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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Influence Of Social Stories On Early Learners, Kate Whiting May 2023

The Influence Of Social Stories On Early Learners, Kate Whiting

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research study was conducted in a two or three-day-a-week preschool class within a suburban area in the Midwest. This study collected observable student behavior over four weeks. The study aimed to decrease anxiety and undesirable behaviors among preschool-aged students within a classroom setting. Undesirable behaviors include prolonged anxiety when transitioning from the first learning environment, home, to the second, school. In addition, behaviors such as trouble following routine expectations and transitioning within a preschool classroom. The student participants in this research were given Social Stories to help ease anxiety within the preschool classroom during routines and separation from …


The Effectiveness Of Roleplaying In Teaching Preschoolers Social Skills, Qi Pan May 2023

The Effectiveness Of Roleplaying In Teaching Preschoolers Social Skills, Qi Pan

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of role-play as a means of enhancing the social skills of preschool students in a Montessori setting. A total of 37 children between the ages of two and a half to six years who participated in a five week study. The interventions were conducted once a week for four weeks, during which children took turns participating in simulated scenarios that mirrored their everyday experiences. After the role-play presentation, assessments and group discussions were conducted to evaluate the children's comprehension. The research data was gathered before, during and after the interventions. The researcher …


The Effects Of Professional Development On Collective Teacher Efficacy, Rachel Cordova May 2021

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 …


The Relationship Between Parent Education Of Sleep And Routine & Classroom Behavior Of Students At A Pee Dee Region Elementary School, Kristina Chandler, Jessica Webb May 2019

The Relationship Between Parent Education Of Sleep And Routine & Classroom Behavior Of Students At A Pee Dee Region Elementary School, Kristina Chandler, Jessica Webb

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was carried out to determine if parent education of sleep and routine had an effect on classroom behavior (physical contact and defiance). The research was completed in two full day 4K (four-year-old) Montessori classrooms in a Pee Dee Region elementary school. Students and parents were included in the research. Data from parents was gathered using assessments and sleep diaries. Teacher data was gathered using reflection journals and tallying charts. Parents were provided weekly education on sleep and routine importance. There was no conclusive data to show that parent education directly affected classroom behavior. The researchers believe the …


The Effects Of Songs On Hmong Vocabulary Acquisition, Julie Thao May 2019

The Effects Of Songs On Hmong Vocabulary Acquisition, Julie Thao

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research assessed the effects of singing a song to learn language in a bilingual classroom. The research took place at a bilingual Hmong-English Montessori preschool program. 28 preschool-aged children participated in the research which was conducted over five weeks. Data sources included a parent questionnaire, vocabulary pre-test, vocabulary post-test with a follow-up conversation, daily observation logs, and tally sheet. The children were taught 16 Hmong vocabulary words with half the words sung to the tune of a common children’s song and the other half by simple reciting. The results from the vocabulary post-test showed that there was an …


The Effects Of Music And Visual Cues On Transition Time In A Multi-Aged 3-5 Year Old Montessori Classroom, Jessica S. Brock May 2017

The Effects Of Music And Visual Cues On Transition Time In A Multi-Aged 3-5 Year Old Montessori Classroom, Jessica S. Brock

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project was to investigate the effects of music and visual cues on transition times. This research took place in a Primary Montessori classroom with children ranging from 3-5 years of age in a public, partial magnet, urban K3-8th school. Data was collected for four weeks using a transition time log, behavior tally sheets, teacher journal, and student attitude scales. The results of the study showed a slight decrease in transition times, and a larger decrease in disruptive behaviors using both music and visual cues. Although the transition time decreases were less than expected, …


Storytelling And Emotional Response To Conflict, Angela K. Boris May 2017

Storytelling And Emotional Response To Conflict, Angela K. Boris

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This research was conducted to assess the impact of daily oral storytelling and emotional response to conflict in preschool aged children. Research was done in a Montessori primary classroom with 23 students between the ages of two-and a-half and six years old. Quantitative data included tallies and averages of the total number of conflicts per week and per child and a conflict checklist to monitor any changes in language and behavior used in times of conflict. Qualitative data included observational field notes to evaluate children’s responses to and repetition of oral storytelling and a reflective journal to record any changes …


The Effects Of Social Stories On The Problem Solving Skills Of Preschoolers, Sara Cramer Dec 2016

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 …


Cooperative Activities To Reduce Aggression In Young Children, Kristin R. Beardsly Schoenherr Aug 2016

Cooperative Activities To Reduce Aggression In Young Children, Kristin R. Beardsly Schoenherr

