Abstract/Notes: While students are receiving a high-quality education within the classroom, some students face difficulty performing adequately on assessments. These students typically receive intervention support to assist in increasing their skill deficits. However, many schools are unaware of the different approaches they can implement within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports framework. While utilizing a standard protocol has been the preferred method, many schools are currently implementing the problem-solving approach because it targets one skill the student is struggling with. Little research has been conducted comparing or combining the two approaches leading schools to be clueless about which one will provide more positive results. A synthesis of articles implementing one or both approaches was conducted to determine which approach would work best in a Montessori school. Results showed an individualized approach might assist students more based on higher effect sizes. However, some researchers who compared the two approaches indicate both approaches are comparable in yielding positive results. To implement interventions effectively, educators must use an evidence-based intervention that’s explicit and structured, screen and monitor progress to make informed decisions, and implement the intervention with fidelity.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2023

Abstract/Notes: This dissertation accounts for debates around correct American Muslim mothering in the 21st century. It centers around the following underlying questions: What advice do Muslim modernists and Sunni ʿulamāʾ offer to mothers for raising Muslims in the limited, privatized spaces of their nurseries, homes, and mosque communities? How do Muslim mothers who desire to rear children communally, in harmony with their fiṭra (innate nature) and according to traditional notions of tarbiya (development, education) accomplish this as religious minorities in a hyper capitalist, secular modern context? What are the different ways that mothers negotiate the ideas of Muslim advice-givers, which sometimes clash both internally and with the diverse opinions of American pediatricians, psychologists, and neuroscientists? This study considers the nuanced impact secular modernity, feminism, and the expanding authority of the medical and psy disciplines have had on American Muslim child-rearing practices, reconfigurations of gender roles in Muslim families and the intergenerational transmission of American Islam. To gauge this impact, this dissertation narrowly focuses on two highly contested decisions mothers make in early childhood: how to feed infants after birth and whether to corporally punish young children. The data for this project was collected from in-depth fieldwork interviews with a diverse sample of Muslim mothers conducted in 2017 in the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. This data was analyzed by situating the types of religious and parenting education mothers had both received and sought out and by surveying the Islamic scriptural and jurisprudential texts, contemporary childrearing manuals, and social media sources that informed their child-rearing practices. This dissertation found that most mothers were much more likely to formula feed or breastfeed their infants themselves than allow other mothers to nurse their children. None of my interlocutors engaged wet nurses or used donated human milk for infant feeding. Additionally, most mothers disapproved of using corporal punishment for children’s discipline, either by themselves or others in loco parentis. Corporal punishment of children was increasingly viewed not as one method among many to cultivate children’s embodiment of ritual practices, but as child abuse. However, a minority of mothers demonstrated an openness to sharing milk and employing constrained forms of physical discipline in specific circumstances. In investigating the ever-shifting child-rearing advice from religious scholars (ʿulamāʾ), non-Muslim scientific experts, and a hybridized class of Muslim parent educators, this dissertation offers another avenue for understanding the fragmented nature of religious authority in American Muslim communities. It contributes to the growing body of scholarship that tracks the rising popularity of Sunnī rationalism and traditionalism by noting the way it attracts mothers who long for styles of parenting that are more shared and communal and less demanding and intensive. Finally, this dissertation affords insights into ongoing contestation over what constitutes correct, ethical tarbiya and how best to integrate and transmit American Islam

Language: English

Published: Chicago, Illinois, 2023

Abstract/Notes: The objectives of this research were to explain about how Montessori implemented the teaching and learning process of English for children and to explain about how Montessori Approach can be implemented on children’s language acquisition for two-word stages in the classroom. The researcher used a qualitative research method of case study by implementing three stages of analysis from Miles & Huberman. The result of this research showed that (1) the teaching and learning process in Kinder Haus class was done into four stages. There were warm up activities (singing & dancing, games), the first main lesson activity (Art & Craft, language), second lesson activity (Practical Life) and the third lesson activity (Sensory activity). (2) Montessori Approach can be implemented on children’s language acquisition for two - word stages in the classroom especially in the “practical life” area. The children used the simple words or instructions automatically, either with themselves or their friends in the classroom. Therefore, the implementation of Montessori Approach in the classroom can be done into four stages and the children produced the words for the level of the two – words. Keywords : Children, Classroom, Language Acquisition, Montessori Approach, Practical Life

