Montessori vs Steiner Methods

Philosophy
The world and scope of philosophy in a modern context is expansive and wide. A primary reason for this would be the fact that there are many great minds and scholars when it comes to the subject. Two of those people would be Waldorf Steiner and Montessori. This brief report will be a review and summary of the similarities and differences between those two great minds. With those two experts in mind, there will be a special focus on two forms and examples of creative curriculum. Prior to that being done, there will be a review and summary of each of the experts in question and how they do and do not intersect. While there is a lot of overlap between the Waldorf and Montessori models, this overlap is not absolute.
Analysis
As one might gather, the obvious parallel and story being told when it comes to this report about curriculum is the focus on the Steiner and Montessori models of schooling. Depending on who one asks, one or both of these methods are considered controversial and worthy of debate. Even so, it is important to know what each model involves and why they are touted as being the best option or options. Further, the similarities and differences between the two brain trusts involved and the models they put forth is also important to flesh out. First up would be the history and context of the Waldorf method. Indeed, much of that comes from a man named Rudolf Steiner. Alive from 1861 to 19235, Steiner was of the mind that every person is comprised of three portions, those being spirit, soul and body. He further asserted that these parts of the whole person play out and develop during the differing stages of development, those being early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence. As he perfected and refined his model, he was more than willing to translate it to all forms of the human experience. This would include art, drama, education, agriculture and medicine, among other parts of life. This report, of course, will focus on the educational aspects of that paradigm (“History of Waldorf”, 2017).
Those aspects, as shown in his original attempts in 1919, were quite radical and different for that time and era. Indeed, he had four conditions that he insisted upon when Emil Molt, a factory owner that wanted him to create a school, asked him to teach the children. Those conditions were that the school would be open to all children, that it would be coeducational, that all pre-college grade levels would go to the same school and that the teachers would run all aspects of the school, rather than some different or higher administrator. In the century or so that has passed since then, it is interesting to note that all Steiner-model schools are independent and govern themselves. Indeed, they share much the same model. However, they all make their own administrative and managerial decisions, even if they follow the same basic teaching model (“History of Waldorf”, 2017). Modern characterizations of Steiner/Waldorf schools include that they are “hippyish” and “playful”. However, some are prone to point out that some common beliefs of Steiner schools are less than popular. Indeed, some people classify Steiner, a person that is known as being the progenitor of anthroposophy, was an “occultist” that believed in things like reincarnation and alternative medicine. This has often translated, at least in some Steiner Schools, into an aversion towards vaccines and some troubling views about the perceived genetic inferiority/superiority and/or hierarchy of different races, inclusive of Caucasians being considered the more “intellectual” race (Cook, 2014).
The Montessori method, by contrast, is a tad less divisive and controversial. Even so, there are many people that are either very much in favor of the Montessori method while others insist that other models and patterns are better. The namesake and creator of the Montessori method is actually a woman, that being Dr. Maria Montessori. She lived at around the same time as Steiner. She, like Steiner, lived in Europe. However, she was in Italy and her model was (and still is) different in many ways. Important facets of the Montessori method would include blocks of uninterrupted learning time, the fostering and heavy use of peer learning and a “triangle” that is formed by the teacher, the child and the learning environment. Indeed, there is the common belief relating to the Montessori method that windows of learning opportunity should be harnessed and not left to waste. During the pivotal and important early childhood years, there is a heavy focus on the development of sensory/motor activities, working with the proper materials and the skilled use of direct experience. One very important facet of the Montessori method would be the use of older children to teach younger children. The use of this pattern and method is done with the idea of mimicking how the real and adult world works in much the same pattern and fashion (AMSHQ, 2017).
