I put my son in a Montessori at age 2 and he was doing okay. It wasn't good enough for me and finally found a tiny place that was knee deep Waldorf. He FLOURISHED. Both locations and teachers were wonderful. One had a smaller group than the other. I grew up in Germany and craved my son to have a similar experience. I wanted him to come home dirty and energetic. That is exactly what ended up happening. When he was at Montessori his calm temperament wasn't challenged and he never broke out of his shell. Bottom line I think the personality of the child needs to meet the rhythm of the school. It's absolutely crucial it depends on the personality and temperament of the child. I don't think anything else matters.

Doing real work for a real purpose is the foundation of Montessori philosophy. That so much of the prepared environment is given over to exercises of "practical life" is evidence of this concept. Children are drawn to imitate and engage in activities for self-care, care of others, and care of their surroundings. Children also have an inner drive to practice those skills through repetition. So, the practical life area will often contain a shelf for skill building - where children can practice pouring water to a line through a funnel (as many times as they would like), using spoons, scoops, or other tools to strengthen hand-eye coordination and refine muscle movements, and so on. When we bake a cake, I can say, "wow, I can see that you have really been practicing measuring." I can turn over more and more of the activity to children as they become more competent and able to function independently in the real world. In fact, it was the observation that children would prefer to engage with real food over pretend food, real tools that allow them to actually make things than plastic ones where they pretend to, that informs our methods. At birth, the child is bombarded with information. They have to sort out the properties of matter, IF/THEN relationships- cause and effect, what is safe and unsafe, living and non-living, and generally what is true and not true about the time and place in which they find themselves. Just as a baby will hold up their head, roll over, begin to crawl, pull up to stand... without being "taught," the child will continue an innate path of development that causes them to explore and experiment with the way the world works. They are literally constructing the cognitive architecture that will help them to accurately perceive and respond to reality. Once this foundation is established (around age 6) they can "play" and engage in fantasy as much as they want ...because they will "get the joke" and know that they are consciously creating games and juxtapositions of concepts. It is like the difference between banging on a piano (because that's all you can do) and composing music. Most of the play that we remember from our childhood happened after age 6. Before that time, it is true that children can use play to process emotions, and this can be important. But this is not discouraged in the Montessori classroom. Children are empowered to choose their own activities in response to their inner emotional, social, physical, cognitive, adaptive/spiritual needs. Protecting the connection to our innate drives for health and well-being (knowing when we are hungry, when we are thirsty, when we would benefit from movement, etc.) is part of the reason for independent snack during the morning period. Lessons of grace and courtesy are already practiced in every interaction in the classroom. We will continue these lessons at lunch and during cultural "celebrations of life" that should also happen regularly in a Montessori classroom. Hope this is helpful.

This comment section is amazing! So much respect for the different schools and communicating information as well as understanding with compassion. Just shows what type of people teach and come from these two ways of education.

This is the first I've ever heard of Waldorf. I work at a Montessori school, and my principal complaint of the structure is that the tasks many children are given quickly feel pointless. We have the exact lesson you talked about, the one with the soap bubbles and egg beaters. I've noticed that the 3 year olds don't want to just make bubbles. They want to play in the bubbles, and when they're not permitted to, they lose interest and rarely touch the lesson a second time. The lessons get boring quickly, and all the children gravitate toward the more free areas like blocks and dramatic play, which creates tension and conflict. In my experience, children tire of pouring rice into a jar, then back into the other jar, then back into the first jar very quickly. Yes, they're practicing the skill, but why not let them practice when it will really count for them? It sounds so wonderful, the idea that they'd practice pouring rice into a measuring cup to actually make food to eat, rather than just to do it for the sake of doing it. Will look into this further!

My son has been going to a Montessori preschool for 2 years - and is attending a Waldorf playgroup since he’s a baby - so I have a bit of experience with both. In our Montessori school, my son is prepping food daily - he bakes bread/muffin/focaccia, peels and cuts veggies, grated cheese, makes pasta etc. it’s part of the practical life curriculum, which is one of the key areas in Montessori. The children set the table, eat together and clean up afterwards. Interestingly, my friends son goes to a Waldorf preschool, where the children prepare no food - they eat together but from their lunchboxes... so it just shows... my son has never grated soap... In terms of solo play: in my son’s school he plays in pairs and also in groups, and there’s always group time (circle time and other activities they do in groups, such as music, yoga, crafting etc). But he can also work on things by himself if he chooses to. The main reason we decided on Montessori is because it’s child led. While I think they both emphasise the head, hands and heart, in Montessori the child can work on things she/he is interested at a certain time. So one child can explore space, while the next one is doing something else. But they can also explore things together if they want to. I think in a way, Waldorf is more ‘mainstream’ as it emphasises play, fantasy etc (including gnomes, fairies etc) in early childhood With free time but also teacher led time (Tuesday is painting day, Thursday is crafting day etc), and then moves to a very teacher led - frontal style teaching method, like in a mainstream school, where the children learn the same thing at the same time. In Montessori primary, the children still choose what they want to work with during their free time work cycle - they usually work on projects either by themselves, in pairs or in groups. The older children often mentor the younger ones. The teacher is the guide, he gives lessons but then backs off - so again, you can have a fe children working on maths, others on life cycles, others on art. It’s child led, and that’s what I like. If comes with its negatives too - including often not enough time on free play, etc.

I actually like the idea of using the grater for the soap. We will all learn to use the grater to cook but I like the idea of using objects in unconventional ways. It takes the object out of the “box” and get the critical/imaginative thinking going, creating clever and innovative people.