Language: English

Published: Serang, Indonesia, 2023

Abstract/Notes: Environmental concerns continue to increase daily, leaving many wondering what they might do to minimize their impact on the planet. As a result, it is critical to educate the general public, particularly secondary school students, about embracing more sustainable practices. As these students will become our society's future designers and consumers, it is crucial to equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge to foster a more responsible future for our environment and climate. This starts with smart, responsible design. As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says, “Waste and pollution does not exist by accident, it is the result of design decisions” (2021). To adequately equip our future decision-makers, it is crucial to educate them on the importance of Circular Design (CD), a way of designing products that fit into the Circular Economy (CE). The CE is an environmentally sustainable “system of closed loops, where nothing becomes waste, and everything has value” (Foundation, 2021). However, CD is rarely integrated into the curricula of public schools, with sustainable education predominantly offered within Montessori environments or at the university level. This usually means that public school students are left out of this important equation. There is little evidence to support that CD is currently widely taught in many schooling environments. This research study aims to understand how we might best educate Gen Z public school students on the foundations of CD. Additionally, it seeks to determine whether an elevated level of content regarding CD can influence these students to become more conscientious about their role in the world and how they can apply these practices to their daily lives. Through three phases of applied research methods, this study explores how we might dress this gap. The first phase relies on a literature review to create CD learning tools for students and teachers, which were then refined with Montessori educators in phase two through phenomenological research. Finally, in phase three, these tools were tested with public school students through action research in a hands-on learning workshop. Phase three was crucial, as it reflects the public student voice and led to the identification of how these tools and the general foundations of CD were perceived. Students were required to complete a post-workshop survey, which was analyzed and evaluated to understand how much CD content these students retained. The ultimate goal of this research was to create a short-form CD curriculum for Gen Z secondary school students, heightening their awareness of the importance of living and consuming more responsibly as they transition into independent decision-making roles and, in some cases, future designers. It is hoped that this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on CD education and its impact on sustainable design’s future. The young people of today hold a significant influence on tomorrow. As an academic community, we must engage in conversations about this topic and recognize Gen Z's pivotal role in shaping a sustainable, circular future. The future is circular. The future is now.

Language: English

Published: Cincinnati, Ohio, 2023

Abstract/Notes: This research consisted of a qualitative phenomenological study of public and charter Montessori educators who are linked with Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) teacher training. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of people of Color associated with AMI teacher training and public or charter schools. The problem statement to be addressed in this study is limited Montessori-trained teachers of color noted in Montessori research and limited representation of people of color in public and charter Montessori schools. Experiences of people of color associated with Montessori have not been shared to the extent of their White counterparts. The guiding theoretical framework of the study is the Montessori methodology. The lived experiences of 14 study participants identified the phenomenon of the study. The Montessori participants, educators of color shared their lived experiences from one of three perspectives: teaching as a fully trained Montessori guide, teaching while enrolled in Montessori teacher training, or working as a Montessori assistant under a trained guide while enrolled in Montessori training. Five major themes emerged from nine interview questions: (1) training experience, (2) work/course load, (3) social emotional wellness, (4) training deficits, and (5) financial implications. Implications that emerged from the study’s findings were connected to social emotional wellness, the intensity of AMI teacher training, and a need for supplemental knowledge of practices outside of Montessori.

