Montessori vs Waldorf –Similarities, Differences

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Two common alternative schools are Montessori and Waldorf. Waldorf is nearing more than 1,900 kindergarten schools worldwide, and Montessori schools encompass 20,000 different locations throughout the world. The demand for alternative schooling methods means more people want to understand the differences among the well-known methods.

Both Montessori and Waldorf emphasize holistic teaching methods that focus on children’s love for learning. Montessori schools have multi-age classrooms and emphasize certain materials. Waldorf has low ratios and values imaginative play-based learning through teacher instruction.

This post will discuss different aspects of Montessori and Waldorf teaching and the classroom structures. I will explain who created each, the methods that fuel current teaching environments, and some of the similarities and differences.

What is the Montessori Method of Teaching?

Montessori teaching emphasizes hands-on learning to build on experiences, foster independent thought, and improve communication. Classrooms are child-centered with accessible furniture, tools, and materials that facilitate practical skills.

Maria Montessori

Known for creating Montessori schools, Maria Montessori was an anthropologist, educator, and Italian physician. She deeply cared for providing children with environments built on the carefully observed patterns she witnessed in early childhood settings. She believed that children are innately curious and independently interested in learning.

Her goal was to create a place for caregivers and teachers to guide children into learning free from traditional teaching methods. Teachers in Montessori foster independent thinking and encourage using materials or tools for the various workspaces in a classroom. She created specific materials for the learning environments to facilitate real and practical skills within the setting.

In 1929, The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was established to preserve her work, educate people on the benefits of the Montessori, and offer training courses that uphold her standards.

“The set of materials used in the “Montessori” environment were designed over a period of many years by Dr. Maria Montessori and her associates, creating a concrete, physical representation of the concepts and skills that children are naturally motivated to learn in their normal course of development.”
About Montessori Education — Montessori Northwest (montessori-nw.org)

Follow the Child

Coined by Maria Montessori, Follow the Child is the primary driving force behind teacher training and facilities’ implementation of this method.

Educators trained in the Montessori method provide opportunities for child-led activities. The adult observes the child throughout their time together and adjusts the learning situation to fit the child’s needs. Educators want to provide an appropriate challenge without leading the child. Montessori schools create environments that match the children’s interests and trust the child knows how and where to explore.

The teacher is a guide for the class and understands that kids are naturally curious. Montessori rooms allow children’s innate learning skills to happen organically as teachers facilitate the workspace and foster independence. The teachers create appropriate limits for children and allow them to explore the environment at their pace freely. They may demonstrate an activity or skill to show the children, but they do not teach the children for fear of limiting experiential learning. It is common for educators to depart small groups to allow spontaneous peer communication.

Montessori Classrooms

It is essential to understand a bit about the structure of the classrooms, how they operate, and who they serve. This section describes children’s ages within Montessori schools, ratios, curriculum, and specific materials used.

Montessori’s multi-age classrooms are child-led and comfortable for children, so they learn to value their unique learning process. Teachers observe and engage in understanding the child’s interests and facilitating independent learning. There are workstations to practice tasks and virtually no battery-operated toys.

Age range in Montessori

Montessori classrooms may vary slightly depending on the program. Most classes follow the multi-age approach to learning and contain children of different ages within a three to six-year span.

Infants and Toddlers	Early Childhood	Elementary	Secondary
Birth to 3	Ages 3 to 6	Ages 6 to 12	Ages 12 to 18

The age range in Montessori schools (multi-age classes)

Some Montessori schools split up older kids, or the Secondary group, into two groups; Middle and High schools. In Middle School, ages range from ages 12 to 15, and High school ages range from 15 to 18.

Ratios in Montessori

Unlike many private schools, Montessori schools care less about the student-teacher ratio and more about community learning. Multi-age classrooms are typically vast and emphasize the profound learning done in large community settings. Instead of relying solely on the educator, children learn to ask questions and support one another through collaborative work.

As a rule of thumb, the younger the child, the lower the student to adult ratio. Because many preschools follow state guidelines, Montessori preschools must adopt the appropriate ratio for infant and toddler care.

A typical infant/toddler class will have 10-15 children, one teacher, and one assistant.

Early childhood classrooms have 20 to 30 students, one teacher, and one assistant. Older rooms likely have 30 students and one teacher.

