Abstract/Notes: This study describes and evalutes the first year of a bilingual Montessori early childhood program implemented at two sites in central Texas. In-depth descriptions are provided of two program components--oral language development and classroom management. Hypotheses related to changes in students' language proficiency and classroom behavior were tested, using the James Language Dominance Test to measure comprehension and production of Spanish and English, and the Coping Analysis Schedule for Educational Settings to assess changes in students' behavior. The description of the oral language development component of the program includes instructional activities for vocabulary enrichment, isolating the sounds of language, and clarifying the functions of words. Adaptations of the Montessori method for implementation in a bilingual setting are presented, along with the discussion of two unexpected findings--the inhibition of the use of Spanish by many Mexican American children, and the association of one language or the other with a particular set of materials. The description of the classroom management component of the program includes the preparation of the environment, observation and record-keeping practices, the basic techniques for presenting materials, and "grace and courtesy lessons." Maria Montessori's views on the nature of education, the role of the teacher, and the concept of discipline and behavior change are discussed and compared to more modern theorists. The results of the formative evaluation reveal that children made significant improvements in English and Spanish comprehension and production. Behavior changes observed included positive shifts in percentage of time spent in self-directed activity, in paying attention to the task at hand, and in positive social interaction. The results of the study are basically descriptive, since only the children in this program were tested and observed. The results indicate that the program goals for the first year were met, and point to a number of possible changes for program improvement, including the use of more Spanish, the recruitment of more Spanish-dominant students, the development of separate sets of materials for Spanish and English instruction, and the sharing by teachers of their particular classroom management strategies.

Language: English

Published: Austin, Texas, 1980

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of my study was to analyze a public school prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program via the investigation of 2nd grade reading achievement scores on a Spanish and an English norm-referenced test between two groups of students: those who had participated in a prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program and those who had participated in a prekindergarten traditional bilingual program. Additionally, my study investigated the perspective of my own personal experience as a leader, as well as the perspective of two other leaders' perspectives on implementing a prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program. The population included in this study was 450 2nd grade students enrolled in a large urban school district in southeast Texas. The prekindergarten Montessori bilingual students were the experimental group, while the prekindergarten traditional bilingual program composed the control group. To answer the first research question, two administrators were interviewed. I, as the researcher, described my perspective as a leader regarding the implementation of a prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program, as well as responses from other school leaders. To answer the second research question, a random sample of 200 students was selected from the population of 450 students who had taken the Aprenda and ITBS tests for 2nd grade and were enrolled during the 2000-2001 school year. For research question one the following themes emerged from this study: (a) program implementation, (b) Montessori training, (c) learning environment, (d) curriculum expectations, and (e) sustaining the Montessori program. For research question two, in Spanish reading the results of the independent t-test indicated that the children who had participated in the Montessori bilingual program significantly outscored the children in a traditional bilingual prekindergarten program on the Spanish reading subtest of the Aprenda. In English Reading, the results of the independent t-test indicated that the children who had participated in a Montessori bilingual program and who had continued through 2nd grade in a transitional bilingual program significantly outscored the children in a traditional bilingual prekindergarten program and who had continued through second grade in an English as a second language program on the English reading subtest of the ITBS.

Language: English

Published: Huntsville, Texas, 2002

Language: English

Published: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2015

Language: English

ISSN: 0003-858X, 2470-1513

Abstract/Notes: Includes a section of blue-tone photographs at the end of the volume.

Language: Spanish

Published: Madrid, Spain: El Magisterio Español, 1915

Language: English

Language: English

ISSN: 0040-7887

Abstract/Notes: Ten selected emerging trends in the field of early childhood education are discussed in this conference address: (1) a reevaluation of the view that early childhood education is a panacea; (2) greater emphasis on planned continuity between kindergartens and the primary grades; (3) increased use of multi-age grouping; (4) need for parenthood education in the high school; (5) importance of parent involvement in the decision making and policy formation processes concerning the education of his child and the implementation of classroom programs; (6) wider acceptance of the structured or prepared environment in programs; (7) development of a quality day care environment based on careful research and evaluation, (8) importance of humanistic or affective education; (9) need for aesthetic education (music, dance, literature, dramatics) in the total education of the child; and (10) accountability of teachers to the consumer as well as to the school boards. (Paper presented at a meeting of the Virginia State Department of Education, Elementary Education Division – Richmond, Virginia – October 1974)

Language: English

Published: Richmond, Virginia: Virginia State Department of Education, Oct 1974

Abstract/Notes: 今、モンテッソーリ教育が再び注目されている。幼児教育への関心の高まりと先進国各国で行きづまった教育の方向模索の中で、再評価され始めているのである。モンテッソーリ教育そのものというよりも、今日の教育観、人間観、子ども観に「人格形成」の確立を迫るものとしてのモンテッソーリの貢献が、取り上げられている。本稿では、近代以降の教育思想の歩みの中で、モンテッソーリによってなされた子ども観の転換と幼児教育の転換の特質を考察し、モンテッソーリの唱えた子どもの創造的使命擁護の方法が、今日こそ必要性を増していることを考察した。 [Recently the method of Montessori is recognized again. It is being revalued because the childhood education is getting much interest and it is at a standstill in advanced countries. The contribution of Montessori is in the limelight, not as one teaching method, but as a clue to establishment of "character building" in perspectives on education, human, and children. The study considers the characteristics of perspective on children and the childhood education, which have been converted and effected by Montessori from modern times onwards. The study also suggests that the need to support the creativities of children, proposed by Montessori, is increasing today.]

Language: Japanese

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040