Abstract/Notes: This study investigated the viability and implications of technology-assisted story writing with kinder year students. Seven kinder year students at a private Montessori school participated in the study. Pre- and post-study conferences and Likert scales determined story writing skills and attitudes. These were followed by one-on-one storywriting sessions using a variety of story-writing tools. Students were given the choice of story-writing method at each session. Individual sessions were evaluated and completed stories compared to a rubric of fundamental story-writing elements. Stories written by the students improved with the use of computer and iPad programs, but independent story writing was not achieved. Individual phonetic abilities proved pivotal to any success with technology-assisted story writing. The results of the study suggest introducing technology-assisted story writing when a child can successfully build words phonetically.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: This action research project examined how the implementation of Kindness Guidelines affected prosocial behavior among Early Childhood students. The setting was a private Montessori school, with 18 children ages two to five-years-old. Guidelines were developed using child-generated ideas on how to be kind to themselves, others, and the environment, along with teacher-made materials that illustrated acts of kindness and emotional awareness. Implementation of the intervention lasted six weeks with 20 days of data collected during two 15-20 minute observations per day. Positive and negative behaviors were recorded using tally sheets and an observation journal. Use of teacher-made materials was tracked using a materials log, and children expressed their ideas about kindness through drawings. Data analysis showed that positive behaviors increased and indicated the changes were related to the intervention. Ideas for further research include increasing emotional awareness in children and how the practice of observation affects children’s behavior.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this paper is to describe the effects of peace education on children’s prosocial behavior. This action research implemented peace education for six weeks in an early childhood classroom of 19 children, in the U.S., ages three to six. Qualitative data including interviews, observational logs, field notes, and a journal were collected. Quantitative data included a tally sheet of incidents and surveys of the children. The research concluded that peace education affected children’s prosocial behavior, increasing the number of prosocial behavior incidents, raising children’s awareness, knowledge, and skills for prosocial behavior, while positively impacting children’s prosocial behavior in the community. Further study was recommended to reinforce the findings by implementing peace education for a longer period of time, applying it in other classrooms, modifying activities and approaches to reach more children, such as those with special needs and behavioral problems, and educating parents in peace education at home.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: Children in an early childhood Montessori classroom were taught songs that included words to label emotions and phrases for solving social conflicts. The purpose of this research was to find out if children’s emotional vocabulary and problem-solving strategies would be affected by learning words and phrases from songs about feelings and communication for six weeks. Data was collected through comparing words known to describe emotions on faces of an emotion chart, phrases known to communicate feelings, and records of children’s behaviors and conflict resolution strategies both pre and post-intervention. The results showed an increase in both the amount of words and variety of words known, and an increase in independently attempting to problem solve, while non-verbal reactions to problems. such as crying and hitting, decreased. Songs were found to be an effective tool to use to teach children in early childhood about emotional literacy. Because songs are shown to be an effective way to communicate important messages, teachers could consider using them to teach about other sensitive information, such as about privacy and strangers.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research study was to determine how community building music would affect the transition time in a primary Montessori classroom. The researchers were two female preschool teachers in public Montessori schools. The participants, aged three to six years old, were involved in a daily clean-up time, which took place before the study began. The teachers added a music intervention for four weeks to see if the dynamics of clean-up time would change. The teachers documented the research study using qualitative and quantitative data tools. The data tools included student surveys, teacher journals, a timer log, and a classroom tracker sheet. The intervention findings showed an overall decrease in the amount of time students took to clean up and an increase in happiness and community involvement in the classroom. Future researchers should consider the pre and post student survey be completed on an individual basis. Additionally, increase the length of baseline data collection and intervention.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research was to explore how a social justice-oriented mindfulness practice would impact the self-efficacy of an early childhood educator. This self-study, with the researcher as the sole participant, took place over a six-week period while the researcher was working in a private Montessori school in the Northeastern United States in a classroom of 20 students aged 3-5. The intervention included breathwork; both walking and seated meditation paired with articles, essays, interviews, and poetry relevant to social justice; meditation; and mindfulness. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through reflective journaling, a record of feelings scale, an attitude scale, and a pre- and post-intervention survey. While the data did not reflect any substantial impact with regards to teacher self-efficacy, the study was transformative in many ways. The intervention resulted in a deeper understanding of social inequities and a heightened sense of self-reflection. A more focused and comprehensive selection of content relevant to equity in the educational setting would likely have allowed for a more guided learning experience. Additionally, community organized events and workshops relevant to this work could play a crucial role in encouraging the need and responsibility to take action in establishing more equitable schools.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research study was to increase preliteracy skills, confidence, and interest in reading in a Montessori early childhood environment through a reading workshop model. Given the pressure on teachers to create stronger readers at younger ages, this work discusses developmentally appropriate language tasks for children ages three- to six-years-old using the Montessori method and emergent literacy theory frameworks. Research suggests children who exhibit confidence and interest in reading develop strong preliteracy skills. These factors predict capable and active readers. For six weeks, a Montessori early childhood classroom of 14 students and three adult guides participated in daily 30-minute reading workshops. These workshops included a short explicit language lesson lasting under 10 minutes, followed by an extended free reading time. The development of preliteracy skills, student confidence in skills, and interest in reading were tracked through formative assessments, observation, student-teacher conferencing, and student self-assessments. After the intervention, an increase in preliteracy skills, interest, and confidence were noted. The students requested to continue reading workshops due to high interest. Further work is needed to analyze the development of reading skills through the reading workshop intervention.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Abstract/Notes: A confusing variety of terms is used in discussions of age grouping practices. This digest examines terms that have important implications for teaching and the curriculum. The terms "nongraded" and "ungraded" typically refer to grouping children in classes without grade-level designations and with more than a 1-year age span. The term "combined classes" refers to the inclusion of more than one grade level in a classroom. The term "continuous progress" generally implies that children remain with their classroom peers in an age cohort regardless of whether they have met prespecified grade-level achievement expectations. The terms "mixed-age" and "multi-age grouping" refer to grouping children so that the age span of the class is greater than 1 year, as in the nongraded or ungraded approach. These terms are used to emphasize the goal of using teaching practices that maximize the benefits of cooperation among children of various ages. The distinctions between the grouping practices have

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research was to study the effects that daily proactive restorative circle practice (PRCP) had on speaking skills, listening, and positive classroom culture amongst Montessori Children's House students. The research took place over a four week period of time in a two way immersion Children's House in a Montessori public charter school in the Midwest. The population included 8 students ages 4-5.5 years. Students participated in a daily proactive restorative circle each afternoon. The researcher also observed students during lunch to collect data on any influence the PRCP had outside of circle time. Data was collected through field notes, tallies, and a sense of community scale. The intervention suggested an increase in speaking skills and maintaining positive classroom culture. Students also demonstrated an increased sense of responsibility and accountability to the implementation of PRCP. Continued research is needed to determine the effectiveness of PRCP with more participants as well as how the effects of the PRCP transfer over to the general classroom experience.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020