Curriculum and materials in Montessori

Kids typically don’t follow a core curriculum –English, Math, Science, and History– until age 3. In Montessori schools, different work centers guide learning by incorporating skills into real-life learning situations–cooking, cleaning, sewing.

Curriculums follow similar patterns as traditional schools –math, science, etc.– and also emphasize practical life and the senses. It is typical for students to learn about language and reading, social studies, and math through the realistic world with the materials provided because students experience the world as it comes instead of focusing on subject content.

The materials used in Montessori are specific to the methods of Maria Montessori. They are usually natural materials to encourage and engage the child. Together they provide concrete learning within the various subjects and skill-building. They are used to build upon math, language, and sensory skills.

Typical activities for young children involve washing walls and windows, puzzles, sifting, sorting, pouring, stacking, classification, gluing, sweeping, and trimming flowers.

Older children gradually learn skills that reflect their interests and learn to bake, peel vegetables, build structures, write stories, and create electrical units –to name a few.

Special subjects

Cooking
Gardening
Sewing
Cleaning
Building

Here are some common materials within the early Montessori classrooms.

Beads and chains
Graters
Pink towers
Broad stairs
Red rods
Cylinders
Puzzles
Math boards
Sandpaper
Tiles
Vocabulary Cards
Alphabet letters
Counters
Stamps
Abacus

What is the Waldorf Method?

Waldorf is a play-based learning environment that prioritizes art and imagination and encourages students to use problem-solving methods to propose ideas and create solutions. Schools use multi-disciplinary methods to provide opportunities for practical learning and skill-building.

Waldorf promotes imagination and creativity as children learn to value the open-ended qualities of dramatic play-based experiences. Schools focus on developing independent thinkers as they foster emotional connections between the world and human work to achieve goals. There are few adult-prepared materials because educators value the effort it takes to propose solutions to common problems, and as such, they encourage the children to develop new ideas.

Rudolf Steiner

An Austrian scientist, spiritual researcher, and philosopher, Rudolf Steiner’s educational path began when he visited the Waldorf Astoria Cigarette Factory in Stuttgart, Germany. Because Germany was struggling at the time, the company’s owner offered Steiner the chance to operate an establishment that would provide care to the worker’s families. The school opened in 1919, and now Steiner’s methods permeate our culture.

Steiner founded anthroposophy, a “human-oriented spiritual philosophy” that incorporates spirituality and creativity to connect the human world to the spiritual world. Waldorf is deeply spiritual and its methods highlight the importance of creative expression, community, and respect for all human’s independent thought.

Waldorf schools want children to be authentic to their inner self and follow their innate curiosity for the sake of the natural world and communities. Educators encourage students to gain information about the community, create learning tools, and promote problem-solving methods to create a better society.

According to Steiner’s philosophy, the human being is a threefold being of spirit, soul, and body whose capacities unfold in three developmental stages on the path to adulthood: early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence.
Rudolf Steiner & the History of Waldorf Education – Association of Waldorf Schools of North America

Head, Heart, and Hands

Waldorf schools believe that children must learn to “think, feel, and do.” The idea behind head, hands, and heart is that children should focus on fostering independent thought, valuing emotional connections to the world, and developing creativity.

This educational method emphasizes the child as the problem-solver as they learn to navigate common issues in their environment. Waldorf weaves together academics, physical and creative expression, a love for independent learning, and individual morals. Since children have the freedom to play, they gain deep relationships with other students and use their imagination to reinforce creative solutions to common problems.

This play-based learning model is facilitated by Waldorf teachers who encourage children’s unique goals through practical lessons and hands-on learning opportunities. Educators are trained to identify specific tasks to guide children and suggest different approaches to navigate the environment. Children learn to integrate art, movement, nature as they follow their unique interests.

Waldorf Classrooms

Let’s dive into the structure of Waldorf classrooms to learn more about how they operate. This section describes the Waldorf classrooms, curriculum, and specific materials used to facilitate this type of learning.

Waldorf classrooms assist the development of early learners, while others look more traditional with desks and pencils. Many classrooms lack specific toys but offer tools for learning and opportunities to develop new ideas. Many academics are delayed until grades two, and no technology is present.

