Fine Motor: - Rolls, pounds, squeezes and pulls clay. - Pours liquids with some spills. - Uses one hand consistently in most activities.
Activities of Daily Living: - Serves self at table with little spilling. - Insists on doing things independently. - Knows proper place for own things.
Receptive Language: - Shows interest in the 'how' and 'why' of things. - Understands common adjectives - nice, pretty, hot. - Understands prepositions such as 'on', 'under', 'front', behind', etc.
Expressive Language: - Answers "who" questions. - Answers "where" questions. - Uses several verb forms - eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.
Cognitive Skills: - Chooses picture books. - Concentrates on activities of choice such as putting objects into a bottle. - Enjoys floor play with bricks, boxes etc. which can be used imaginatively.
Social Skills: - Makes a choice when asked. - Says please and thank you when reminded. - Participates in circle games; plays interactive games.
Emotional Skills: - Shows sympathy. - Just beginning a sense of personal identity and belongings. - Takes pride in achievements (e.g., I washed my hands by myself, or I did the puzzle myself).
36-42 months
Gross motor: - Runs and plays active games. - Goes up stairs and down stairs without support. - Swings on swing when set in motion.
Fine Motor: - Tries new art media such as chalk with eagerness and an exploratory attitude. - Holds crayon with thumb and finger. - Opens rotating door handle.
Activities of Daily Living: - Wipes nose when reminded. - Able to use hands to accomplish many self help tasks. - Feeds self with little spilling.
Receptive Language: - Understands three-step directions, such as, "Please pick up your book from the floor and put it on the top shelf'. - Understands direction words - responds to directional words such as around, backward, forward. - Identifies hard / soft.
Expressive Language: - Answers 6 - 7 agent /action questions like "why are you running". - Requests permission. - Corrects others.
Cognitive Skills: - Enjoys pretend play. - Learns through observation and¾ldult explanation. - Points to long and short objects.
Social Skills: - Plays well with others and responds positively if there are favorable conditions in terms of materials, space and supervision (less likely to engage in prosocial behavior when any of these elements are lacking). - Spontaneously shows affection for familiar playmates. - Spends a great deal of time in watching and observing.
Emotional Skills: - Understands, at least on a basic level, that feelings have causes (e.g. says, "Sunny is sad because he can't find his blanket."). - Labels own feelings and those of others' based on their facial expression / tone of voice (looks at a picture in a book and says, "She's scared"). - Develops a sense of humour, can laugh a:t self and others when small accidents happen.
42-48 months
Gross motor: - Runs around obstacles. - Increased skill in ball games - throws, catches, bounces and kicks with an idea of where the ball is going. - Moves backward and forward with agility.
Fine Motor: - Manipulates clay materials (rolls balls, snakes etc). - Good control of pencil which is held like adults. - Participates in songs and finger play, both familiar and new ones.
Activities of Daily Living: - Knows how to use handkerchief. - Washes hands independently. - Pour juice from a small pitcher and stop before the juice overflows.
Receptive Language: - Understands number and space concepts - more, less, bigger, in, under, behind. - Understands "now" "soon" and "later". - Understands words that relate one idea to another if, why, when.
Cognitive Skills: - Can recall a three step direction such as, "Go find the ball and bring it to me". - Can count meaningfully to 5 (if you place 5 apples on table and ask to count them, she/ he will be able to count those 5 apples). - Tells which objects go together.
Social Skills: - Use imaginative play. - Likes group activities and time with friends. - Follows rules in group games led by adult.
Emotional Skills: - Enjoys music. - Likes talking and word games. - Can identify his own feelings.
Fine Motor: - Begins to copy some capital letters. - Winds up toy by turning knob. - Enjoys art projects such as pasting and stringing beads.
Activities of Daily Living: - Begins to be selective aboμt what to wear. - Pulls zipper-up and down with ease. - Ready to learn table manners.
Receptive Language: - Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school. - Understands complex directions e.g., Point to a dog that is black /sleeping / in the box. - Knows difference between top and bottom.
