Montessori Steiner / Waldorf Reggio Emilia Froebel Forest Schools

Founder Maria Montessori Rudolf Steiner & Emil Loris Malaguzzi Friedrich Froebel Danish Educators
Molt
Background Maria Montessori was an Steiner was a The Reggio Emilia Froebel was a European Forest Schools originated
Information Italian scientist who used philosopher who approach grew out of a philosopher and in Denmark, but spread
methods of scientific believed in cultivating desire in post-WWII Italy architect who believed to other Western nations
observation to develop children’s spirituality. He to create a more that children’s cognitive in the 1990s and 2000s.
her approach to was inspired by democratic future for development would They are now popular in
education. To this day, Rousseau’s idea that Italian children. The naturally unfold through the UK (as Forest
her approach emphasises children are best raised focus was on exposure to their Schools) and in Australia
observation of children in natural, homely and cooperation between environments. He (as ‘Bush Kinders’). They
learning and tweaking of comfortable children, learning developed toys that follow a play-based
learning environments environments democratic skills, and corresponded with what approach and embrace
based on teachers’ uncorrupted by the creating links between he believed to be the Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s
observations. outside world of adults. children and their natural progression of idea that children have a
communities. The children’s cognition. He is special connection with
founder was Malaguzzi famous for the metaphor nature. Raising children
and it was established in of the teacher as in nature can help them
a town named Reggio gardener and student as experience freedom,
Emilia in Italy. flower. fresh air and a spiritual
connection to the earth.
This is known as the
Danish philosophy
of friluftsliv.
Theoretical Grounded in cognitive- Embraces a humanist Grounded in social- Froebel was an Sees children holistically,
Foundations constructivist theory. view of teaching and constructivist theory. influential cognitive- which corresponds with a
Montessori believed learning. Steiner was in While Montessori constructivist theorist. humanist view of
children learn in clear touch with the idea of embraced Piaget’s ideas He believed that children teaching and learning. A
stages. Birth to age 3 children as innocent who of the child as ‘lone develop through natural holistic understanding of
represent the need to grow up within scientist’ who is self- stages and bloom like childhood emphasizes
“unconscious absorbent nature and protected taught, Malaguzzi flowers. He was one of children’s cognitive,
mind” and ages 3 to 6 from the adult world. embraced Vygotsky’s the first people to social and physical
represent the “conscious This approach is also very idea that children learn highlight the importance development. It can also
 absorbent mind”. much concerned with best through social of play using toys and be considered
Montessori’s multi-aged nurturing students’ interactions between tools for cognitive constructivist, as it has a
classrooms are grouped emotions. Here, you can adults and students. development. He strong emphasis on
based on these periods see that Steiner less Malaguzzi also rejected believed age-appropriate ‘learning by doing’.
of development, as concerned with a Piaget’s idea that all toys must be provided to Children spend their time
inspired by Piaget. constructivist pedagogy; children develop in help progress child outdoors experiencing
and more concerned universal stages; rather, development. and engaging with nature
with a humanist they develop at their to develop knowledge.
approach which own pace as they move
embraces holistic through their ZPD in
spiritual development. social contexts.
Role of The teacher is ideally an The teacher is a moral The teacher is a guide, The teacher is a gardener The teacher should be a
Teacher unobtrusive director, leader, promoting but the student’s who nurtures a child’s guide who encourages
aiming to eventually not harmony and a sense of individuality and agency development as it children to explore their
interfere with learning as community. The teacher to make their own naturally develops. natural environments.
children develop self- encourages students to decision and come to Teachers should observe The teacher encourages
competencies. The care for one another and their own conclusion is children’s development children to explore and
teacher should observe their environment. The respected. Teachers and sensemaking and play but lets children
and record children’s teacher is much more often work in pairs so provide experiences and lead the learning
learning, but it is interventionist than in that they can talk gifts designed for helping experiences. While safety
recognised that either the Reggio or together about the needs children’s sensemaking is a concern, the teacher
interrupting children Montessori approaches, of students and help one (very similar to should not aim to
during learning could working to reinforce another out. Montessori, but with a eliminate all risks.
disturb their momentum, their own personal stronger emphasis on Instead, they should be
motivation, interest and convictions about mathematical and happy with ‘safe enough’
thought processes. morality, humanist symbolic learning). where obvious risks are
Therefore, the goal spirituality and the eliminated, but don’t go
should be to support importance of care for overboard stressing.
self-directed learning and one another. Some risk is good for
self-discipline. learning. The teacher
focuses on building trust
between themselves and
the students – i.e.
 teachers should trust
students to self-regulate.