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

I investigated the effect of introducing cooperative games during recess to reduce aggressive behaviors in preschool-age children. The action research was done at an intentionally culturally and socio-economically diverse Montessori school in St. Paul, Minnesota. The 23 children involved were all children from the three to six age group who take daily naps. I recorded every aggressive incident I saw before, during, and after the intervention. I also recorded what cooperative activities I introduced for the intervention. Once before and after the intervention I asked the children if they enjoyed recess. I recorded observational notes such as weather conditions, and …


Transition Strategies In Early Childhood Settings, Crystal P. Cunningham(Black) May 2016

Transition Strategies In Early Childhood Settings, Crystal P. Cunningham(Black)

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine if daily lessons in yoga, mindfulness, and transition skills positively affect the transition from lunch to recess in a Montessori environment. The seven‐week study involved 17 children between two and a half to five years old. Data collection included a pre-and post‐assessment and observations which documented the type of disruptions, amount of disruptions, and the resolution to the disruptions. Results of the pre-and post‐assessments revealed that practice of the skills needed in a transition resulted in more independence. The mindfulness exercises resulted in less distractions while waiting in line during a transition. …


Fostering Self-Sufficiency Through Problem-Solving, Elizabeth G. Hamilton May 2016

Fostering Self-Sufficiency Through Problem-Solving, Elizabeth G. Hamilton

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

“ What is this picture?” “This arrow is missing.” Montessori teachers hear these questions daily. These requests, while valid, often come at inopportune times, interrupting the adults work. This study aimed to see if children could gain independence through problem solving thus decreasing interruptions. 26 children and 4 adults were in this experiment. The intervention had two aspects. The first, a series of Grace and Courtesy lessons to help the children problem-solve common work related issues. The second was incorporation of a waiting necklace that the children would wear if they required an adult. Effectiveness was measured by evaluating the …


Peer Teaching And Social Interaction, Jacqueline A. Edman, Elsabet J. Roth May 2016

Peer Teaching And Social Interaction, Jacqueline A. Edman, Elsabet J. Roth

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine the affect of peer teaching on the social and academic interactions of children in an early childhood setting. The research took place at a Montessori school with two classrooms containing 56 students ages three to six. The duration of the study was six weeks. During the study the data collected included number of peer interactions per week and overall number of children working at each half hour increment of the day. Data also included positive and negative behaviors during peer teaching interactions, and the children’s level of understanding during a peer presentation. …


The Effects Of A Collaborative Team On Early Intervention In A Preschool, Tiffany L. James Jan 2016

The Effects Of A Collaborative Team On Early Intervention In A Preschool, Tiffany L. James

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract The purpose of this project was to see what effects collaboration had on early intervention in a preschool. Fourteen guides at a Montessori preschool in Texas were asked to complete a beginning survey, attend weekly collaborative meetings for seven weeks, attend a focus group and complete an ending survey. Data showed that collaboration helped the teachers feel more valued and supported when helping all kinds of different learners. For the purpose of this study, different learners included children with behavioral concerns, learning disabilities and support needs. Interventions ranged from activities or exercises for individual children to lessons given to …


The Effect Of Creativity In Nature, Jackie M. Ji Jan 2016

The Effect Of Creativity In Nature, Jackie M. Ji

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine the effects on children’s creativity by using natural materials. Children are sometimes lacking in creativity when performing a teacher directed art lesson or step by step crafts. This research, was instigated to observe how using natural materials will affect children’s creativity. In order to determine the effects that nature materials in a preschool classroom have on a student’s creativity, the children were provided with nature materials to use and few instructions to create their own artwork. Data was collected from five sources to measure preschooler’s creativity using nature materials. The data included …


Working It Out Together: Teaching The Steps Of Conflict Resolution To Preschoolers, Krista M. Macsata May 2015

Working It Out Together: Teaching The Steps Of Conflict Resolution To Preschoolers, Krista M. Macsata

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research explores conflicts among preschoolers and strategies for teachers to develop children’s social problem-solving abilities, such as teaching the steps of conflict resolution. Research was conducted in a Montessori preschool setting with children ages 2.5 to 5 years of age. Data was collected on the number of conflicts, types of conflicts, how conflicts were resolved (independently or with teacher assistance), and types of solutions implemented by students. Methods used to collect data included observation, group discussions, and student journals. Results indicated when the steps of conflict resolution were taught to preschool children, the number of conflicts resolved without …


Help Me Help Myself: The Role Of Helper Flags As Tools For Self-Regulation, Lara G. Bergman Dec 2014

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 …