Expressive Language: - Learns new vocabulary quickly if related to own experience. - Likes to tell others about family and experiences. - Can control volume of voice for periods of time if reminded.
Cognitive Skills: - Recalls 4 objects seen in a picture. - Understands daily routines and sequences in correct order. - Tells whether objects are heavier / lighter (lesser weight).
Social Skills: - Develops friendships. - Shows more independence and wants to do things alone. - Prefers to play with other children, is competitive.
Emotional Skills: - Learns to develop attitudes concerning right and wrong. - Enjoys obedience and thrives on praise. - Increasingly expresses a sense of self in terms of abilities, characteristics, preferences, and actions e.g., "Look at me! I'm building a castle".
54-60 months
Gross motor: - Walks on a balance board with support. - Uses legs with good strength and ease. - Can participate in bat and ball games successfully.
Fine Motor: - Enjoys manipulating play objects that have fine parts. - Reaches and grasps in one continuous movement. - Makes precise marks with crayon confined to small area.
Activities of Daily Living: - Throws pieces of paper and rubbish into the waste paper basket. - Combs and brushes hair. - Performs routines without assistance.
Receptive Language: - Understands sequencing of events. - Understands opposites. - Knows secondary colors such as pink, brown etc.
Expressive Language: - Responds appropriately to "how often" and "how long" question. - Possessive pronouns "his, her" emerging. - Asks meaning of words.
Cognitive Skills: - Tells what's missing when one object I picture is removed from a group of three. - Matches symbols / letters and numerals. - Retells five facts from story heard 3 times.
Social Skills: - Organizes other children and toys for pretend play. - Plays with both boys and girls but prefers the same sex. - Engages in socially acceptable behavior in public.
Emotional Skills: - Has good sense of "mine" and "yours". - Demonstrates growing confidence in a range of abilities. - Begins to develop a sense of fairness, e.g., taking turns, sharing a treat.
60-66 months
Gross motor: - Climbs stepladders or steps 10 feet high to the slide - Catches soft ball with one hand. - Rides on bicycle.
Fine Motor: - EUses fingers and wrist appropriately to write. - Able to fold the paper in to two halves. - Can copy small letters.
Activities of Daily Living: - Cuts soft food. - Performs simple cleaning. - Shows interest in household activities.
Receptive Language: - Understands more quantity concepts (whole, half). - Understands time sequences (what happened first, second, third, etc.). - Understands some jokes, surprise, make-believe/ pretend.
Expressive Language: - Names 6 basic colors. - Names 3 basic shapes. - Remembers lines from television shows and commercials..
Cognitive Skills: - Interested in environment, city, shops, etc. - Counts up to 20 items and tells how many. - Prints own first name.
Social Skills: - Can follow request. - Chooses own friend. - Joins in conversation at mealtime.
Emotional Skills: - Enjoys playing age appropriate games but tends to be more competitive and wants to win. - Can easily show love and affection and this does not embarrass him. - Tells exactly how he feels: sick, happy, or miserable.
66-72 months
Gross motor: - Picks up object from ground while running. - Stands on one foot with no support and eyes closed. - Hangs from horizontal bar bearing own weight on arms.
Fine Motor: - Prints numerals 1 to 5. - Colors within lines. - Likes to disassemble and reassemble objects/ dress and undress dolls.
Activities of Daily Living: - Uses phones. - Finds correct bathroom in public. - Develops strong food preference.
Receptive Language: - Has an awareness of socially appropriate uses of communication. - Listens to another speaker if information is new and of interest. - Understands TV commercials.
Expressive Language: - Socialized speech begins - children talk about other people as well as about themselves. - Remembers lines of simple poems, repeats full sentences and expressions from others.
Cognitive Skills: - Says letter of alphabet in order. - Sight reads 10 printed words. - Arranges objects in sequence of width and length.
Social Skills: - Knows about giving, receiving, sharing, and playing fairly. - Enjoys social gatherings. - Enjoys school.
Emotional Skills: - Senses growing up and likes it. - Sense of safety and belonging is important. - Begins to cope constructively with various emotional states: rejection, disappointment, failure, frustration, success, excitement.