Montessori is a bit more strict and individualized, and Waldorf is a bit slow-paced and social. I tried to implement both when my child was around 2 - 3 to figure out what she would like when she became 4. It turns out that Waldorf speaks to us as a family. We don't do everything Waldorf, but 80% of our homeschool is Waldorf inspired. It's so relaxed, and we love it. I think my only concern was that my child wouldn't develop specific skills on time (mainly bc she already has a disability, and everyone kept telling me - she should know this or that - by certain age 🤣) I think that's a concerned for many parents. But I'm over it! I love how I'm teaching her now, and I'm learning so much about myself along the way. At first, I thought Waldorf was a bit too hippie for me (& I consider myself a hippiesh person 🤣) there were also concerns about it not being a “black family friendly” education, but things can be easily adjusted which is great. The Waldorf curriculum is very flexible if you want it to be.

I love that Waldorf schools start the day with singing! My son who attended a Waldorf school from 2nd through 5th grade, didn’t learn to read until age 8 but at age 26 he continues to write beautiful poetry. He had such fond memories of his years at Waldorf school that he studied Anthroposophy on his own in college while earning a masters degree in Engineering and is now teaching Physics and Math in a Waldorf high school.

I love that you have done this video, Sarah. I am a Montessori parent and have always loved Waldorf. Maria Montessori said to "follow the child", meaning that each child has an intelligence that we can trust and we should provide them with what they are asking for. Because of this, each Montessori school is unique as the children drive where the learning gets directed, based on their interests, as well as the demographics of the community. My children have gone to a few Montessori schools and they are all different, but all have the same underlying feeling of peacefulness, care of the environment and a sense of community. Maria Montessori said that Montessori education is education for peace, with the aim of the education being that when the child develops inner peace, this peace filters out into the world, eventually creating world peace :). My children have thrived in Montessori education (my daughter is now in a Montessori high school) , they are so confident and happy. I remember going to playgroup with my son where he made scones every week to share with the class at snack time. He did this for weeks until he had absorbed it and was ready to move on to the next thing. Montessori works with "sensitive periods" where teachers capitalise on the time where children are interested in something, because the brain is absorbing it very easily, so it does not feel like work, but like play to them. I remember once my daughter's teacher changed the direction of what she had been planning to teach because the children in her 6-9 class made parachutes that they were throwing off the first-floor balcony. She developed a whole science curriculum for them where they worked out speed, velocity etc! I find it so fascinating that the teachers work in such a beautiful partnership with the children to nurture their learning and their spirits. Montessori and Waldorf teachers are angels walking on the earth and I bow in gratitude to all of you. xxx

I‘m currently working as a Nanny and I am looking for inspiration on how to support the kids. I‘m also a Social Worker and an Art Educator and the difference between Montessori and Waldorf was even part of my studies. We all know that Waldorf and Montessori day cares and schools are very different, as it always depends on who is teaching and who is organising the school. Montessori is very science oriented and the focus is definitely on teaching independence and how to learn effectively. Sometimes I was a bit shocked about how parents would comment under Montessori content: Oh my child is far ahead of others. Can already read and do 3 figure math. I have a couple of Waldorf friends, all of them being super creative, smart and highly social. Sadly my experience with Montessori kids is, that they are not social. They will do as told, but not out of empathy. I worked with Montessori kids on a project once and I really struggled. Working as a team was nit possible. One in the group even expressed that it is his birthday and that he wishes to play a certain game - no chance. I really felt for that little boy. I really like the idea of open end play, educational learning and science projects. But I think our society is lacking community. I think it‘s fine to have one Montessori day a week, do spike your child’s interest in math, science etc. But just asked yourself, what made your childhood a great childhood? For me it was pretend play, social games, communal sport activities and being creative. My creative soul would have suffered in a Montessori school. I do like the room setup of a Montessori home but I will always encourage phantasy, creative play and to be a child for as long as possible.

I've been really into researching Montessori lifestyles lately, but now I think I want to look into Waldorf as well. Perhaps I could find a happy medium and decide which parts of each style that I really like and use them all.

I went to a Waldorf school until the age of 16 and absolutely loved it :)

Hi Sarah. I was a Montessori teacher for years, in Connecticut. In our classroom the children used graters, peelers, and even knives to participate in collaborative activities such as creating a fruit salad we would all enjoy at lunch or afternoon snack time. The soap grating type of activity you described would certainly take place, but in my experience the purpose would be for the sake of an independent activity. We did not feel that all play and learning need be a group effort, and oftentimes it proved beneficial for a child to do something quietly and alone, at his/her own individual pace. Love your videos, and look forward to Sundays! xo

I attended a Waldorf School for 3 years. My son attended a Montessori school for 6 years. The principal difference I noticed is that in Waldorf, the teacher is the model in the classroom who the student is expected to pattern him/herself after, in addition to after the various heroes and gods that are studied in Waldorf. In Montessori, the teacher is the enabler, the demonstrator who quickly gets out of the picture and allows the rules of the classroom and the materials themselves dictate the correct behavior for the children.

I've searched long and hard, what i want for my kid aligns with the WALDORF pedagogy. It's not the speed of learning but the formation of character, which gives me assurance of hope for our children's future.

This comment section is so rich! I'll leave my comment here, read the others and maybe I'll return and comment again. My son is now 4. Before he was born, I worked with many teachers (I was a sing language interpreter at a college then) who informed me about Montessori and Reggio Emilia. My husband studied a little about Waldorf in his music education degree. So, when our son was born, we naturally considered this alternatives models of schooling. Our boy was born with severe cerebral palsy and vision impairment. When I read about anythingon parenting and education, I instantly had the feeling that whatever was being presented was unfit for our family needs (even inside the disability community, because we had this multi-disability situation). As I loved Montessori, we decided to "follow our son" on his developmental needs, and adapt the environment for him. This is still a motto in our house. Yet we soon found that we couldn't go much beyond that. Last year he started attending a regular preeschool (even though 'regular' may mean different thing depending on who reads this. We live in Brazil, in a big, good city) and his social skills went over the roof. We were so glad! Now, looking at who he is, his preferences and abilities, we are seeing much interest in nature, play, story telling, music, movement (running and dancing in his wheelchair)... Waldorf is starting to make more sense to us. I believe our journey as atypical parents will forever be to search and collect this different gems and gold nuggets, and adapt then to our unique reality. Thank you for this video, and others on you KZfaq channel.

