Language: German

ISSN: 0513-9066

Abstract/Notes: Providing a meaningful and experiential learning environment for all students has long created a concern for alternate ways to teach students who are reportedly demonstrating non-mastery on state standardized assessments. As the benchmark for showing successful academic achievement increases, so does the need for discovering effective ways for students to learn. The Montessori teaching method has been in existence since the early 1900s when Dr. Montessori made her discovery of the student learning process. Dr. Montessori connected to the laws of nature and the environment for creating students who are problem-solvers with critical-thinking skills. The Montessori Method is designed to promote independent learning and support normal development in children. A Montessori lesson is defined as any interaction between an adult and a child; it incorporates techniques that are defined to serve as guidance for the adult personality in working with the child. The study investigated the impact of Montessori Method on the academic achievement of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) was used to measure academic achievement in reading and mathematics. An ex post facto, causal-comparative design was employed. The characteristic-present samples consisted of 47 3rd, 40 4th, and 44 5th graders. There were 71 3rd, 60 4th, and 49 5th graders in the comparison samples. Due to non-probability nature of the sampling technique, external validity was limited to study participants. Due to non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences were drawn. A series of Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the students who received the Montessori Method of instruction and those who did not on the basis of the outcome measures of academic achievement in reading and mathematics. The mean difference effect sizes, which were used to examine the practical significance of the findings, ranged from negligible to small. Although the results of the study did not support the hypothesis, it must be pointed out that the Montessori Method of teaching facilitates self-paced learning that promotes a child's independence and encourages decision-making which are instrumental in becoming successful learners. Additionally, Montessori advocates experiences that are "real-world" and allow children to build intrinsic motivational opportunities; therefore, creating independent thinkers that will be competitive problem-solvers in the global economy of the 21st century. The limited studies on the Montessori Method of teaching offer opportunities for further investigation at all grade levels. For example, it is recommended to conduct a study to compare students who receive Montessori education during the early years of their academic life with those who receive Montessori education from pre-k to high school graduation. Because the Montessori name does not have a trademark, there are opportunities for investigating Montessori teacher preparation and comparing the preparation of the teachers to the standardized assessment results. There are also opportunities for investigating the method and curriculum used at schools that carry the name Montessori for comparison purposes amongst Montessori schools as well as in comparison to the results of the standardized assessments at these schools.

Language: English

Published: Corpus Christi, Texas, 2013

Abstract/Notes: Within the realm of elementary public schools, several pedagogical models of early childhood education are practiced in the United States (Lillard, 2005). The constructivist approach to early childhood education is illustrative of best practices based on current theory. One model of constructivist early childhood education is the Montessori Method founded in the early twentieth century by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician (Montessori, 1912/1964). Though the Montessori Method is aligned with research-based best practices espoused by constructivism, there are relatively few public Montessori schools currently in the United States. A direct comparison is needed between the academic outcomes of public elementary school programs which implement the Montessori Method and those which implement a more traditional approach to early childhood education. The focus of this study is the academic achievement outcomes of Montessori public school students as compared to similar non-Montessori students. The Montessori students’ Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) Total Reading and Total Math scores in grades one and two were not statistically different than their non-Montessori counterparts. In grade three, the Montessori students’ Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Reading and Math scores were not statistically different than those of the non-Montessori students. In grades four and five, the TAKS Reading and Math scores statistically favored Montessori students.

Language: English

ISSN: 2227-1090, 1991-8100

Abstract/Notes: Maria Montessori’s pedagogy is considered a “classics” of Education Sciences. In this contribution, a survey conducted with three different groups of subjects attending University lectures or in-service Montessori training courses is reported. Main research purpose is to discover background knowledge and perceived meanings of each group concerning the Montessori Method and its main characteristics. Data collected from the three groups under investigation are compared to identify the most macroscopic differences and / or similarities. Through the graphs produced, first reflections and conclusions are attempted, at the same time readers are invited to build their own opinions inferring other meanings or conclusions thanks to data and reading tools provided.

Language: English

DOI: 10.15584/kpe.2018.6.18

ISSN: 2300-9888, 2544-1205

Abstract/Notes: Metacognitive was the student's skill in the process of acting (activity) and thinking (mental process). This skill could improve their learning process and memory. Student who had metacognitive skill will be able to control and to arrange his learning activity by himself. Active participation was the interaction both physically and psychologically to think, to interact, to try and to find new things in the learning process. The purpose of this research was to find the relationship between active participation and the metacognitive ability of students, especially in elementary school. This research was a correlation study. Population of this research was 5th grade students in SD Negeri 3 Klangenan academic year 2017/2018. Sample was taken using purposive sampling technique. The data was collected by observation and written test. The instruments for active participation was observation sheets and the instrument for metacognitive ability was a multiple choice test that consist of 20 questions. The data was analyzed using correlation technique using IBM SPSS Statistics 16.0 for windows. Based on the data nalaysis, it was obtained was 0.682. At a significant level 5% then was 0.413. Based on value then it showed that there was a positive and significant corelation between active participation and metacognitive ability of students 5th grade SD Negeri 3 Klangenan.