There is tons of space and high-quality child-appropriate furniture to allow children to explore the various tools and materials. Many classes are moveable and allow children to transform the class anytime. Classes use hands-on learning materials to teach science, tell stories and create fantasies.

The different grades in Waldorf schools

Teachers take the same group of children throughout the school for 5 to 8 years, and the ratios are often tiny. Small classes allow teachers to get to know everyone and understand various temperaments.

Classrooms have low student-to-teacher ratios, are pro-fantasy and imagination, and are highly play-based. Play is the heart of early childhood in Waldorf and educators tend to focus on originality and creativity. The teachers are the model in the classroom, and the children usually follow their patterns. There is an emphasis on social-emotional and fine motor learning as they encourage emotions and use tools for a real purpose.

Primary: grades 1 to 3

Middle: grades 4 to 6

Upper: grades 7 and 8

High school: grades 9 to 12

Children are grouped by their age like traditional schools. Because the teachers value understanding the whole child, they teach and facilitate various methods and assess individual needs often, and children become more comfortable and secure in the learning environment. The ratios are usually minimal and range from 7 students to one teacher to 15 students to one teacher, depending on the child’s developmental stage.

Special subjects in Waldorf

Eurythmy (a movement art)
Handwork (knitting, crochet)
Botany
Games
Music
Language
Drama

Curriculums and materials in Waldorf schools

Academics are delayed until grades 1 to 2 to teach core Waldorf principles and emphasize children’s unique developmental stages. Rooms are often very natural to mimic a home and incorporate pastels colors to induce a calm and visual learning experience.

Learning materials are always natural materials. Classrooms use silk, beeswax, paint, paper, wood, wool, yarn, candles, organic fibers, dirt, and mulch. There are rarely any manufactured products, technology, or typical toys. Classrooms look like homes and are inviting so children will feel secure and safe with their ideas, promoting creative thinking in the school. There is virtually no technology in Waldorf classrooms, but teachers incorporate technology when children mature.

It seems necessary to stress the creative component in Waldorf schools as it encompasses a significant fraction of the children’s learning time. A considerable part of Waldorf is the connection between art, movement, and nature. Instructors combine fantasy, folk tales, legends, myths, and fables with tangible learning experiences to aid the development of creativity and imagination.

A typical curriculum for Waldorf is designed to correspond with the different development stages. The Core Curriculum consists of English, math, science, and history weaved into creative play-based learning.

Primary grades: teachers tell fairy-tale stories, teach essential math skills, build pretend houses and teach outdoor skills such as gardening. These classrooms utilize moveable furniture, dramatic play items, and outdoor learning to incorporate the various body parts.

Middle grades: begin writing complex stories, review more intelligent math themes, and compare different community projects. Middle grades learn to develop their morals through actions and find ways to create substantial ideas.

Upper to high grades: experiment with new ideas and learn relevant subjects like chemistry and history. They mature at various stages and produce individual goals and plans that correspond with their community values.

Differences Between Montessori and Waldorf

The differences between the two methods range from teacher involvement to class sizes. Each is uniquely different, and the subtle differences enforce certain boundaries maintained by educators trained in each teaching style.

Ratios

In Montessori schools, the groups of children are intentionally large to promote social skills. The emphasis on child-led learning creates an environment that values relying on other children for resources and ideas.

Waldorf classrooms have very low student-teacher ratios because the teachers provide a secure foundation as they travel together for 5 to 8 years. Unlike Montessori, Waldorf students are in small classrooms that provide children with an environment that mimics a homely atmosphere.

Teacher Involvement and Child-led Learning

While communicative and nurturing, Montessori teachers do not coach, train, or teach the children in any way. Teachers trained in the Montessori method are taught to follow the child’s lead rather than teaching them a particular skill. Montessori is very child-centered and focused on the child’s lead, whereas Waldorf is a bit more teacher-led.

Most Waldorf schools are structured around the teacher guiding the children and demonstrating valuable skills. Compared to Montessori, Waldorf teachers’ involvement in the classroom is more pronounced as they connect, coach, and communicate with the children.

Naming the Action: Play vs Work

Please note that this difference may be misunderstood.

Montessori refers to learning as work, and Waldorf calls school playtime. During play, participants have toys versus work, using materials and tools. In Montessori education, the instructors show the children specific work tables or workspaces and provide tools. Waldorf similarity has tools and particular materials, but they communicate the value of play and imagination instead of work.

