In a Waldorf classroom, all of the children are the same age and remain with the same teacher for 8 years so that the teacher and child can get to know each other well. This also allows the teacher to find the best ways of helping each child learn.
In a Montessori classroom, however, you will find children of differing ages all together, grouped according to 3-year cycles, or planes of development. These multi-age groupings promote social interactions and peer collaboration, as older students act as mentors helping their younger peers while the younger students learn from their older peers. Montessori students will remain with the same teacher for 3 years, or until they are developmentally ready to enter the next level.