There are obviously strengths and challenges when it comes to both models. Both models are strong in that they focus on the development and growth of the students involved. They are also both strong in that they empower people besides the administrators of a school to do the teaching. This is not to say that administration and leadership is not important when it comes to schools, public or private. However, hamstringing and excessively regulating the teachers, what they are allowed to do, what they are not allowed to do and so forth can be problematic and can harm the learning experience. A proper balance must be struck between not enough control and too much control. With all of that being said, there are some clear differences when it comes to the two schools of thought, so to speak. For example, the command and control that is brought to bear for Steiner schools is perhaps a little too casual and low-level. It is admirable that the minds and experts of the Steiner method are not desiring to overly regulate and control the Steiner paradigm. Even so, it is important to have at least some general guidelines that are not flexible or changeable. This is a point of comparison where Montessori schools are very different. Even if there is some animosity between the Montessori schools and the public school systems of the relevant countries, the Montessori system itself is rather united and consistent from school to school. Both of the models have a strong focus on freedom and development. However, they do so in slightly different ways. With the Steiner method, the teacher has full command and control over what the children do. In the Montessori method, there strong centralized control in terms of the methodology used. At the same time, it is not the least bit uncommon for teachers to yield to the student in terms of the direction they take or to the older students as they work with and teach the younger children.
Another obvious intersection between the creators of the two methods is that they saw specific and defined characteristics in young learner. A difference would be the precise facets and parts that are supposedly present. As noted before, Steiner was all about the three parts and sectors of a person. Dr. Montessori believed something similar, although she focused on the traits and patterns of human behavior. These patterns, as they exist while people are learning and developing, is what Montessori wanted to focus on. Indeed, she was all about patterns and behaviors such as precision, communication, engaging in fruitful and useful activities and so forth. One clear difference between the two methods is play. Indeed, the Steiner/Waldorf method even has specific dolls and other toys that are used as a means to structure and guide playtime with children. By contrast, the Montessori method is much looser and less specific. Indeed, there is a specific avoidance of using specific materials and tools. The focus with the Montessori method is the “how” and “why” of the learning, rather than the “what”. Put another way, the desired outcomes and goals are fairly clear when it comes to the Montessori method. However, how any given student gets there can (and perhaps should) vary based on the progress, preferences and traits of each student.
Both methods are smothered in controversy and acrimony as it relates to its interactions with society, to mention whether they meet the required and minimum early child education (ECE) standards. However, the depth and breadth of this strife varies greatly depending on the situation. There would seem to be a good faith compare and contrast between public schools and the Montessori method. The focus, of course, would be on which method is better and/or whether the trouble taken to use the Montessori method is even “worth it”. There have been many studies in this regard. Some support the Montessori method as being more beneficial and effective while others say that there is no benefit. There would seem to be little to no assertion that the Montessori method puts students worse off than a standard public school system. By contrast, the Steiner/Waldorf method is much more controversial. Even with the lack of a mandated or required structure across all schools, the man and minds that underpin the Waldorf method are a tad more controversial than any Montessori method would tend to be. The aforementioned shunning of vaccines would be a great example. Even if there is no “official” ban on vaccines and even if the schools are able to make up their own mind on the subject, the fact that many of them shun vaccines for scientifically dubious reasons is troubling to say the least. Even, there are minimum standards that must be met, depending on the jurisdiction. One institution that is commonly involved would be the NAEYC (Kirby, 2011).
Conclusion
Both the Waldorf/Steiner method and the Montessori method are seen as intentionally breaking away from the methods seem more commonly in public schools and other such environments. These disagreements and deviations in dogma and philosophy can be useful in many instances as groupthink and going along with the crowd can be akin to being a lemming walking off a cliff. Even so, there are many things that public schools get right and thus these alternative methods should be filtered and informed by the same.




















References
AMSHQ. (2017). Introduction to Montessori Method. Retrieved December 05,
2017, from https://amshq.org/Montessori-Education/Introduction-to-Montessori
Cook, C. (2014, August 04). Why are Steiner schools so controversial? Retrieved December 05,
2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/education-28646118
History of Waldorf Education. (2017). Retrieved December 05, 2017, from
https://waldorfeducation.org/waldorf_education/rudolf_steiner_waldorf_history
Kirby, D. (2011, February 02). Waldorf Teachers.com - Waldorf Employment in Waldorf
Schools. Retrieved December 05, 2017, from http://www.waldorftoday.com/2012/03/the-
autism-vaccine-debate-why-it-wont-go-away/













Appendix – Venn Diagram