Teachers also focus on
ceremonial events like
campfires and student
presentations to start
and end all learning
sessions.
Role of The Montessori The environment should The Reggio Emilia Froebel wanted to Learning is entirely
Environment classroom is resource appear natural, warm environment emphasises expose students to a outdoors, preferably in
rich. Children can use and homely. Toys and social interaction prepared environment natural forest
resources around the materials are often made between children and that involves ‘gifts’ environments. The
classroom to help them from woods and hand- children, adults and (developmentally learning environment
problem solve and made. Earthy colours are children, and adults and appropriate toys). Gifts 1 should be open-ended.
discover new things. used to promote links to adults. The classroom is – 6: Play with 3D solids. Open-ended learning
Educators use their nature. an extension of society, Gifts 7 – 9: Play with 2D means that children
observations of children and society and cultures shapes, lines, points. create their own
to provide the children should be invited into Gift 10: Framework: Play adventures: they choose
with resources that help the classrooms. This with frameworks that how to use the resources
them meet their current means there is often represent solids with in their environment.
developmental needs. involvement of experts lines and points Outdoor lessons take
The Montessori such as artists coming (Skeletons of 3D shapes). place in all weather
classroom is also an into the classroom. conditions – so students
orderly and structured Malaguzzi defined the need to come prepared
environment, where classroom environment for hot, cold, wet and
objects have their own as the ‘third teacher’ to even snowy conditions.
place. highlight how it is central
to a child’s learning.
Practical The Montessori Academic learning is Classrooms are often Froebel believed Teachers need to ensure
applications classroom emphasises delayed until age 7 to democratic and involve kindergartens should children are well dressed
of the sensory and practical keep children ‘innocent’ students in decision- involve songs, movement for the weather
approach / experiences. Lessons are and in a state of ‘natural making. Group work is games and craft activities conditions. Students
task-oriented, where the childhood’ as long as central. (‘occupations’) that help should be taught how to
teachers’ teacher sets out a task possible. Before this age, students learn through manage risks themselves,
pedagogies and encourages students the focus is on play and the 5 senses. which requires a lot of
to complete the task discovery. There is a early scaffolding.
without interference strong focus on art, Froebel’s gifts (toys) and
from an adult. imagination and occupations (crafts)
creativity. should help children
make symbolic
representations of the
real world.

Students should be
exposed to the world
through play to develop
understanding of the
nature of the physical
world. Playing in the real
world gives context to
students’ knowledge (He
is very much against
ROTE learning).
Class Multi-age classrooms Classrooms are not Multi-age classrooms are No mention of age No mention of age
groupings that are based on pre- usually multi-age, but the often used in Reggio groupings. groupings. However,
defined stages of teacher does stay with Emilia schools, but for children should be
development (0 – 3 and 3 children for multiple different reasons to exposed to the Forest
– 6). years in a row. There is a Montessori. While Schools environment for
strong focus on daily Montessori sets multi- a sustained period of
routines that revolve age classrooms based on time: one-off outdoor
around organised group pre-defined activities are not enough.
meal times and training developmental stages, Preferably, all learning
in harmonious domestic Reggio Emilia sets multi- should be in forests for
and communal living. age classrooms to several weeks at a time.
encourage children to However, some UK
learn from ‘more adaptations have one
 knowledgeable other’ day a week spread over a
peers. term as a compromise
due to curriculum
constraints.
View of Children as agentic. Children as innocent. Children as agentic. Children as agentic. Children as agentic.
childhood Children are seen as There is a strong focus on Democratic participation Children try to make Children are seen as able
being able to learn and protecting children from and active citizenship are sense of the world to manage themselves
discovery on their own the adult world and encouraged from the through engagement and assess their own risk
when provided with a keeping them in natural earliest possible age. with objects in the world. tolerance in their lives.
resource-rich environments. Children should be given Trust between children
environment. It could also be seen that freedom to explore (this and adults is
children are considered emphasis on freedom emphasized, where it is a
agentic, but this is links well to ‘agentic’ give-take relationship
emphasised less than in construct). rather than having the
the Montessori and teacher as the ultimate
Reggio approaches, as authority figure.
childhood innocence is at
the fore.