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Early Childhood Education Commons

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Articles 1 - 11 of 11

Full-Text Articles in Early Childhood Education

Improving Toddlers' Transition To A New Classroom: Using Attachment Theory, Yoonju Um Dec 2021

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 Dec 2021

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 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 …


Nudging Parents Towards Parent Education Emails, Lauren P. Sitarz Jun 2018

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 May 2018

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 May 2018

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 May 2018

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 …


Montessori Family Education, Katharina Vidojevic May 2018

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 May 2018

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 May 2018

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 …


Relevant Professional Development: Reflective Of Adult Learning Styles, Polli E. Soholt Nov 2016

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 …