I loved your video, thank you for sharing your thoughts! Here is a post I wrote called "A Montessori Teacher's Thoughts on Waldorf Education" and it might give more insight into the differences between Montessori and Waldorf. As a Montessori 3-6 and 6-9 trained teacher, I have a lot of respect for Waldorf education, even though I was drawn to (fell in love with!) Montessori at a young age (23). And as a Montessori teacher, I have recommended it for a few children (usually two students per year) who were graduating from our 3-6 classroom, because I (we) felt it was a better choice for those particular children. Their interests, or should I say passions, were not with the Montessori materials, and certainly not academics like phonics and simple math, but instead they loved arts, crafts, practical life, the outdoors, and botany. One of the attributes I like about Waldorf is its sensitivity for the development of the WHOLE child: mind, body, and spirit. Also, there is a lot of emphasis on fine motor (like weaving, knitting, sewing), nature, cooking, playing, arts and crafts, large motor play, story telling, poetry, songs, critical thinking, and literature. Speaking of large motor, children really benefit from an emphasis on large motor movement activities, which aid in the function of right and left brain development: thus improving reading and writing skills between the ages of five and nine. What I can say about child-hood development is that not all professionals agree that children as young as four, five and six should be doing academic work, that their right-brain and left-brain development is not completed, in fact, in some children, especially boys, it is delayed as compared to girls. And Waldorf takes this to heart--academic reading begins at age eight. In Montessori, there is a Sensitive Period for Reading at age five (Sensitive Period for Writing at age 4 1/2). But there is another sensitive period for reading at age eight. And Waldorf waits until the second sensitive period at age eight to start teaching children how to read. Up until that age, the language focus in Waldorf is on the SPOKEN word through storytelling, poetry, songs, and verse. If you think your child would do better (and be happier) in a Waldorf-style environment, with arts, crafts, cooking, large motor, fine motor, songs, story telling, and a lot less emphasis on academics until the later years... then Waldorf just might be the better choice.

I went to a Waldorf School for a year when I was seven and as soon as my parents would let me I asked to return to a comprehensive primary school. I felt like I wasn't being stretched to my full capabilities as a bright young seven year old. I felt bored and restless during classes because I wanted to learn new and difficult topics whereas instead we were simply encouraged to play or draw. At first I enjoyed the constant playing and drawing and laughing but I soon began to feel as though I needed a greater challenge. Although I can see where the Waldorf philosophy comes from, as someone who as directly experienced it's teaching methods, I feel as though if I had stayed at the Waldorf School I attended I would not be able to achieve as highly as I do now. This comment is, of course, not meant to offend any parents interested in Waldorf education. It is merely a comment on my experience.

I trained in Italy in 1986-7 under Signorina Paolini, a colleague of Dr Montessori. The grater/soap activity was not in our Practical Life set, although it can have a purposeful use. I would not have it in my class, rather, I would have the child grating cartot/cheese/apple. I felt that your observations were subtly biased as you insinuated that "work" is somehow not an appropriate word for children's activities. Montessori children have just as many opportunities to use their imagination in free play however, the didactic materials (Sensorial/Math/Cultural) have a specific purpose. There are other materials which can be incorporated in imaginative play. In my classroom the children looked forward to eating snack and lunch together. If a child chose to keep working with the materials, I would not force him/her to stop and eat! The Montessori Approach has sadly, been misinterpreted from the beginning. The Montessori name is not patented, so anyone can put the name on their Centre. Also, Teacher training varies a great deal around the world so this makes it difficult to determine standards. Dr Montessori believed that a child's imagination was forged from real life activity. It comes to the fore during the second plane of development, 6-12 years, where the study of Mythology, History and so many other "ologies" can be explored with great interest.

Both might be good for different reasons and for different children. However I'd be interested in seeing a future study of the results as these children are grown, between these and also traditional early education.

One of my fondest memories from preschool Montessori is how there was a children's kitchen in small size, but instead of fake kitchen tools and fake food items there were real items there and we knew from picture drawings how to put things together scoop by schoop and give the batch to the teacher for baking. It always turned into muffin or a big cake =) Oh my, it was such a treat to be on that 'station' and how proud one felt for making this on your own. I also have memories of that grated soap being used to wash things with.

Watching you talk about education and seeing the passion behind it, just made me emotional. I dont know why! I just wish there were more teachers like you. I was a gifted child and had a horrible time at school. My son is also gifted, which i find hard sometimes, cause i dont want him to struggle with the same things in school as i did . Thats why im such a fan of both montessori and waldorf. Where the child is free to use imagination and is able to learn so much more. Dont know where im going with this story.. just wanted to express my gratitude. I wish all teachers were like you!

I subscribed today. I enjoy your videos and seeing new ideas for art and play with my child. We initially wanted to be a Waldorf family, started off homeschooling with Oak Meadow, but unfortunately our one Waldorf school isn’t very good, and we ended up choosing a Montessori school instead. I’m so glad we did! It’s been a blessing. I’d like to point out that in Montessori children are allowed and encouraged to engage with other children in the classroom, as well as watch what another child is working on, and interact and connect with them about the work. This video makes it sound like the children are completely independent of each other and don’t interact, when the opposite is true. I know you only observed one classroom, so that’s your experience, and who really knows how they run their room. I’ve observed many classrooms over the years, and have found my observations to be the same across the board. The children are allowed to play together, imaginative open ended games inside the classroom. Also during snack, they choose a friend to enjoy their snack with, while they politely walk around the classroom inviting other children to a snack. It’s not at all an independent activity.

Waldorf teaches how to think independently, creatively, and critically...unlocking ones own ability to learn. I attribute my Waldorf education as the single most valuable compass in my life (besides my mom!)

