I too went to a Montessori school, and later a Sudbury school (the original in fact), and even later staffed at a Sudbury school (they don't have teachers per s

I too went to a Montessori school, and later a Sudbury school (the original in fact), and even later staffed at a Sudbury school (they don't have teachers per se, another way they differ from Montessori). As you describe, you had to choose from a set of pre-canned, "age-appropriate" exercises (a whitelist). Can you see how this is quite different from being able to spend your time however you want? (except for specific rule violations, i.e. a blacklist) Not only that, but in my experience there were also quotas. Though at any given time I could choose what I did at the Montessori school, I had to eventually do a certain amount of math, reading, and so on.