Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Publication Type
Articles 1 - 15 of 15
Full-Text Articles in Education
Montessori Middle School: The Erdkinder, Luz M. Casquejo Johnston
Montessori Middle School: The Erdkinder, Luz M. Casquejo Johnston
Middle Grades Review
Montessori Education is over a century old. Since its inception, Montessori schools have been opened worldwide. While most are pre-schools serving three to six-year-old children, many people aren’t aware that Montessori spoke and wrote about middle level education before her death in 1952. Her concept for the Erdkinder, an intentionally designed learning environment for the adolescent ages twelve to fifteen, is described in this essay.
The Impact Of Anti-Bias Literature Small Groups On Children's Understanding Of Themselves, Their Families, And Others, Rosabeth Birky Koehn
The Impact Of Anti-Bias Literature Small Groups On Children's Understanding Of Themselves, Their Families, And Others, Rosabeth Birky Koehn
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
The purpose of this action research study was to explore how sharing anti-bias children’s books in literature small groups in a lower elementary Montessori class affects children’s perceptions of and ability to communicate about themselves, their families, and others, as well as the classmates with whom they choose to associate. The sample studied in this research was a class of 20 children aged six to nine at a private Montessori school located in a small town adjacent to a large Midwestern city. Data was collected through pre and post oral interviews, written reading reflection worksheets, and daily teacher observations of …
The Effects Of Tootling Without External Rewards On Whole-Class Lessons In A Lower Elementary Classroom, Anita Lynette Goss
The Effects Of Tootling Without External Rewards On Whole-Class Lessons In A Lower Elementary Classroom, Anita Lynette Goss
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of Tootling without external rewards on negative behaviors during whole-class lessons in a Montessori lower elementary classroom. Twenty-four students, ranging from six to nine-years-of-age, including five who received outside assistance, were the subjects of this study. The students participated in a self-assessment pre- and post-intervention. The researcher gave lessons on whole-class lesson etiquette, the importance of being a supportive community, and how to report their classmates’ positive behaviors after whole-class lessons using Tootles. The results suggested Tootling without external rewards had minimal positive effect on students’ negative behaviors during whole-class …
Authentic Montessori (In A De/Colonializing World), Lily Schweitzer
Authentic Montessori (In A De/Colonializing World), Lily Schweitzer
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
This six-week qualitative action research self-study investigated how critically reflecting upon personal heritage while engaging with decolonial, antiracist perspectives would affect perception and attitudes towards Montessori materials, pedagogical philosophy and methodology. With critical pedagogy as a theoretical framework, the researcher surveyed decolonial scholarship for recommendations. She followed a program revealed by the literature. She took two tests at the beginning and end of the study to establish a baseline of bias. For the first two weeks of the study, she engaged with Indigenous peoples' cultural production. She studied ancestral trauma for the following two weeks. To provoke equal understanding and …
Modeling Grace And Courtesy In A Montessori Classroom And Its Influence On Children’S Social Behavior, Minhui Zhang
Modeling Grace And Courtesy In A Montessori Classroom And Its Influence On Children’S Social Behavior, Minhui Zhang
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
It has long been known that teachers have a large influence on students, however, little is known about the effect that teachers may have on students’ ability to develop positive social behaviors. Accordingly, there is a need to collect data regarding the effect that a teacher modeling grace and courtesy may have on how students interact with their peers and teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this action research is to analyze the effects of intentional teacher role modeling of grace and courtesy on children’s social behaviors. A classroom of 24 lower elementary, mixed age children from five to eight years …
Increasing Motivation Toward Math In A Montessori Lower Elementary Classroom, Caitlin Sweeney
Increasing Motivation Toward Math In A Montessori Lower Elementary Classroom, Caitlin Sweeney
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
This study investigated how the introduction of math-based games influences children’s motivation to practice math. It was conducted in a Lower Elementary Montessori classroom, serving first through third grade and twenty-one students participated. The students played one of three games every day throughout the study. Their motivation toward math was tracked through observational data and their daily work journals. Additionally, each participant answered pre and post intervention questions to ascertain their mindset toward math. The data shows that the intervention had minimal impact on the students’ motivation toward math, although some students did increase the frequency of their math practice. …
Building A Cohesive Classroom: The Effects Of Music On Cooperation And Community In A Public, Lower Elementary, Montessori Classroom, Julia E. Jones
Building A Cohesive Classroom: The Effects Of Music On Cooperation And Community In A Public, Lower Elementary, Montessori Classroom, Julia E. Jones
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
The following research assesses how the daily integration of singing and listening to music helps to construct a socially cohesive, cooperative and joyful classroom during clean up time. This study combined group singing opportunities, a music listening station and music played during clean up time. The songs used for this study included lyrical themes of cooperation, happiness, overcoming obstacles and/or friendship. The thirty-day study involved twenty-one participants between the ages of six and nine at a public, Montessori school in Missouri. Each individual completed a pre- and post-survey, as well as a survey each time they used the music listening …
