Montessori vs Traditional Education

Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development
Teacher has classroom role in classroom activity; child is an active participant in learning. Teacher has dominant, active role in classroom activity; child is a passive participant in learning.
Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline. Teacher 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.
Mixed 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.
Child chooses own work from interests and abilities. Curriculum structured for child with little regard for child’s interests.
Child formulates own concepts from self-teaching materials. Child is guided to concepts by teacher.
Child works as long as he/she wishes on chosen projects. Child generally given specific time limit for work.
Child sets own learning pace to internalize information. Instruction pace is usually set by group norm or teacher.
Child spots own errors through feedback from material. If work is corrected, errors usually pointed out by teacher.
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.
Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration Fewer materials for sensory development and concrete manipulation
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.
SAB Baptism_GetAlongGang

I hope you guys are having a wonderful start to the school year.  Sydney and Jeremiah are doing well.  I thought I would share with you some wonderful news, Sydney was baptized last weekend!  She had to go through a baptism interview at church a month ago and she passed with flying colors.  She was so excited.  Below is the video (its only a minute long).  I also attached a picture of the get along gang prior to the baptism.

But I just wanted to share because you guys were an integral part in her early Christian walk.  I thank God for you guys helping to raise my children with solid Christian principles.   Thanks and hopefully I will see you guys at the next Spirit Night.  You didn’t think that you guys would get rid of us did you?!

Thanks and you guys have a great weekend!

Rebekah W Brooks

I want everyone involved in the young man’s success to know that we are thankful for his strong foundation.

Folks always ask how he could be a senior and be so much younger than his classmates, and we reply “Lake Norman Day School”. We are well, and he has about 15 great offer for college! We thank God and those involved from the beginning!

Kevin & Lisa