Montessori vs Daycare

Mt. Juliet Montessori Developmental Preschool Daycare
All teachers are required to be Montessori certified. Teachers are only required to have a High School Diploma or equivalent. Teachers are only required to have a High School Diploma or equivalent.
Teacher has supportive role in classroom activity; child is an active participant in learning. Teacher has dominant role in classroom activity; child is a passive participant in learning. Daycare worker has a dominant role in the classroom. Their main role is to police the children.
Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline. Teacher acts as primary enforcer of external discipline. Daycare worker acts as primary enforcer of external discipline.
Instruction, both individual and group, adapts to each student’s learning style. Instruction, both individual and group, conforms to the Adult’s teaching style. No formal instruction. Play based.
Mixed age grouping Same age grouping Same age grouping
Children are encouraged
to teach, collaborate, and help each other.
Most teaching is done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged. No formal instruction. Play based.
Child chooses own work from interests and abilities. Curriculum structured for child with little regard for child’s interests. Unstructured
Child works as long as he/she wishes on chosen projects. Child generally given specific time limit for work. Unstructured
Child sets own learning pace to internalize information. Instruction pace is usually set by group norm or teacher. No formal instruction
Child spots own errors through feedback from material. If work is corrected, errors usually pointed out by teacher. No formal instruction
Learning is reinforced internally through the child’s own repetition of an activity and internal feelings of success. Learning is reinforced externally by rote repetition and rewards/discouragement. No formal instruction
Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration Fewer materials for sensory development and concrete manipulation Toys, blocks, puzzles
Organized program for learning care of self and the environment
(polishing shoes, cleaning the sink, etc.)
Less emphasis on self-care instruction and classroom maintenance. Unstructured
Child can work where he/she is comfortable. Group work is voluntary. Child usually assigned own chair: encouraged to sit still and listen during group session. Unstructured
Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development. Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development. Emphasis on social development
All teachers are CPR and First-Aid trained Only one person on campus is required to be CPR and First-Aid trained. Only one person on campus is required to be CPR and First-Aid trained.
Child formulates own concepts from self-teaching materials. Child is guided to concepts by teacher. Unstructured