Physical Activity Improving Executive Functioning Behaviors In Montessori Children Ages 3-12, Melissa Patten, Amanda Bodden
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 …
Effects Of Mentorship On Empathy Development And Civility In An Upper School Community, Cassella M. Slater
Effects Of Mentorship On Empathy Development And Civility In An Upper School Community, Cassella M. Slater
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
This action research project investigated the effects of mentorship on empathy development and civility in an upper school classroom. The environment was a Montessori upper school with 21 children ages 6 through 13. It is a newer classroom; however, there is a level of incivility and indifference in their social behaviors. Data was collected using an interactions matrix, pre and post surveys, classroom behavior tally, and the Developmental Environmental Rating Scale before and after the intervention. Results showed civility and joy greatly increased over time. Individuals’ understanding of empathy showed a positive change. Overall, the classroom became more civil and …
You Don’T Need To Speak To Be Heard: The Effects Of Using American Sign Language With Hearing Lower Elementary Montessori Children, Rachel A. Murnane, Lisa M. Wolfe
You Don’T Need To Speak To Be Heard: The Effects Of Using American Sign Language With Hearing Lower Elementary Montessori Children, Rachel A. Murnane, Lisa M. Wolfe
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
Our research introduced the use of ASL signs with hearing elementary children and examined if this intervention affected the noise level produced in the classroom. The project was performed in two Montessori lower elementary classrooms (1st-3rd grade); one at a Maine private Montessori school, with 28 hearing children, and one at a Wisconsin public Montessori school, with 34 hearing children. In Wisconsin the researcher was a teacher in the classroom, in Maine the researcher was not. Data was measured using four tools: a decibel measuring app, observation form, tally sheet, and a structured discussion. In both classrooms, the change in …
Breaking Gender Barriers Through Literature In The Elementary And Pre-School Classroom, Bonnie J. Frieden, Jenna G. Laffin
Breaking Gender Barriers Through Literature In The Elementary And Pre-School Classroom, Bonnie J. Frieden, Jenna G. Laffin
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
The following research assesses how reading and discussing stories that counter gender stereotypes can increase cooperation and decrease conflict between primary- and elementary-aged students of different genders, as well as to expand students’ conceptions of self and others beyond traditional gender expectations. The six-week study involved 50 participants total, 21 between the ages of 3 and 6 and 29 between the ages of 6 and 9 at two separate Montessori public charter schools in Minnesota. Each participant completed an activity pre- and post-intervention concerning the feminine and masculine traits that they would choose to describe themselves and those that could …
The Effects Of Implementing Montessori At Home On Children’S Independence And Self-Regulation In A Montessori Classroom, Betty Namuddu, Emily Vance, Victoria Litton
The Effects Of Implementing Montessori At Home On Children’S Independence And Self-Regulation In A Montessori Classroom, Betty Namuddu, Emily Vance, Victoria Litton
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
The ultimate goal of Montessori educators is to prepare the child, the whole child. One who is not only excelling academically, but also is independent, a critical thinker, and can collaborate with people from all different walks of life. The role of the Montessori educators is to prepare and guide children to independence, this is an increasingly difficult goal to achieve independence and self-regulation especially in the three to six, and six to nine age group. The Montessori guides have grappled with the disconnect between the home environment and school environment, citing it as the major obstacle to children’s independence. …
Effects Of Mindfulness Strategies On Student Self-Regulation Skills In Primary And Elementary Students, Kandace Alphonso, Saboohi Durrani, Monika Sood
Effects Of Mindfulness Strategies On Student Self-Regulation Skills In Primary And Elementary Students, Kandace Alphonso, Saboohi Durrani, Monika Sood
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of mindfulness-based interventions, such as the MindUP curriculum and Exercises of Practical Life, on primary and elementary aged students’ self-regulation skills. This study consisted of a sample size of 38 students from three different Montessori environments. The data was collected over a period of four weeks using a pre and post parent assessment, observational field notes and tally sheets, and a behavioral student self-assessment tool. Results show a connection between the mindfulness interventions implemented and the children’s ability to self-regulate their behaviors and emotions. The data shows positive effects on …
The Impact Of Of Grace And Courtesy Lessons On Independence In Elementary Aged Children, Hayley Bahnemann
The Impact Of Of Grace And Courtesy Lessons On Independence In Elementary Aged Children, Hayley Bahnemann
Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers
Independence is a skill that everyone needs to possess in order to function in society (Montessori, 1918). The study was designed to see if Grace and Courtesy lessons would help increase independence skills in elementary children. The study took place in a Montessori classroom of 35 children, aged 6-9 years old. The researcher used tally marks to calculate how often the children asked adults for help with tasks that they already knew how to perform. The researcher also tallied how often the children would perform the task after being reminded one time. Observations were done daily and the observation sheets …
The Effects Of Outdoor Activity On Concentration, Rebecca Hyatt
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 …