Language: English

Published: Jonesboro, Arkansas, 2023

Language: Korean

Published: Busan, South Korea, 1981

Abstract/Notes: "Something that's unique about us, and very much because of how we were founded, is that we're really rooted in New Haven," Eliza Halsey tells me in her office. She's the Executive Director of ECMS (Elm City Montessori School) and a lifetime New Haven resident herself. In 2013, frustrated by the lack of high quality early education options in the city, Halsey and a group of parents decided to submit an application to form a local charter school. Their plan, a Montessori school serving a racially diverse group of children from age 3 through 8th grade, gained approval from both the local and state boards of education. In the fall of 2014, the school opened its doors, admitting a fraction of the 500 children who applied for seats. The parents and community members who came together to create ECMS had one goal in mind: to create a high-quality public early education option utilizing the Montessori method they had observed in Hartford. But creating a school is no easy process.

Language: English

Published: New Haven, Connecticut, 2016

Abstract/Notes: Despite the accomplishments of the Civil Rights movement, students from racially and socioeconomically marginalized communities continue to attend schools whose climates are hostile to their needs — educators have made students argue the “pros and cons” of imperialism, disproportionately punished their BIPOC students, and failed to challenge the racism that Black students endure (“Stories,” n.d.). Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution that integrated schools can adopt to ensure all students feel welcomed, respected, and heard. Through interviews, survey data, and classroom observations, this capstone identifies school climate needs, namely as they pertain to resources, relationships, and restorative disciplinary practices, at one integrated PreK3-8 school, Elm City Montessori School (ECMS) in New Haven, Connecticut. This capstone concludes that while ECMS effectively honors and celebrates its diversity, the school should evaluate the allocation of curricular resources, build stronger ties to the New Haven community, and proactively support student mental health. The findings suggest that the ECMS should, in addition to adopting other reforms, invest more in LGBTQIA+ books and work alongside local advocacy groups to help achieve these goals. While this capstone is not generalizable, its findings show that all integrated schools must continue to critically assess if diversity within their buildings translates into a welcoming or hostile space.

Language: English

Published: New Haven, Connecticut, 2023

Abstract/Notes: Happiness should be a fundamental aim of education. This philosophical assertion raises the practical question of how teachers generate happiness in their classroom programs while operating under the current paradigm of educational accountability. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perspectives of early primary teachers, students, and parents on what makes a happy classroom. Data were collected through interviews of 12 teachers from public, independent, Waldorf, Froebel, and Montessori schools; over 72 hours of observation in eight early primary classrooms; interviews with 23 students (ages 3 to 8), drawing and photography with 64 students (ages 3 to 8); 66 parent surveys, and eight teacher exit interviews. Four cycles of analysis, including descriptive and conceptual approaches, resulted in the identification of five core conditions of happy classrooms: (a) relational pedagogy, (b) embodied learning, (c) pedagogical thoughtfulness (d) an ethos of happiness, and (e) an ethos of possibility. These five conditions were supported by 17 facets, which describe practical and conceptual ways to support pedagogical thinking and decision-making about children’s happiness in the complex worlds of busy classrooms. Five of the facets are spotlighted: (a) kids need to play, (b) stepping in stepping out, (c) sounds shape feelings and experience, (d) rhythms and routines, and (e) romancing children into delight. In addition, student and parent participants identified that play, positive friendships, time outdoors, experiences involving the arts, and experiences of positive feelings make children happy at school and when they are learning. The discussion centers on the role of teachers in establishing the tone of happy classrooms, considers the notion of strong pedagogy, discusses the generation of happiness in early primary classrooms in the form of lessons to be learned from different pedagogical traditions, and argues that, above all, children’s interests, needs, and development should be a teacher’s first point of consideration for all decisions about instruction and learning in the classroom. The discussion concludes with implications for teaching professionals and offers suggestions for future research.

Language: English

Published: Ottawa, Canada, 2013

Abstract/Notes: This thesis is a transformative autoethnographic study of a Montessori early childhood educator’s observational notes and personal reflections throughout their master’s program as well as their Association Montessori International Diploma Course. This work is important for the field of early childhood education as it is a study of factors contributing to racial identity development in children under the age of three. Using Critical Race Theory and Critical whiteness Studies, the researcher analyzed collected data, in the form of field notes, memos, observational notes, and developmental summaries to contribute a formula for abolitionist and protective early childhood education practices.

Language: English

Published: Los Angeles, California, 2023