Education Commons^™

Creativity As A Gateway To Mental Health: A Burnout Recovery Journey, Sarah Keller

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This research explored creativity and flow state as a means of overcoming symptoms of burnout and supporting mental wellness. In this self-study the subject participated in creating art using a variety of media for seven weeks. Additionally, the subject kept multiple streams of data to closely examine the main symptoms of stress and burnout, including an in-depth look at sleep patterns. Other data collected included flow achievement, pre and post study surveys, daily journals, and individual session check-ins. Data suggested that over the seven-week period, sleep became more regular and the subject felt better immediately after participating in creative activities. …

Improving Toddlers' Transition To A New Classroom: Using Attachment Theory, Yoonju Um

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research sought to answer "What impact does a teacher's insight about transition and attachment theory (Bowlby, 1982) have on a toddler's transition into a new school?" The research was conducted in a Montessori school in Connecticut with 4 teachers, 11 new toddlers, and 11 parents. The researcher intervened with a teacher focus group examining their belief about transition. The data tools included teacher surveys and focus groups, parent checklists, observations on transition behavior, and interactions and program structures section of the infant toddler environment rating scale (ITERS). The findings showed that the intervention enhanced teachers' confidence and positive …

Impacts Of Early Childhood Professional Development On Educator Practice And Subsequent Student Experience In The Outdoor Environment, Hannah Mohr

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to study the impact of professional development on early childhood educator practice and its subsequent effects on toddlers’ experiences with Risky Play in the outdoor environment. The setting of this project was a toddler classroom within a Montessori school in Missouri. The population for this action research study was three adult assistant guides with varying levels of experience with Montessori and early childhood education and 10 students in a Montessori toddler classroom between the ages of 17 and 32 months. The intervention consisted of a professional development workshop related to Montessori philosophy and benefits …

The Effects Of Professional Development On Collective Teacher Efficacy, Rachel Cordova

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research study aims to determine the effect of control-based group games on self-controlled behavior in a Montessori primary classroom. The study took place over a period of four weeks and included 17 participants ages 35 months to 6 years. A control-based group game, such as Red Light/Green Light or This action research examined the effects of professional development on collective teacher efficacy in a primary Montessori setting. The focus group comprised four participants, three lead teachers, and a site supervisor. The methodology consisted of four one-hour professional development sessions including quantitative and qualitative data collection, initial and final …

Effects Of Mindfulness On Teacher Stress And Self-Efficacy, April Netz, Lauren Rom

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Teachers experience high levels of stress due to the demands of their profession. The purpose of this study is to determine if mindfulness and meditation have an effect on stress levels and self-efficacy. The researcher-participants were two female teachers in public schools. Five days a week for four weeks, the participants practiced mindfulness activities from a curated list including Body Scan, Meditation, Breathing, Yoga, and Journaling.. The participants detailed their stress levels before and after the intervention each day and weekly through different means of data collection. The study used pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, daily journals, and weekly questionnaires to …

The Effects Of Discussion Groups On Teacher Confidence And Comfort-Level With Anti-Bias Education At A Private Urban Montessori School, Michael Sullivan Mckiernan

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was conducted to examine the effects of peer discussion groups on the comfort and confidence of lower-elementary Montessori teachers in conducting literaturebased anti-bias lessons. The intervention was conducted in a private, urban, Montessori school, serving students from toddler to middle school. The participants of this study were five first-third grade teachers, including the participant researcher. Data was collected through pre- and postintervention surveys, teacher post-lesson self-assessments, transcription coding of discussion groups, and researcher self-reflection rating scale and journal prompts. Three discussion groups were scheduled two weeks apart, with teachers giving literature-based, anti-bias lessons between the first and …

Nudging Parents Towards Parent Education Emails, Lauren P. Sitarz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This research studied the effects three different styles of email content has on sustained parent interest. Emailing is a cost-effective way of offering parents a glimpse inside their child’s classroom; but if parents do not engage with the emails or correspond with the teacher, the effort may be ineffective.. Over six weeks, 81 primary (3 to 6 years-old) parents at a small suburban Montessori school received one of three weekly emails containing photos or text intended to teach parents about Montessori education. The data suggests parents value photos rather than text. Teachers may see sustained engagement by sending regular photo-heavy …

Using Ipads To Increase Students’ Letters And Letter Sounds Knowledge, Jessica Isgett, Leslie Mann

