Abstract/Notes: Portfolios have gained wide acceptance as a learning and assessment tool. Yet, little research has been reported on the practices of teachers who are actually using portfolios within their classrooms and how those practices are moderated by contextual variables. This research examined the instructional, learning, and assessment roles of student portfolios, and explored, from the perspective of the classroom teacher, variations in portfolio applications associated with teaching level (primary versus intermediate) and classroom environment (self-contained versus multiage/teaming). Teachers for kindergarten through grade 5 in 3 elementary schools (n=314) completed a survey questionnaire regarding the instructional and assessment uses to which portfolios are put within their classrooms. To further examine patterns of portfolio use, a subset of 44 teachers was interviewed to explore teacher perceptions about the impact of student portfolios on themselves and their students. Results suggest that these teachers make deliberate decisions regarding uses of their students' portfolios, decisions that appear heavily impacted by the maturity or skill level of the child, the purposes of the application, and the classroom environment within which the application occurs. They also depend on whether the portfolio product is in a formative state (working portfolio) or final state (performance portfolio). (Contains 7 tables and 14 references.) (Author/SLD)

Language: English

Published: Montreal, Canada, Apr 19-24, 1994

Abstract/Notes: Portfolios have gained wide acceptance as a learning and assessment tool. Yet, little research has been reported on the practices of teachers who are actually using portfolios within their classrooms and how those practices are moderated by contextual variables. This research examined the instructional, learning, and assessment roles of student portfolios and explored, from the perspective of the classroom teacher, variations in portfolio applications associated with teaching level (primary vs. intermediate) and classroom environment (self-contained vs. multiage-teaming). Kindergarten through Grade 5 teachers in 13 elementary schools completed a survey questionnaire regarding the instructional and assessment uses to which portfolios are put within their classrooms. To further examine for patterns of portfolio use, a subset of teachers was interviewed to explore the perceptions that teachers hold about the impact of student portfolios on themselves and on their students. The results suggest that Kindergarten through Grade 5 teachers make deliberate decisions regarding uses of their students' portfolios, decisions that appear heavily impacted by the maturity or skill level of the child, the purposes of the application, and the classroom environment within which the application occurs. They also depend on whether the portfolio product is in a formative state (working portfolio) or final state (performance portfolio).

Language: English

DOI: 10.1207/S15324818AME1302_5

ISSN: 0895-7347

Abstract/Notes: Physical classroom environments for young children and the quality of those environments have typically been studied by utilizing various rating scales. Research is limited on early childhood educators’ perspectives and decision-making processes in striving to create optimal physical classroom environments during the school year. This qualitative study used the theoretical lens of Bronfenbrenner’s microsystem to examine 22 prekindergarten lead teachers’ decision-making processes regarding initial set up of physical classroom environments, their ability to modify and update their classroom during the school year, and the barriers they face in providing optimal learning environments. Findings indicated that prekindergarten teachers dedicate most of their time, attention, and resources to physical classroom environments at the start of the school year. Great variations were found in the amount of autonomy the teachers had in set-up and materials selection. Updating and modifying those physical classroom environments also varied greatly depending on school setting and teacher experience. The main barriers revolved around budgets, physical space, and time. Implications for child care quality are discussed.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1007/s10643-023-01515-6

ISSN: 1573-1707

Abstract/Notes: Intended for teachers who have asked for information on how to manage a multi-age classroom, this book outlines the ideal classroom as it exists when all of the multi-age components are put in place. Opening sections of the guide discuss creating the multi-age classroom, and the advantages and principles of multi-age instruction. The next sections provide overviews of classroom organization, instructional strategies, curriculum, assessment and evaluation, and getting started. Each of these sections includes the overview, results of the changes brought about by multi-age instruction, and advice from the experts. Additional sections address scheduling, grouping strategies, working with Bloom's taxonomy, projects for active learners, using novels for literature instruction, and helping children discover themselves and others. Separate sections address the management of mathematics, authentic assessment and evaluation, and student record forms, with sample forms included. A glossary of