In my son’s Montessori School, they used the graters to grate veggies and they used knives to cut their veggies for snack. They would also use all sorts of baking tools to bake bread. I think the lesson you observed was simply to enhance fine motor skills and make it fun while incorporating a science lesson. Also, in his school they had solitary activities and group activities.

My memories of the Montessori preschool I attended are clear and extremely positive nearly 50 years later. I clearly remember cleaning out my paint brushes in the sink, and being awestruck on drying the brushes on a brown paper towel at the beautiful colors on the paper towel. They let me dry the paper towel and keep it-to me, that was the art I made. I still remember the sound of the water, the smell of the paper towel. This video feels a little like a passive aggressive hit job on Montessori, even if the intent was a good one, namely to generate discussion.

Hi Sarah. I love your videos and beautiful toys on offer at Bella Luna. My son has attended Montessori school for the past two years and is going into first grade this fall. Some of the activities he has practiced over the past two years have included peeling and slicing carrots, cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs and various fruits and other veggies. The children who do this activity then walk about the classroom offering the snack to friends. However, as you mentioned, much of the lessons are done independently and solitary in the very early childhood years. As my son transitions into Montessori elementary (a blend of 6 to 12 year olds) there will be more collaborative work with various ages. Thank you for sharing this video. Waldorf and Montessori are both beautiful and I love how they help develop the whole child.

Here in México we use the foamy soap to wash the cleaning clothes or our dolls clothing tío, ir even wash some dishes so yes, we have a purpose

Lunch is a very communal activity in the Montessori classroom. So while the little snack is an independent work as needed, the entire class comes together to each as a community every lunch. It’s really beautiful. I would have appreciated a bit more understanding of Montessori before sharing this video. Though I did appreciate that you heavily qualified your experience. Maybe you could have asked your Montessori friends about some of the assumptions you made. That would be a quick check: for example, hey sue, do they eat all meals alone? Do you guys ever cook together as a class? Both answers would surprise you I think. :) I’m so glad for this opportunity to learn a bit more about Waldorf.

Some people grate soap to make laundry detergent - real work. Why set limits for how a tool can be used? Graters are used for all sorts of things. Just because they use graters for soap does not mean they don't use other graters for food.

The girl using the grater and egg beater did real work for a real purpose too, she was exploring and learning and trying new things and life is all about exploring and trying new things instead of doing the same thing over and over, she took a tool that was used 1 way for years and thought of another way to use it, that's inventive and creative.

Curious. You mentioned how the work with Montessori is much more independent, which I largely agree with. But did you see older students working on things together? My experience is you’re more likely to see a 3-year old working alone and more likely to see older students work on “bigger” projects together. Also, older students teaching younger students happens a lot. I love the dialog this video is bringing in the comments. I wish more of the internet had comment sections like this. Haha

Beautifully worded!! A positive outlook on both sides. I felt like the stories are opened ended and sparked curiosity for me to think more about each topic.

I am a Montessori teacher just wanted to shed light on your experience we also do cooking and baking in our classes but by giving them tools on the shelf like grating and whisking they can develop these skills everyday and whenever they want not just on someone's birthday. It's all about the child's inner need. We use old fashion orange squeezer its so sweet to watch a child squeezing orange and drinking the juice right after ...the child has mostly a real purpose when they work xx We also develop imagination using a tray of different lentils rice and beans they mix them using spoons or tongs and imagine it's a magic portion x thanks for sharing your video it's always good to hear about different practices x

I grew up as a Waldorf kid in Germany and then was a Montessori administrator and parent as an adult. Love both.

Thanks for the video.i enjoyed it. In Montessori schools there is great importance in using practical life skills to help with real life experiences. Children do often prepare real snacks together, make eggs, or dips or breads, etc. :) I have observed children enjoy work best when it is for a real purpose so I like your thought about that. My grandma is a Montessori director and I was raised Montessori and have taught Montessori and I also love Waldorf and am learning about it.

I just signed my daughter up for a Montessori school. You have certainly given me something to think about. I'd love to hear a rebuttal from a pro Montessori perspective. There's just so much that goes into finding what's right for each child and family. Thanks for sharing.

Ahhhh. I’ve purchased many toys from Bella Luna for my grandkids who go to a Waldorf school. How cool that Bella Luna is you!! I’m a Waldorf kid, went to Green Meadow. I loved it.

thanks a lot for this video, i searched for what is good for my kid , and i went to Montessori as the almost best method for a kid to learn with ., but guess what after deep searching now i am fond of Waldorf and totally changed my mind after i practice it with my kid just few times, it is really really peaceful , creative and full of knowledge and every aspect needed .

This was so helpful to watch, thank you. I am a child development student and I feel at home in alternative education methods. It's been difficult to pinpoint which method I'd like to use both as a homeschool mom and as a professional when I work for my master's degree. But really, this cleared everything up.

Thank you for sharing - I’m researching styles and techniques for early childhood education and resources and I found this to be quite helpful!

Montessori philosophy is based heavily on practical life skills. They do cook together. They wait to eat as they say gratitude. My Daughter's school actually says the 5 favorite Waldorf gratitudes! www.themagiconions.com/2016/04/5-favorite-waldorf-mealtime-blessing-verses.html As an atheist/ agnostic, I love these little verses, because they teach gratitude without religious indoctrination. (Although some religious institutions do host Montessori and Waldorf schools, too.) At my daughter's Montessori, the children grow a garden and make food. The upper Elementary students even make fruit & veggie juices and sell them on special event days. On birthdays, they don't make birthday cake, because they don't do sugar, but they do have a "celebration of life". The birthday child brings some photographs from home, their parents are invited, and the child gets to talk a little bit about each year of their life, so far. The children sing a little song about the year and the birthday child gets to walk around each month of a round calendar rug. The teacher lights a candle on the top of a special earth globe in the middle. When the child gets to their birth month, they stop and then go blow out the candle on the top of the earth. Every Montessori material is meant to build on a skill for the next. Through simple, incremental work/ play, the foundations of geometry and fractions (for two examples) are already being learned in pre-k and kindergarten. And not just basic shapes, but concepts like parallel, acute, obtuse, etc. So that when they are old enough to start using numbers to work with a concept, they've already developed a very tangible grasp of the concept.

