A Good Article Comparing Montessori and Waldorf

[Heidi]

http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_...Montessori.pdf

[Lyss]

Thanks for sharing

[Laurel]

Originally Posted by Heidi

http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_...Montessori.pdf

I know nothing about Waldorf but I have worked in a Montessori preschool for several years.

I don't agree that the children all work alone on their own and emphasis is not on socializing. Our rules were that a child pick their work and do it on their own mat/table. However if another child comes over and wants to join that child then they must ask and if the child with the work says it is okay then they do it together. If the child says "no thank you" or "not now" then that is respected. I always likened it to an office setting. If you are working and do not want to be disturbed that is okay and if not that is okay too.

There is another part I don't agree with but no time now.

Also, I can't get a real sense of what Waldorf is from this article so had a hard time comparing its aspects to Montessori. I guess I'll have to look it up.

Laurel

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by Laurel

I know nothing about Waldorf but I have worked in a Montessori preschool for several years.

I don't agree that the children all work alone on their own and emphasis is not on socializing. Our rules were that a child pick their work and do it on their own mat/table. However if another child comes over and wants to join that child then they must ask and if the child with the work says it is okay then they do it together. If the child says "no thank you" or "not now" then that is respected. I always likened it to an office setting. If you are working and do not want to be disturbed that is okay and if not that is okay too.

There is another part I don't agree with but no time now.

Also, I can't get a real sense of what Waldorf is from this article so had a hard time comparing its aspects to Montessori. I guess I'll have to look it up.

Laurel

I did see in the beginning that she said that all Montessori's may be a little different. I know in my sons' Montessori years ago, they could work in pairs, too.

[Willow]

I didn't realize how much I pulled from both until they were compared side by side like that

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Willow

I didn't realize how much I pulled from both until they were compared side by side like that

Now add the Reggio aspects and you probably utilize all 3 more than you realize.

I think a majority of early childhood approaches are similar but either applied a bit differently or interpreted differently.

The commonalities are greater than their differences.

[Willow]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Now add the Reggio aspects and you probably utilize all 3 more than you realize.

I think a majority of early childhood approaches are similar but either applied a bit differently or interpreted differently.

The commonalities are greater than their differences.

How true is that lol

I could always start a new one with my hodge podge and see how far it gets

[JoseyJo]

Thank you for this great link! I read it through and searched for more articles comparing the two.

I have found that we are definitely not Montessori, but have a good mix of Reggio and Waldorf aspects in our curriculum. I had in my mind that Montessori was something completely different than it is so now if a parent interviewing mentions they want/like the Montessori method I know that isn't going to be a good fit