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was carried out to determine if the use of an application named Phonics Island would help student knowledge of letters/letter sounds increase. The research was completed in a full day Primary Montessori classroom of 4k and 5k students. Data was gathered using teacher observation and teacher made checklists. Data on students’ feelings toward learning letters/letter sounds was also assessed to see if students’ thoughts about letters changed after incorporating technology. Students were given an iPad for approximately fifteen minutes per day. The letters were grouped in categories, and the researchers chose which group the student needed to …

The Effect Of Engaging In Food Prep On Willingness To Try New Food, Alyssa Stahl

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project sought to determine the effects implementing food prep activities in the Montessori primary classroom (ages 2.5-6) had on children’s willingness to try new food. Before the food prep activities were implemented, parent questionnaires and student conferences were used to better understand the children’s food preferences. During the intervention, tally sheets and observation forms were used to track student participation and their reactions to the foods. After the intervention, additional parent questionnaires were distributed and student conferences were conducted to determine current food preferences of the four foods that were included in the food prep activities. The …

What Effects Will Collaborative Art Have On Social Cohesion?, Nadine Clarke-Manning

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this project is to determine the effects of group art on social closeness in the early childhood Montessori classroom. The study had nineteen participants ranging in age from three years to six years old and their parents. The data was collected by means of parent pre and postproject questionnaires, student feedback forms, observations and tallies, and reflective teacher journals. The intervention spanned over a six-week period in an established Montessori school in a rural area of Ontario, Canada where social connection and bonding had not been reached. In small groups, students completed a cohesive group art project …

Mindfulness And Its Effects On Self-Regulation In A Lower Elementary Classroom, Jennifer Yenter

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine the effect of a variety of mindfulness activities and exercises on self-regulation. Twenty-eight students from a lower elementary class of first, second, and third graders in a public Montessori school participated in the study. Data was collected over a period of six weeks using an on task behavior tally sheet, productivity scoring rubric, observational notes, behavior logs, self-assessments, student feedback, and an auditory following directions matrix. Results show a promising association between mindfulness and self-regulation. All students enjoyed partaking in mindfulness and reported positive associations with the intervention and showed increases …

Montessori Family Education, Katharina Vidojevic

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Montessori family education is a stepping stone in forming a bridge between school and home. This action research is focused on increasing familial attendance in Montessori education classes. Using quantitative and qualitative research methods are important tools in discovering the needs of the school community. Attendance, Likert scales and feedback questionnaires were useful tools in reaching out to the familial community. Implementing the changes based on the research results showed a drastic increase in attendance. With families leading busy lives, the school meeting them half way showed positive quantitative and qualitative results. This study had a maximum of 28 families …

Improving Teacher-Efficacy, Gillian K. Jones

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The study was designed to investigate the effects of daily readings on teacher-efficacy within a Montessori environment. This self-study used daily Montessori readings, recording of mastery experiences, scales of accomplishments, surveys of confidence and daily reflections as a way to increase teacher-efficacy over the course of five weeks. I conducted the research in two different Montessori schools. The study highlighted teacher-efficacy in working with children and in working to build a new school. Both schools were located in the Midwest. The first portion of the study was conducted in an established Montessori classroom with 28 children ranging from 2.5-6. The …

The Effects Of A Peer-Supported Mindfulness Practice On Teacher Stress Reduction, Dana Vitolo

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project was to measure the effects of daily mindfulness practice with peer-support on teacher stress reduction. Nine female Montessori teachers participated in study and taught at private Montessori schools in suburban or rural settings. The participating teachers practiced a short mindfulness activity daily such as the body scan, sitting meditation, yoga, or mandala coloring and wrote reflections in their daily journal for four weeks. The teachers also participated in a weekly peer support group for community building and wrote reflections in their weekly journal. The teachers participated in a pre- and post- intervention stress …

Effects Of Pencil Grasp Exercises On Handwriting In Sixth Grade Resource Students, Karen Galloway

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of pencil grasp exercises on the handwriting of sixth-grade resource students. This action research project took place in a public middle school resource classroom located on the outskirts of a suburb. The six-week study had seventeen student participants, ranging between the ages of eleven and twelve years. During the study, the researcher collected data on the placement of the hand and fingers on the pencil, grasp, legibility, letter placement, fluency, and perception of abilities. The data utilized pre and post questionnaires, observations, matrixes, and assessments. Results showed that sixth-grade resource …