If I went to a Montessori school I’d never take a math class because I dont like math. But then what happens when you want to do a career that requires a college degree and you missed out on classes you’ll need? I don’t like reading, but I had to read articles in books in public school and English was one of my best classes. If I only focused on my interests I would just be exercising, singing, and in Spanish class. I did have to do a woodworking class which I struggled with but it taught me things and I had to take art classes which mainly taught me how to deal with difficult teachers. I would be fine today without taking many classes as I never took physics, but I wouldnt if I never did things I didnt want to do.

I know this video is a few years old now and I haven’t read all the other comments - but in Montessori they would DEFINITELY also use the grater and egg beaters to make food and make a cake, etc. she happened to be doing it that day in school with soap but Montessori is all about doing practical every day life things. So using those tools for cooking would absolutely be something they’d also do at some point. But having said that I adore some aspects of Waldorf and the fantasy and play aspect especially. Montessori doesn’t like to introduce fantasy or anything not realistic until after age 6. We kind of do a hybrid at home with our kids.

I think it’s really good that the children are doing so many things independently. It’s good for children to learn to interact socially, but it’s also good for children to learn self reliance.

I realized something the more I learn about the 2 approaches and hear from former students themselves: a) it depends on the child and what environment they would benefit most from - neither approach suits every child and b) they each have slightly different goals. So it’s about defining your goals as a parent and determining which approach most aligns with your philosophy on how to get there. No matter how they’re educated- you still have to raise them at the end of the day so you need to make sure the school (or educational philosophy if you’re home schooling) compliments and aligns with what you’re going to do naturally and instinctively as a parent. C) for use in the home as parenting approaches, they’re not completely mutually exclusive - you can easily combine the best aspects of both without it compromising the ability of one or the other to take hold in the child. Might take some skill on the parents part but it seems feasible. I think I might try it in the future.

Such a great video, it helps me understand the differences:) thank you!!

Let me star of by saying that I attende a Waldorf school form grades 7-10 and that I now, although I am not formally trained as a Montessori guide, work in a Montessori school primarily in the third stage of development, grades 8-10, but I also give music lessons in grades 1-7. Your point about about there being a lot of individualism and individual work in Montessori education is true, but one component of a larger picture. Children, as you described, are free to choose their work and may work individually (this is the most true when the children are the youngest) but they may also observe each others work, take interest and join in on something another child is doing. This naturally happens more frequently as they grow older. This is one of the reasons why it is so vital in Montessori classrooms to have mixed age groups, so that the younger children can be inspired by the work of the older, which they admire, and the older can learn responsibility and better familiarize them selves with the material by guiding the young. In Montessori schools, another important way to foster the scenes of community is taking care of the common environment, learning to tidy up and clean after your self, both individual and the class as a whole. Now, to your point about doing real work, I am not qualified to speak of the youngest children, as I have little experience there, but this grows increasingly more important as the child matures. As the child reaches adolescence they will, ideally, live and work on a farm, governing their own economy, making real decisions about the farm, and engaging in real commerce with the wares they produce on the farm. In our school, students hold offices that oversee aspects of the farm work, such as animal leader, sales leader, economy leader, etc. All major decisions are taken democratically by the student body at our weekly "society meeting" (I'm not sure that is the correct English term, sorry). This is to mimic real society and prepare them to take their place in the real world.

This was so interesting to see! My husband is a Waldorf teacher. Our youngest started in transitional Kinder last year. And will be continuing this year. When we first met many years ago I was a single parent with my oldest daughter in a Waldorf home preschool with a teacher I just loved. Very small school. I loved so much about the Waldorf approach that I was determined to start the Kindergarten at our local Waldorf school. Private, very expensive. I qualified for “financial aid” as it were, but even so I was working full time and going to grad school, just worked really hard to make it happen. Which was a wonderful experience for her. The next year she went to a smaller school which was based on Waldorf methods, also not cheap, but made it work. We moved around and she did some time in public school here and there but we always came back to Waldorf school (3rd grade, 4th grade, 6th grade, 7th & 8th grade... sometimes Waldorf charter schools). With our other children they got to experience early childhood education again with Waldorf schools. My question to you is we may be looking at a move somewhat soon to another county where there is one big private Waldorf school that has an amazing reputation but costs more than my college education. It would pain my heart to put them in regular public schools but there are no Waldorf charters nearby. Right now my kids attend the Waldorf Charter school where my husband teaches. Do you have any suggestions? Ive never heard of a Montessori public school but maybe they are out there? Years ago I inquired into a private Montessori as an alternative for one of our children but it was even more costly than the Waldorf one nearby. Some schools offer scholarships of sorts but I would have to be looking at at least 95% tuition remission at the prospective school for this to work for our family. I do still love the Waldorf experience and hope my children may continue to benefit from it. Thank you! p.s. forgot to mention we have been ordering from Bella Luna toys for years. My 6 yo still adores her heavy baby. She named her Sweet Pea. xo

Thank you for having the courage and heart to express your thoughts and observations. I was present in a Montessori Kindergarten when a child ate the soap, from the activity tray you have mentioned in the video.

I think that the most important difference is that Waldorf has a spiritual point of view behind, Montessori has the scientific method.

