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| Based on helping the natural development of the human being | Based on the transfer of a national curriculum |
| Children learn at their own pace, following their own individual interests. The teacher is unobtrusive | Children learn from a set curriculum according to a time frame that is the same for everyone |
| Child is an active participant in learning | Child is a passive participant in learning |
| Understanding comes through the child’s own experiences via the concrete materials and the promotion of children’s ability to find things out for themselves | Learning is based on subjects and is limited to what is given |
| Learning is based on the fact that children learn through experience with their senses and movement | Children sit at desks and learn from a whiteboard and worksheets thus, not truly experiencing concepts. |
| Child can work where s/he is comfortable, move around and talk at will as long as not disturbing others | Child is usually assigned own chair and encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions |
| The teacher works in collaboration with the children | The class is led by the teacher |
| The child’s individual development brings its own reward and therefore motivation | Motivation is achieved by a system of reward and punishment |
| Children reinforce their own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success | Learning is reinforced externally by rewards. |
| Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline | Teacher acts as primary enforcer of discipline |
| Child works as long as s/he wishes on a chosen project in an uninterrupeted work cycle. | Child generally given specific time for work in a set timetable. |
| Mixed age classes | Same age classes |
| Working and learning matched to the social development of the child. | Working and learning without emphasis on the social development of the child |
| Shared emphasis on intellectual, social , emotional and spiritual development | Main emphasis on intellectual development. |