The Effect Of Student-Led Conferencing At School And At Home On Goal-Setting, Goal-Fulfillment, Effort, Achievement, Intrinsic Motivation, And Satisfaction For Montessori Lower Elementary 3rd Year Students., Timothy David Blake Schwartz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study was designed to determine the effect of weekly student-led conferences (both at-home and at-school) on goal setting, goal fulfillment, effort, achievement, intrinsic motivation, and satisfaction. One teacher, eight Montessori third-year lower elementary students, and eight parents participated in the study for six weeks. Baseline data on goal setting and fulfillment was collected and analyzed. Guiding questions designed to encourage and support the students formed the content of the conferences. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered. The results showed that while the intervention did not help the students set and fulfill greater quantities of goals, it did have a …

The Effects Of Social Stories On The Problem Solving Skills Of Preschoolers, Sara Cramer

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project examined the effects of social stories on the problem solving skills of preschoolers in a Montessori classroom. The classroom was in a private school in Arizona led by a lead Montessori trained teacher and an assistant teacher. The study spanned seven weeks and the subjects were 22 three to five year old children. Three stories were read to the children. Each story was read at circle time daily for a two week interval. Data collected included the observations of the lead teacher, observations of the assistant teacher, and one-on-one conversations with each child at the end …

Relevant Professional Development: Reflective Of Adult Learning Styles, Polli E. Soholt

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project was instigated to determine the effects of professional development (PD) for practicing Montessori teachers using the Montessori Language materials. The specific targeted materials included: vocabulary cards, sound analysis, sandpaper letters, moveable alphabet, pencil use, and reading. The research took place during a four week period in a large west coast Montessori school that serves children between 18 months and 12 years old. The teachers who participated in the study all worked with children between the ages of 3 – 6 years old. The data was collected using a provider journal (notes taken by the researcher during …

Peer Tutoring And Cooperative Groups In The Dual Language Classroom, Cristina I. Celis

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

How do we help children practice and retain the second language in a Dual Language program? We must find effective and fun ways, like Peer Tutoring and Cooperative Groups. This research was conducted with a group of 21 six and seven year olds in a Dual Language Immersion classroom in a Title 1 school. There was a mixture of boys and girls, Latinos, African-Americans and Caucasians. Data collection was done through surveys, observations, artifacts and narratives. The data showed that while these strategies did increase vocabulary, they did not inspire the children to speak more Spanish. They still reverted back …

The Effects Of Mindfulness Practices And Activities On Student Attention And Work Engagement In A Multi-Age 4th To 6th Grade Montessori Classroom, Jamie L. Schaub

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to test whether the implementation of mindfulness exercises would increase focus and work engagement of students. This study incorporated breathing and visualization exercises three times a week. The 5-week study involved 44 children between the ages of 9 and 12 years in a private Montessori school in Northern Michigan. Data collection included daily tallies of on and off task behavior, daily observations of work engagement, pre and post questionnaires about mindfulness completed by each child, and oneon- one discussions with each participant. Results showed an increase in the number of students on task and …

The Effects Of Purposeful Physical Activity On Student Concentration In A Montessori Children’S House, Sheena M. Goerg

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine the impact of purposeful gross-motor movements on student concentration in a Montessori Children’s House. The intervention took place over a period of eight weeks in a private Montessori school in a “Children’s House” of 20 primary aged children (ages 2.5 to 6). Data was collected using hourly observations of the concentration levels of the class as a whole prior to and after implementation; tally sheets reflecting daily use of movement materials, daily reflective journals, and interviews with the children. Results show concentration levels were positively affected by the use of the …

Helping Third-Grade Students With Task Management In A Montessori Classroom, Jessica H. Fabel

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

HELPING STUDENTS WITH TASK MANAGEMENT 2 Abstract In this study, ten third-grade students in a Montessori classroom were observed and encouraged to discover strategies to help them manage their coursework. The teacher facilitated individual conferences with each student that focused on developing specific independent work time strategies. The students also had the opportunity to assemble a portfolio and to reflect on their progress. In addition, quantitative data was collected that focused on student engagement and work completion. The study revealed that students were drawn to larger projects, particularly in history and geography. They were also drawn to work that would …

Filling The Gap: Phonological Awareness Activities For A Montessori Kindergarten, Shauna A. Aranas