Language: English

ISSN: 2477-3581, 2477-3859

Abstract/Notes: The low level of reading comprehension in elementary school students can certainly affect their learning motivation in the learning process. To overcome this problem, this study aims: to investigate the effect of the Montessori-based Big Book on understanding Early Reading Skills and Learning Motivation. Quasi-experimental design was applied in this study. There were 26 students (14 males and 12 females) from SDN Pucang 4 as an experimental group and 23 students (13 males and 10 females) from SDN Pucang 2 were included as a control group. Data analysis in this study used an independent sample t-test with a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that students in the experimental group had higher scores better than the control group. This shows that the Montessori-based Big Book significantly promotes understanding of Early Reading Skills and Learning Motivation in the experimental group compared to control group students.

Language: English

ISSN: 1006-7930

Abstract/Notes: The research of mathematics teachers and instructors is still focused on normal students. Students with special needs are often ruled out. In fact, they also need to learn mathematics. Mathematics is a very basic subject and must be mastered by everyone, including students with special needs. This research is intended to apply mathematics learning to autism students by using communication boards as a Montessori apparatus. Communication is chosen because autistic students have a visual learning style. Furthermore, the learning method is done with Montessori because it takes the concept of learning with the environment, in accordance with the main purpose of learning for autism students to be able to live independently and be empowered in the community. The study used the descriptive qualitative method. According to the research results several Montessori apparatuses have been chosen used including visual schedules, visuals to structure the environment, visual scripts, a visual rule reminder, the visual task analysis, and a choice board.

Language: English

DOI: 10.32919/uesit.2019.03.03

ISSN: 2521-1234

Abstract/Notes: 82 subjects, ages 7 to 11 yr., from two private schools, Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment and a Montessori school, were given the Children's Embedded Figures Test. The 48 students of the former (20 boys, 28 girls, M age = 8.98 yr.), who practice the Transcendental Meditation program as part of their curriculum, scored significantly higher on field independence than the 34 Montessori school subjects (17 boys, 17 girls, M age = 8.60 yr.).

Language: English

DOI: 10.2466/pms.1987.65.2.613

ISSN: 1558-688X, 0031-5125

Abstract/Notes: A study was undertaken to investigate how to prepare Base of Pyramid (BOP) children in India for creativity. The quasi-experiment study involved seventy 5th grade BOP students from two municipality schools in Mumbai, India. The training group students were given Design Thinking training spread over two action research cycles, while the control group received no intervention. The present study reports on findings from the second action research cycle during which the training group received training on divergent thinking skills—skills required for Design Thinking. The data was collected using classroom worksheets and intervention test sheets, and the objective was to find answers to how ideation took place during creative work and whether divergent thinking skills—as a part of Design Thinking training—helped in improving creative ability. The quantitative analysis of The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) inspired intervention test sheets indicated an overall significant difference in creative ability indicator scores of students who received intervention over those who did not. Furthermore, the significant difference was found for figural tasks but not for verbal tasks. The present study also showed how a mixed-method analysis can be useful for capturing socio-cultural elements, measuring relevant idea generation and identifying the need for different creative confidence-building strategies. The study identified language as a barrier for idea expression in the case of BOP students for whom language of instruction at school was different from language spoken at home. The study recommended socio-techno entrepreneurs to use this challenge as an opportunity for becoming stakeholders in creativity skilling for BOP students.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100652

ISSN: 1871-1871

Abstract/Notes: This research article addresses an important issue related to how teachers can support Aboriginal secondary school students' learning of science. Drawn from a larger project that investigated the study of vertebrates using Queensland Indigenous knowledges and Montessori Linnaean materials to engage Indigenous secondary school students, this article focuses on the three-staged lessons from that study. Using an Action Research approach and working with participants from one secondary high school in regional Queensland with a high Indigenous population, there were several important findings. First, the materials and the three-staged lessons generated interest in learning Eurocentric science knowledge. Second, repetition, freedom and unhurried inclusion of foreign science knowledges strengthened students' Aboriginal personal identity as well as identities as science learners. Third, privileging of local Aboriginal knowledge and animal language gave rise to meaningful and contextualised Linnaean lessons and culturally responsive practices.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1017/jie.2019.10

ISSN: 1326-0111, 2049-7784