In terms of clarifying individual vs. group snack, I believe it's the difference between interrupting a child in order to adhere to a snack time determined by the adult, or allowing the child to choose his/her own snack time in relation to how hungry or how focused that child is. When the adult says "It's time for snack" and everyone must come, there will be some children who are in the midst of deep focus that has now been disrupted by the adult. That child deserves to play for as long as desired rather than be interrupted according to the adult's timetable. If you've had the opportunity to observe lunch-time in a Montessori classroom, then you would have seen all the points made here about the benefits of eating together, setting the table, preparing the food, serving each other, and grace and courtesy. I like the idea of balance - snack enjoyed at the child's discretion, and lunch enjoyed as a group dynamic.

Montessori also uses kitchen tools for food preparation. It depends on the directress and her style of educating. I would then take bubbles and have a work of washing a baby (bath) or use it for washing clothing. The lessons we give can be based on everyday living skills along with math, science etc. we have group snacks and group birthday celebration. Walk around sun. We also have a snack table for 4 children to enjoy socializing and meal prep. Children are able to work in groups and independently. There are so much more to Montessori than you had in that one observation. I am curious about your observation of play and how they naturally learn how to count, write name and learn sounds?

I really liked this Video, thank you for making it and informing us ! I definitely go for Waldorf here !

Hello Sarah! I have 'fielded' the comparison/contrast question about Waldorf and Montessori over many years...one realization I have (although I remain open and in flux with new thoughts over time...) is that in the Waldorf Early Childhood Classroom environment, the children are free during Creative Free Choice Play to seek out and gather their own materials and 'tools' from the corners, shelves and overall integrated space - designed for both individual and group activity. In the Montessori classroom, among the materials available, there are pre-cut shapes and forms available - on trays - for children to take up and 'assemble' into specific patterns or in a pre-determined order. It is referred to as 'work'... The 'assembly' of these items is intended to serve a specific 'pattern' for thinking and support of cognitive development - an approach which is unique to the Montessori brand. In the Waldorf classroom during 'Free Play' young children choose their own readily available materials. They are free to find their own use and purpose and end result! Play is highly regarded as 'work' for the young child. It may be said it is an essential part of the Waldorf Early Childhood teaching approach - to support the free-flowing, creative 'play' process of the young child. It leads to flexible and entrepreneurial thinking in adulthood! Guidance is available for the individual as needed within the Waldorf approach. Group activities underscore the development of social skills needed to live in community. Waldorf Early Childhood classroom life engages the children in learning age-appropriate pre-academic skills. Throughout the day in the classroom, there is a balance of active and reflective time to allow children to internalize impressions. With a focus on healthy adult and peer role modeling, children are free to learn through imitation within an integrated, 'natural flow' - as in the context of daily life.

My daughter goes to a Montessori school and they do use tools to make meals on a regular basis. 🙂

If my child could get educated by either one, am sure he will be happy and successful in life. Thanks for the info. I had never heard of a waldrof education

Our Montessori school practiced togetherness and manners at snack time. All the kids were looking forward to snack time.

Hi Sarah, Thank you so much for having the courage and empathy to put your perspective out here. I really appreciate your gentle but candid approach to subjects. I have a four year old that I have been trying to decide on an alternative schooling model for and it can be difficult to discect the true nature of the different styles if you don't have personal experience with it. I feel like both Montessori and Waldorf are effective teaching models and it is really just a matter of what speaks to you and your child. But it is so nice to get your perspective to confirm the differences I suspected myself. Although both styles are great I can only choose one school for my child to attend.

In or Montessori school we use the graters to make carrot salad , but i love the soap idea, must be so much fun :-)

This was interesting to watch as someone who was in a Montessori preschool and a Waldorf school from Class 1 until halfway through Class 8 (not to mention who is facing the prospect of teaching English at a Waldorf school in Japan). Thank you. By the way, that necklace matches your eye colour in the loveliest way. :)

Thank you so much Sarah for this video. I like the way you are being sensitive about Montessori education. As a Montessori teacher, I am also sensitive towards waldorf education :). Concerning the grating of the soap. Yes, soap, chalk, crayons etc can be used for grating in a Montessori classroom. These are also extended during cooking activities in little groups eg. grating cheese/ carrots. The idea here is about the child practicing and mastering a particular skill leading to independence of the child.

Hi sarah, i love the way how you explained the waldorf. We dont have many waldorf-sian edu system in Indonesia. So i will learn it from you.

In a Montessori school, children have a snack as soon as they come in after washing their hands, since not all of them come in at the same time. However, they break bread at the same time and make conversation that the teacher/guide may initiate, or anyone else. And they practice setting the table, pouring, serving, picking up, cleaning, and so on... yes Montessori encourages independence, and also team work as well as group work. Not only will an older child teach/guide a younger child, but so many times a young child will teach/guide an older child and this is why Montessori has different ages in a group like in a family. Montessori encourages developing the child’s imagination with the reading on the science, the immensity of the universe, the knowledge of the geography, the beauty of nature, and the discovery of the earth evolution. Montessori encourages the child to appreciate the artes by classifying colors, shapes, and volumes with the sensorial material. The method encourages the development of the language by the classification of all objects with the proper name. It develops the mathematical mind in each child starting with the sensorial material like the pink tower, brown stairs and red rods. And Montessori will always encourage the independence of the child by letting him/her choose the work he/she needs to satisfy their inner soul. Thank you for initiating this conversation. For those whom may think it will not be beneficial to have their child attend a Waldorf or Montessori school due to constant moving or economic reasons you can always have your home set up with these methods/philosophies. The child that attends these schools adopt easier to a traditional school than the other way around. Children in a traditional school that come into theses schools don’t know what to do with the independence the have been given. An independent child ( one that has been in Montessori) understands rules, has a critical thinking and adopts much easier.

I think the BIGGEST difference, I'm my opinion , between Montessori and Waldorf is that Waldorf use a lot of imaginative tools (fairies, etc) wheres as Montessori is based on what is real. There's also more of a philosophical aspect in Waldorf with anthroposophy even though Montessori also emphasizes on the spirit of the child, but not as much with candles or verses for ex.

