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Early Childhood Education

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

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Effects Of Practical Life Activities And Normalization In The 3–6-Year-Old Classroom, Lori North Dec 2022

Effects Of Practical Life Activities And Normalization In The 3–6-Year-Old Classroom, Lori North

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

"This study aims to determine the effects Practical Life activities have on the process of normalization of students in a Montessori primary classroom. The research took place over six weeks and included 22 participants. Each day the participants were given Practical Life lessons, such as dry pouring, rolling up a work mat, walking around the ellipse, etc. Students who can concentrate and work freely in the Montessori classroom are moving toward normalization. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to examine the effects of how Practical Life activities assist the process of normalization of children ages 3-6. Findings suggest that …


Improving Student Concentration Through Caregiver Education, Arianna Fearing Aug 2022

Improving Student Concentration Through Caregiver Education, Arianna Fearing

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was conducted in a primary classroom at a Montessori school. Using caregiver education that focused on the importance of limiting screen time, it aimed to increase student concentration during the work cycles. The research collected data through pre and post caregiver attitude scales and questionnaires as well as concentration and observation logs during the morning work cycles. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research methods, the data revealed a successful intervention with an increase in student concentration. This study can serve as a framework for future research projects that look at how caregiver education, focusing on different topics, …


The Effects Of Cognitively Engaging Exercise On Children’S Executive Functioning, Emily E. Osborn May 2022

The Effects Of Cognitively Engaging Exercise On Children’S Executive Functioning, Emily E. Osborn

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study examines the effect of combining vigorous exercise with cognitively engaging games on children’s executive functioning skills such as self-direction, engagement, and focus. Over four weeks, the research took place in a Montessori early childhood classroom with 17 children ages 2.6 to 6. The four-week study included a one-week baseline week to collect initial data on the capabilities of self-direction and comprehensive data on energy levels and engagement. The children participated in a 14-minute movement activity with 7 minutes of vigorous exercise and 7 minutes of cognitive-engaging games. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative data tools to examine …


Physical Activity Improving Executive Functioning Behaviors In Montessori Children Ages 3-12, Melissa Patten, Amanda Bodden May 2019

Physical Activity Improving Executive Functioning Behaviors In Montessori Children Ages 3-12, Melissa Patten, Amanda Bodden

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Executive function refers to the intellectual processes necessary for goal-directed cognition and behavior, which develop across childhood and adolescence. This study focused on the effects of physical activity on concentration and focus, prior to academic lessons, in urban Montessori classrooms ages 3-12. This study was administered for six weeks utilizing a thematic calendar of physical activities. The tools used for data collection were: a pre-dialogue with teachers, pre and post-assessments, control tallies, on and off-task observation counts and a post-satisfaction survey. Movement interventions improved focus and concentration by an average of 27%. The data collected supported our hypothesis that purposeful …


The Effects Of Outdoor Activity On Concentration, Rebecca Hyatt May 2019

The Effects Of Outdoor Activity On Concentration, Rebecca Hyatt

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project examined how the incorporation of outdoor activities impacted the concentration of children in a primary Montessori classroom. Twenty-one children, between the ages of three and six years old, participated in the research for six weeks. The researcher facilitated daily morning nature walks for the whole group, as well as, invited children to participate in individual and small group presentations on outdoor work. The researcher collected data using daily observational notes and observational tally sheets, a self-reflection journal, and a post-implementation student survey. The data numbers reflect an increase in concentration during the study. Pre-intervention, 72% of …


The Effects Of Montessori’S “Walking On The Line” Activity On Student Engagement And Concentration, Emily S. Leutgeb May 2017

The Effects Of Montessori’S “Walking On The Line” Activity On Student Engagement And Concentration, Emily S. Leutgeb

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This paper investigates whether and to what degree Montessori’s “Walking on the Line” activity affected student engagement and concentration. This study took place in a private Montessori classroom serving twenty students, aged 33 months through five years. Data was collected using four tools on line usage, engagement, and concentration: a tally of how many times students walked the line, a tally measuring how engaged students appeared while working in the classroom, how long students concentrated following a lesson, and a professional journal. All but the line usage tool gathered baseline data five days before the intervention. Results were inconclusive. While …