Language: English

Published: Edmonds, Washington: CATS Publications, Apr 1995

Edition: Revised

ISBN: 1-886753-03-2

Abstract/Notes: Kindergartens are socio-spatial organizations with their social and cultural as well as their spatial structures which prepare children to be responsible members of the society. In the ear ly years of the twentieth century, the issue of how to raise new generations was one of the primary research areas of many educational scientists, especially in Europe, and therefore different progressive pedagogical methods were generated. Among these views, the Waldorf pedagogical approach developed by Rudolf Steiner, Montessori pedagogical approach developed by Maria Montessori, and Reggio Emilia pedagogical approach developed by Loris Malaguzzi became prominent. Although these three pedagogical approaches have a common view that the child should be accepted as an individual with his/her rights, each of them involved different physical environment requirements in the context of their educational philosophies. The projects obtained in an architectural design studio course constitute the focus of this paper and it aims to decipher the semantic and syntactic characteristics based on twelve student projects. The semantic dimension of the study was revealed by coding the related themes through students' project reports while the syntactic dimension of the study demonstrated the prioritized social interaction area through isovist area and variance values. Considering the semantic results, it was revealed that the students not only comprehended the spatial requirements of a specific educational pedagogy but also grasped the transformative power of the methods, in terms of physical, social, and natural characteristics. Considering the syntactic results, the fact that the mean isovist area value was higher in Reggio Emilia schools showed that the piazza dominates the physical setting. The fact that the school cluster with the highest variance value emerged in Montessori draws attention to the changeability of isovist perimeter value within the interiors to orientate the individuals to the classroom units.

Language: English

Published: Bergen, Norway: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2022

Pages: 25 p.

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: 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 station. During clean up time, observations were taken daily to record instances of helpful behaviors and joy amongst the participants. Results of the surveys showed that the intervention was successful at increasing positive experiences during clean up time and including a Music Listening Station as an available work choice. The intervention was not successful in creating positive experiences when singing together as a group. Further research may include the use of other mediums to promote community and collaboration like the fine arts, sports or other group oriented activities.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Language: English

Published: Chicago, Illinois, 1992

Abstract/Notes: This action research project was created to study the different behaviors (focused and unfocused) that occurred when different types of music were played in the background of an early childhood Montessori classroom. The study took place at a private Montessori school located in the southeastern part of Wisconsin. There was a total of 26 children in the classroom which consisted of grades 3K through Kindergarten, with ages ranging between two and a half to six-years old. Over a six-week period, three different music conditions were implemented (two weeks at a time) into the background of the classroom environment; no music, classical music and Disney music. Focused and unfocused behaviors were observed and documented during each music condition. Quantitative and qualitative data collections were used and then analyzed to determine if music aids or deters a child’s focus. The results of the study showed that music does aid in helping a child focus during the work cycle of an early childhood Montessori classroom; specifically, the three-year olds showed the most increase in focused behavior when music played in the background. The effects of music on independent versus group work was also considered during this action research project as well as how to determine which music to include or avoid when playing music in the background of an early childhood classroom.

Language: English

Published: River Falls, Wisconsin, 2020

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study is to explore the spiritual preparation process of a classroom team and its effects on the adults and children in the classroom. It aimed to identify traits and behaviors of leaders and colleagues which support healthy spirituality necessary for a harmonious classroom. The researcher collected data through instruments used by the members of the classroom team, including pre/post surveys, an interactive video journal application called Marco Polo, classroom observations, and a photo journal curated by the members of the team. The researcher then tracked themes throughout the data to identify patterns of behavior which did or did not support adults’ connections to each other, the children and families in their care, and/or the environment of the classroom. It was found that connection to each of these elements was increased through intentional communication both in times of ease and flow, as well as times of challenge. Acceptance of these cycles of joyful and difficult moments as “normal” was also an important factor in the classroom team’s development of shared spirituality.

Language: English

Published: River Falls, Wisconsin, 2023