That story about the beater is interesting, but the thing is the material, soap bubbles and all are always available daily for the child to use. if the need is strong then the child is able to even repeat the activity as many times as they like. repetition is always encouraged.

I enjoyed this video very much. Waldorf is not concept heavy, it won't bombard you with concepts or academics for you to memorize. What is provided to you is an environment where you can come up with your own concepts out of what you carefully observe. If you are used to being fed information that someone else came up with, Waldorf would not be the environment for you. Waldorf makes independent learners and playing and drawing is just a part of bringing learning a step further. For example, you don't just learn about Botany, you get to draw and paint plants; you also get to water them and grow them in their natural environment. For those who understand Waldorf at a deeper level, everything included in its curriculum has the purpose of creating integrative learning in a very successful way. I absolutely love Waldorf education and I am grateful my son's entire education will be in a Waldorf school. He is in 8th grade now.

Hello, just yesterday I watched a video of a celebrity talking about Waldorf education and it really sparked my Interest. I am thankful for the education I received growing up and I am thankful for my parents wanting me to have an education. I’m in college now and I can’t help but want to learn more of what everyone else has learn and is learning in a Waldorf school. I love that you have videos out sharing what you teach the children and so on. I want to learn more about Waldorf education but for someone my age College level.

Talking of snacks... The idea is that there's no such thing as fixed time (apart from lunch time - which is indeed done socially and as community). There shouldn't be "snack time" as it would abruptly interrupt the deep activity/ focus the child is putting into her/his work, which would ultimately lead to mastering the skill s/he is developing. Having said that, very interesting comparison, thanks for sharing!

Wonderful comparison between the two philosophies. I run a home based Montessori Preschool and have the liberty to have a blend between the way work is done in a Montessori setup and maybe a Waldorf setup. We grate carrots and potatoes that we then use in either carrot salads or baked patties. My students wash the rags that they have used in the classroom to clean up spills, make orange juice during snack time and politely invite their friends over to share it with them, load their dishes in the dishwasher and its not a shelf job but real application. All I am trying to say is that Dr. Maria Montessori's goal was not for the students to only use the didactic materials but realize the true application of it in real life. She also believed that a child at work requires the quiet during work time to develop will and focus to work on a material.

This was very informative. Thank you!

For sake of argument, isn’t it great to use tools which are design for kitchen or other type of activities in different ways? I like the example with the soap, it widens the horizons, next day the kid will see mom at home beating eggs ect with the same tool...as a child and later I liked to brainstorm with other people what else could we use a chosen item for... it’s fun :)

i am in love with montessori all the way, but i have also found it beneficial to take some things from waldorf like the singing/rhythym for certain things that we need to do like brushing teeth and bathing etc... it works for younger kids

The spirit of the founder always pervades in any foundation. In digging into the differences, I noticed a lot of former teachers and students talked about being bullied, Magic, witchcraft (try reading an exercise by Father Amorath in Italy, or being in a haunted house), and then started reading what Rudolf Steiner wrote. What better way to know a program then to read what the founder write? I was shocked by the stuff he wrote! No one is talking about how Steiner was an occultist, talked about concealing stuff from parents unless they were on board, believed in reincarnation and praying/singing to the gods of the elements. Said that children shouldn't learn to read till 14, and warp reality with gnomes. The more I read his stuff, the more satanic and pagan...not to mention unscientific. well, he was an occultist, God have mercy on his soul.

Hay Sarah! One tool can be use in many different activities or work! Just to let you know that I use a spoon to curl my eye lashes, so if the child is experiment some work with a kitchen tool I don’t see any negative on doing that.

I haven't heard of Waldorf too often; however, the heart, hands and head way of learning I am familiar with.

I would have loved to hear that they used the soap instead of dumping it. That would have taught conservation and utilization in the task. I like both schools of thought on how they teach children to actually know how to live in the world around them. While also being polite. 👍👍Mine are over the age for either of these schools, which I wish extended further.

Interesting that you would talk about the difference between two methods, but knowing only one...

The bubbles story is a representation of creativity, that goes beyond activities focus solely on porpuse. Creative mind goes with the hand of self steem, and an effective prooven way in developing a helthy self steem in a child is by valuying their creative thinking in action. And I believe those are the lessons they take in life to become more self assured and proactive adults...Thank you for sharing.

Btw from what I know Tolstoy's ideas on education are similar to Steiner's in many ways, so I'm interested if somebody has done any rigorous comparison, because Tolstoy was not only a great writer but also a great teacher indeed.

I use a grater to grate soap to make laundry detergent...so I'd say they are using the appropriately. Although, yes, as other have said, I would love to see them use the soapy water instead of dumping.

You didn’t actually explain either method or the difference in philosophies. All you did was describe a few activities you saw the kids doing....sounded like you were bashing Montessori to me

This is wonderful thank you for sharing your knowledge it’s helpful 😊

"real work for a real purpose." Waldorf education gives life and context to what children are learning. Another big difference is that Waldorf education is teacher led, where Montessori is very much child led from the start.

Montessori elementary school is very collaborative. Right or wrong, Montessori observed, with all the biases that any individual has, that young children had the need for independent work. That bubble work might be a vestigial chore from before mass distribution of laundry detergent and dish soap. It might have been a practical work when it was created by an earlier Montessori teacher. My son helps prepare snack in his Montessori school using hand choppers and apple slicers to cut fruit and vegetables. He had also used a grater to grate cheese and cinnamon sticks. Some schools may not allow kids to handle food too much. It's not really authentic Montessori though.

That's a great story, and was very helpful in understanding Waldorf vs Montessori. We have just started looking at pre schools for my daughter and would love if you/your guests could do something that helps understand Waldorf vs. Steiner vs. J. Krishnamurthy vs. the "Finland style of education" vs. Montessori as well. There are schools which offer all these different styles, and as a novice in this space, I am completely lost

The example of the soap where it was grated....she could have used it to wash her hands and that would have been the practical application.