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Phonological Awareness in Kindergarten 2 Abstract This action research was conducted to determine if small group explicit phonological awareness (PA) instruction using materials from Early Reading Mastery (Klein, 2015) and Words Their Way (Bear et al., 2006) would increase students’ ability to segment phonemes (i.e., break words into sounds) and build three letter consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. The research was completed in a full-day public suburban Montessori kindergarten. Data was collected using phonological awareness tests, a teacher adapted spelling test, tally sheet, and researcher’s log. Pre-test data was used to create homogenous small groups for the four-week intervention. Explicitly worded lessons …

Cursive Handwriting With Kindergartners, Amy J. Carlson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract This action research studied the impact of Handwriting Without Tears® (HWT) cursive instruction on handwriting skills for kindergarten students. The study occurred in an early childhood (ages 3-6) classroom at a private Montessori school. Eight students received multisensory HWT cursive instruction twenty minutes per day for six weeks. Sources of data included participant print and cursive writing samples analyzed with a rubric, HWT print assessments, scored attitude scales of participants’ feelings about handwriting, a tally sheet of writing works chosen, and a teacher journal. Following the intervention, participants’ scored higher on the HWT assessment, especially in the section regarding …

Help Me Help Myself: The Role Of Helper Flags As Tools For Self-Regulation, Lara G. Bergman

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract The purpose of this action research was to determine if using flags, created as tools for signaling for help, was an effective way to develop persistence and encourage children to complete their chosen work. The study was conducted in a preschool classroom at a private Montessori school. Participants included 15 children aged three to five and three teachers. Data was collected in the form of student interviews, tallies, and observations made during the period of research. The results indicated that the helper flags increased the children’s persistence with their work and increased the likelihood they would complete their chosen …

The Effects Of Creating Self-Assessed Work Portfolios On Student Learning Engagement In An Upper Elementary Montessori Classroom, Suzanne Clement Thorne

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Self-Assessed Portfolios for Student Engagement in Learning Abstract The purpose of the research was to find whether the creation of self-assessed student work portfolios would be effective in engaging students in learning opportunities and lead to self-regulated behaviors. The research project was conducted in an upper elementary classroom. The class consists of twenty-three grade four to grade six Montessori students in a private school. Ten students have had a Montessori education starting in preschool, eight students started in grade three, two were held back a year, two students started in grade four, and two students started in grade six. Fifty-two …

The Effects Of The Implementation Of The Conscious Discipline Program On Social Emotional Learning In An Early Childhood Classroom, Ashly Chavez

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE 2 Abstract This study investigates the efficacy of Conscious Discipline’s teaching strategies to enrich social-emotional learning and establish a positive classroom climate in an early childhood Montessori classroom. Conscious Discipline is a written program, of instructional and behavioral strategies created by Dr. Becky Bailey (2011). The question throughout this research project was “Does teaching Conscious Discipline strategies enhance social-emotional learning in preschool aged children?” The study was conducted in a Montessori classroom, the participants being both boys and girls ranging in age from 3 to 4 years. For six weeks, Conscious Discipline strategies were being implemented on a …

Writer’S Workshop And Technology, Stephanie Pullman

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract The intent of this research was to determine what effect an increased use of technology, (meaning word processing, digital tools and use of websites) in Writer’s Workshop assignments would have on the quality of writing, engagement and enthusiasm for writing. A writer’s workshop is meant to expose students to the different genres and styles of writing. It is taught in a workshop format where there is a mini-lesson about a particular topic, time for the students to write independently and to receive feedback from both the teacher and peers. The research study took place at a private Montessori School …

The Effects Of A Book Club On Montessori And Parent Education, Stevie A. Harrison

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract This study was implemented to research the effects of parent education and parents understanding of Montessori, in the form of a parent book club. The aim of this action research project was to improve parents understanding of the basic concepts of the Montessori Method with the goal to persuade parents to keep their students in a Montessori environment as long as possible. This study was conducted in a small private Montessori school. All participants had children that were enrolled in the Montessori school. Data collection was gathered using a pre/post survey, self-assessment surveys, videotaping of the book club sessions, …

Use Of Yoga To Alleviate Stress In Toddler Group Care Programs, Caitlin J. Jalalat

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract

Each year children enter into group childcare settings. This is both a necessity for working parents and can be a great introduction to their first group education program. Along with the positive aspects of group care come some negatives. Toddlers show signs of stress such as crying at drop off that can last from a moment to many hours during the day. Toddlers can be very social but must learn how to navigate these social interactions by sharing, taking turns, waiting for materials to become available, and receiving less individual attention from a single caregiver. In this Action Research …