Abstract/Notes: In the industry of didactic teaching materials, Montessori material has been established in a significant way as a possibility of providing children with different tools, so that they learn better and without trauma the contents of the school subject that culturally has been considered of greatest difficulty: mathematics. This reflection paper, derived from the review of the field, aims to make an analysis of the material within the framework of the scientific pedagogy method proposed by María Montessori at the beginning of the 20th century, emphasizing its specific contribution to the learning of mathematics in preschool children and in elementary school. The material used in the segments of practical life and sensory life will be reviewed, as well as deepen into the specialized material for the development of the mathematical mind, to show how the proposal of María Montessori’s method supposes an opportune path to take the children from the concrete representations of mathematical objects to the elevation of the min —that allows them to build abstractions—. Finally, a dialogue is established about the validity of Montessori’s material in the school from research that has promoted its use in mathematics classrooms, and the possibility of including the material in the training of mathematics teachers to strengthen their didactic knowledge is highlighted.

Language: Spanish

DOI: 10.17227/pys.num58-17295

ISSN: 2500-6436, 0121-2494

Language: English

Language: English

Language: English

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: 在当前多元文化并存,知识日新月异的终身学习的新时代,阅读作为儿童最基本的学习能力,不仅有助于个人获取知识,习得技能,陶冶情操,而且有助于形成良好风尚,提高全民素质,推动社会进步.阅读工作室方法秉承蒙氏教育理念,注重儿童自我管理与独立性的培养,致力于向儿童传授阅读理解的技巧与策略,如推理、阐释、批判性思维等,是促进儿童有效阅读的新途径.本文将对阅读工作室方法及其在曼哈顿蒙台梭利课堂的实践作一个具体的阐述,以结合我国学前儿童阅读课堂实际,借鉴阅读工作室特色,促进我国幼儿园阅读活动的开展与儿童早期阅读能力的提高.

Language: Chinese

ISSN: 2095-770X

Language: English

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: Two waves of reform have been conducted in China since the 1980s to transform its early childhood curriculum into a Western-style, progressive model. Western curricula and programs such as the Montessori method, the project approach, the Reggio Emilia method, and the high/scope method have been imported and adopted all over the country. But the top-down reforms and these “imported” ideas have been challenged by scholars and practitioners. Aiming to understand how practices in kindergartens measure up with the reform objectives, the present study investigated the teachers’ beliefs and practices in five Shenzhen kindergartens’ literacy instruction. Altogether, ten early childhood classrooms were observed for one school week, and the ten classroom teachers were interviewed about the observed Chinese teaching practices. The teachers and teaching assistants of the ten classes (N = 20) were also surveyed about their teaching beliefs and practices. The results indicated a remarkable belief-practice gap as well as a policy-practice gap. Most of the curriculum reform ideas were expressed by the teachers in their self-reported beliefs but had not been implemented in their teaching practice. The traditional Chinese model with the teacher directing the whole-class session was still dominating. Slight differences were also found among the ten classes, which reflect the cascading effects of curriculum reform. These findings suggest that curriculum reforms should take into consideration the culture, language, teachers, parents, resources available, and the prevailing education system.

Language: English

DOI: 10.2753/CED1061-1932440601

ISSN: 1061-1932, 1944-7119

Abstract/Notes: Under current circumstances, educational issues such as the achievement gap, non-cognitive development, Executive Function, and students with challenging behaviors impact day-to-day classroom practices and fundamentally reshape the results of education. The purpose of this research was to utilize the Montessori environment and principles, as well as the "normalization" approach developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, to help students with behavioral and learning challenges find the balance of their mental developmental processes and maximize their academic achievement at the same time. This action research conducted focused-group case studies of the Montessori Normalization process for children possessing behavioral and learning challenges at a preschool in rural China. The research applied pre-and post-assessment for the 3-6-year-old participants to investigate the evidence of improvement. The assessment utilized indicators based on symptom guidelines for ADHD, ASD, Learning disorders, and Learning Difficulties, published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study’s findings indicate that the Montessori-guided early childhood education intervention had helped students with behavioral and learning challenges, thereby providing an alternative solution for addressing the challenge of the development gap. This research also suggested that Montessori-based classrooms provide a positive, nurturing environment for gifted children with learning difficulties (exceptional learners) who confront challenges in a mainstream classroom.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2022