Some critics believe that is a significant difference in the learning environment, and some argue it is the same word. It is essential to understand that they may be synonymous, but they are still a different quality unique to each teaching method. It may be a subtle difference, but it is noticeable within the two communities.

Transitions

Montessori teachers allow the kids to work until they are finished. They don’t disrupt their learning patterns and rarely incorporate major transitions. Montessori teachers value providing uninterrupted learning.

Conversely, transitions are utilized to coach children from one activity to the next within the Waldorf community. This does not mean they disregard uninterrupted learning, however. The teacher encourages the children to move around the facility seamlessly. It is common to hear singing to condition the children to respond to the following learning materials or daily activities.

Children’s Ages

Montessori’s multi-aged classrooms are typically large and encompass a range of ages and varying skills. These environments change more frequently than Waldorf, and the student’s teachers rotate every year.

Waldorf students are with children of the same age and experience the same teacher the whole time they attend. They have small class sizes (7 to 15 students) and move with the teacher to various rooms.

Curriculum

Montessori rooms have a concrete curriculum model as they follow children’s lead. The way the rooms appear varies depending on the child’s interests, but there are tons of workstations, real-life physical manipulatives, and tasks. There are more curricula for the teachers to follow because they must provide lifelike learning opportunities based on individual needs.

The curriculum in Waldorf delays the core subjects because they focus on painting, sewing, knitting, cooking, pasteling and focus more on imaginative play. Teachers are involved in curriculum development and encourage certain classroom activities, but it is usually done through art.

Imaginative Play

Montessori focuses on realistic, real-life, and tangible representations of learning to facilitate natural exploration. While they are both highly hands-on, nature and experience-based, the slight differences in imaginative play are evident. Montessori schools do not encourage or enforce imaginative or dramatic play until the kids are older because they are highly focused on providing practical tasks.

Waldorf schools teach through fantasy and incorporate core subjects into imaginative play and the arts. They are highly focused on integrated art and curricula together because they understand the value of combining stories and fables with core subjects as it improves social skills and academic learning.

The Grading System, Testing, and Assessments

Montessori teachers must assess children and distribute standardized tests but do not implement any grading system. Waldorf believes that tests do not reflect the true child and do not require them; they perform assessments upon request and do not give out letter grades.

Similarities Between Montessori and Waldorf

Both schools appreciate the whole child and teach realistic skills. They are often associated with natural and organic materials, toys, and products, and rarely include any technology into the curriculum until children are teens.

Holistic

Both Montessori and Waldorf methods value educating the whole child. These alternative schools highly respect children and want to teach them to love their learning style. Both aim to teach children how to learn everyday skills through individualized learning. Instructors genuinely care for children and value a child-driven environment for personal development.

Practical Learning

Both are incredibly hands-on and provide everyday tools and manipulatives as learning materials –cooking tools, gardening shears, and shovels. Routine tasks in both schools are cooking, gardening, building, and sewing. Waldorf schools usually have few toys because they show the children to use the tools to create new toys. Montessori, similarly, while having more traditional toys, highly encourages practical and realistic tasks and building.

Natural Materials

Both schools implement tools and toys that mimic or include natural materials. Montessori toys are specifically made for the learning environments and usually contain wood and natural products. Waldorf schools are painted pastel colors and integrate an appreciation for nature by providing silks, organic fibers, wood, and beeswax.

Nature-based Learning

Both schools combine nature into learning and provide many opportunities for children to connect with their natural environment. They are focused on teaching students to love and respect nature and to learn real-life lessons from the natural environment to instill values and morals as they develop.

Limited Technology

There are no battery-operated toys, no plastic products, and limited technology in these two schools. Because teachers are trained to motivate students through nature, practical skills, and academia, tech does not play a part in their education until they are much older.

Final Thoughts

There are plenty of great things about both alternative schools, and learning more about them will help you figure out which aligns with your values. Waldorf is highly focused on imaginative play and nature-based, while Montessori tends to integrate more workspaces and tasks for their students. Both schools understand holistic learning and limit technology, so children learn to identify needs as they practice social skills.

“The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility; these are the very nerve of education.”

~ Rudolf Steiner