Abstract/Notes: To answer these questions, teachers benefit from using a tool that improves their teaching effectiveness and student learning: action research.Action research offers a focus for these efforts and empowers teachers to make practical, meaningful changes in the classroom.Since action research is participatory, the research and the knowledge produced are controlled and owned by the community in which it is conducted (Baum, MacDougall, & Smith, 2006).According to Ward, "We advise our teacher candidates that when they do a more formally structured action research project, they should choose an area of inquiry that they are passionate to explore, because it will spiral and they will be learning new information about this aspect of curriculum and development from their students for years to come" (personal communication, November 1, 2016).

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: This study sought to improve parent knowledge about the Montessori curriculum at a public Montessori school in British Columbia, Canada. Nineteen parents from a grade 1/2/3 class participated. Prior to six weeks of interventions, a parent question log was kept, and baseline data was collected from students and their parents. The teacher hosted one parent evening, three in-class observations for parents, started a Montessori magazine library, and featured a section on Montessori in the home and material use on the class blog. Data collection tools were used throughout the research to gain feedback from parents. Research concluded that parent knowledge improved, standard Montessori practices at home increased, and participants began asking deeper questions about Montessori philosophy. Parents chose the evening event and the blog as tools they would use in the future. Further research could be done over a longer period to see if participation could be improved by spreading out the events.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017

Abstract/Notes: Behavior problems were drastically reduced, large- and fine-motor skill development were enhanced, children's concentration increased, and more positive social interactions were observed. Markell's individual action research project inspired the teachers in her Montessori school community to come together as a professional learning community. To meet these goals, they decided on intervention strategies and measurement means appropriate for each individual classroom and teacher. [...]Markell's personal transformation resulted in a broader transformation for the school. [...]teachers often find that some solutions identified by classroom researchers relate to their own circumstances. Because of common foundations of Montessori pedagogy and philosophy, Montessori action research studies can be helpful to a large number of Montessori teachers. Teachers, as reflective practitioners, are also enlightened and become motivated to continue the spiral of research and, therefore, personal transformation. Because of common foundations of Montessori pedagogy and philosophy, Montessori action research studies can be helpful to a large number of Montessori teachers.

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: he importance of thinking and problem-solving skills, and the ability to integrate and analyze information has been recognized and yet may be lacking in schools. Creativity is inherently linked to problem finding, problem solving, and divergent thinking (Arieti, 1976; Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Milgram, 1990). The importance of early childhood education and its role in the formation of young minds has been recognized (Caine & Caine, 1991; Montessori, 1967a, 1967b; Piaget, 1970). Early childhood education also impacts creativity (Gardner, 1999). The features of brain-based learning (Caine & Caine, 1991; Jensen, 1998; Sousa, 2001; Wolfe, 2001) have a clear connection to nurturing the creative potential in students. Intrinsic motivation and emotions affect student learning and creativity as well (Hennessey & Amabile, 1987). The purpose of this study was to discern if a creativity-focused science curriculum for the kindergarteners at a Montessori early learning center could increase creativity in students. This action research study included observations of the students in two classrooms, one using the creativity-focused science curriculum, and the other using the existing curriculum. The data collected for this interpretive study included interviews with the students, surveys and interviews with their parents and teachers, teacher observations, and the administration of Torrance's (1981) Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement (TCAM) test. The interpretation of the data indicated that the enhanced science curriculum played a role in enhancing the creativity of the children in the creativity-focused group. The results of the TCAM (Torrance, 1981) showed a significant increase in scores for the children in the creativity-focused group. The qualitative data revealed a heightened interest in science and the observation of creative traits, processes, and products in the creativity-focused group children. The implications of this study included the need for meaningful learning experiences, experiential learning opportunities, critical thinking and problem solving activities, and an emphasis on freedom, independence, and autonomy on the part of the learner. These elements, when combined with an integrated science curriculum, can foster creativity in young children.

Language: English

Published: Santa Barbara, California, 2005

Language: English

DOI: 10.1080/09650792.2012.727661

ISSN: 0965-0792

Abstract/Notes: Poor literacy rates contribute to low school performance for children across America. In particular, low-income schools continue to struggle with declining literacy rates. Issues with literacy are often attributed to lack of reading comprehension. This study tested the effects of choice on reading comprehension in second- and third-grade students at a high-income school and a low-income school. Students were observed while reading silently and aloud to see if either method affected reading comprehension. Data were collected from 32 students before, during, and after reading to determine whether students’ comprehension levels were higher when given opportunities to choose their own books or when they read assigned books. Trials were performed while students read silently and then aloud. Results indicated that students had higher comprehension levels both when they could choose their own books and when they read silently.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v3i2.6453

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: Maria Montessori strongly advocated for music learning to be fully integrated into the classroom; however, many Montessori classrooms are dominated by materials aimed at developing children’s visual sense. The purpose of this critical participatory action research (CPAR) study was to address this perceived learning disparity by developing and implementing a curriculum that is consistent with the Montessori approach, child directed, and focused on sound examination and music learning. We designed six shelf works and offered them, over the course of 6 CPAR cycles, to 20 3- to 6-year-old children attending a Montessori school. Findings from qualitative and quantitative data indicate that the children received the works positively, chose to engage with them, became more confident in their musical tasks over time, showed signs of deep concentration and attention, and demonstrated consistent performance across similar tasks related to perception and cognition. We conclude that the presence of these 6 curricular works began to disrupt the perceived learning disparity we identified; however, more can be done to understand and change the classroom practices that support that disparity.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v6i1.10631

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this research study was to examine connections between the early introduction of Montessori phonograms and increased student-led writing with the Movable Alphabet. This paper discusses the politics of literacy instruction and common literacy approaches used in Montessori early childhood settings, and examines best literacy practices for early childhood students. The study gathered data from Montessori early childhood educators and 19 students in a Montessori early childhood classroom. The classroom data was collected over four weeks, introducing phonograms alongside individual Sandpaper Letters. Children were then given the choice between using objects to guide their writing with the Movable Alphabet and writing their own words without object prompts. The findings indicate that when given the choice, children choose to write their own words. Based on the conclusions from this study, the Montessori education community could benefit from further study on literacy instruction and high-fidelity Montessori practice.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2022

Abstract/Notes: Action research is the term used for investigations done in the field, often by practitioners, and typically with a pragmatic rather than theoretical purpose (Willis & Edwards, 2014). This type of research is a key part of many Montessori teacher education programs, but the value of this important work is often lost to the field because the papers reside in separate institutional repositories with limited indexing. The Journal of Montessori Research is introducing a new annual review article series which features selected graduate student action research studies. The authors of this recurring series of articles represent Montessori teacher preparation programs and other university-based research roles. They will select studies that they believe are particularly high quality and relevant to the journal’s readers. We are calling this series of articles “Rediscovering the Child” to honor Maria Montessori’s seminal work and to acknowledge that all Montessori teachers engage in an ongoing process of rediscovering the children in their classrooms. When this process is formalized, action research is the result. This article is the first in the series and highlights six studies from University of Wisconsin-River Falls and St. Catherine University. In the coming issues, we will likely refine some aspects of our selection and review processes and expand the programs represented.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v9i2.21357

ISSN: 2378-3923