That's interesting about the soap example - what I've seen elsewhere is that Montessori has a big emphasis on doing real things for a real purpose, just as she's saying waldorf does. Maybe on that point they are similar, and the soap example was an outlier. Someone needs to grab all the good parts of both these styles and put them together. I love love LOVE the designing-the-room-and-activities-to-make-it-easier-to-pack-up-when-you're-done of Montessori, because as an adult, this is something I reaaaally struggle with. I wish I'd learned to pack up after myself as a toddler! It's hard to communicate just how debilitating it is to struggle so hard with this; if you don't, you just can't understand what it's like. So I'm trying to teach my toddler this so that it can become almost innate. I don't know much about Waldorf but I like what I'm hearing in this video about the dress up and emphasis on play. As far as I'm concerned, play *is* learning, it's what it's for. Kids have a built in desire to play because it's the best way (the only way?) to learn. Experiment, role-play, explore, have a go and see what happens! Playing is learning, learning is playing. Different types of play results in learning different things.

Hello Miss Sarah I love the way of waldrof school system,plz tell me the procedure of evaluation,I will be very thankful to you.

Something I would like to call attention to is that Maria Montessori did not trade-marked her name; and sadly, any school can say they are Montessori just because they use some of the Montessori materials she created. As you described the eggbeater/bubbles scenario, it made me wonder if this particular place is an actual Montessori trained school. In a real Montessori school, children use the eggbeater to beat eggs, knife for cutting veggies and fruit, grater to grate carrots, apples, etc. and every tool to do exactly what that tool is intended to do. This and many other activities, including self-care and care for the environment, are part of the Practical Life Curriculum that helps children develop self-reliance, independence, cooperation, cleanliness, organization, and many other important qualities. You also mentioned a "free-play time" (in Montessori is called work) and called the materials on the shelves "toys" when they are not. I have been a Montessorian for many years and would love to add to the discussion that these are materials used to develop the various aspect of a child's whole. The shelves are organized in a way that all the materials are at child's level so they can reach every activity available to them. These areas include Sensorial, Mathematics, Practical Life, Language, Science. These subdivide into other areas such as botany, geography, geometry, grammar, and so on... In order for one to be able to make a fair comparison between Montessori and Waldorf education, one has the responsibility to get really acquaintance with both disciplines. Sarah, I appreciate that you are honest by saying that you are not a Montessori expert of any sort. However, I would suggest that you read and really familiarize yourself with the Montessori approach to education in order to be able fairly inform your audience, as opposed to just making a comparison based on the observation of a place which sounds like might not be really following real Montessori principles. Or invite a seasoned Montessorian to the discussion. (^_^)

With Montessori it is not free "play" time. Work and play are one thing. It is activity and work and play developing different aspects the WHOLE child is always present engaging in different activities. The key observer sees the whole at all timers. She or he is like the conductor of a huge symphony if activity.

Thank you for this video(and the wonderful responses in the comments)! My son is in Waldorf and I have been trying to explain to relatives what this means exactly and how it differs--and the main response I receive is- "Is it the same as Montessori?" and I wasn't educated enough on Montessori to juxtapose.

Not the soy sauce and rice! Eating (and hating) that is my most vivid memory from my Waldorf preschool

Sounds like you observed an inauthentic Montessori School.

I don't feel observing just one classroom just one day is enough info on a style because each school and teacher adds their own flavor to it and some are more "authentic" than others. Recently I observed 3 different classrooms in a school and have been researching and networking a lot about various early childhood education styles. One thing I've been repeatedly seeing and being advised on is how different each teacher is. Despite that, I did find this video and especially its comments interesting. I encourage everyone to deep-dive research and closely observe things for themselves then research more. Some info takes more time to find but is important and can be very surprising.

You are absolutely correct that work should be meaningful for children. I am a Montessori teacher and a teacher trainer and the work should have a motive or a purpose. In most classrooms those soapsuds would’ve been transferred to a work and used for scrubbing. They would’ve been used for scrubbing a table or the floor or some other piece of equipment in the classroom that needed cleaning. So I think that if you look at enough Montessori classrooms the good ones do have purposeful activities. Maria Montessori called it the motive of activity. And in terms of snacktime most schools allow the children to ask a partner to join them and it is a very social time and not a solo time. So you will see many different things in different Montessori classrooms but grace and courtesy and a sense of community or a very big part of a Montessori classroom. Thank you for your video.

Interesting. Thank you for your story

I love the practical work the Waldorf schools and kindergardens are doing, but I'm somewhat put off/troubled by the religious/occult ideas that stand behind this. For example, Steiner assumes his interpretation of karma and reincarnation as fact, and calls upon Waldorf educators to "read" children along those lines. Anthroposophy claims that children choose their own parents, that hereditary disease is the direct result of karmic guilt, etc. Also, the assumption that humans consist of four distinct "bodies" which aren't all present at birth leads to all sorts of projections, and is one of the reasons why Waldorf children are discouraged from learning to read and write before their second teeth appear. And of course, there's the tempers: sorting children into outdated psychological stereotypes based on "humors".

Thank you for your presentation

i'd like to add another fact about the term 'work' in the Montessori context (adolescent Montessori guide here). Dr. Montessori believed that work (among many other attributes) is a universal human tendency. our job as adult guides is to prepare and maintain an environment that allows children to independently choose and direct their own work and therefore their own learning and growth. trusting that people of every age want to be active and grow themselves is a key cornerstone to the philosophy that guides it all. then it's a matter of preparing an environment that responds to the developmental needs of the children. as adolescents, that means opening up to the larger society, working together to maintain a farm environment (where their work very much matters), creating products that they sell, making money to decide what to do with, etc. they are living together in practice society where they all have a place and purpose. With Montessori, it looks different at every plane of development because they need different things, but the idea is that we provide space and freedom for them to self-develop through their own work.