Abstract/Notes: In this study, occupational life histories of Montessori teachers in Sweden have been constructed in collaboration with a group of them. Data exploration and analysis have included journals, interviews, written reflections and conversations. Of interest has been to shed light on underlying values, ways in which professional roles reflect personal values and teachers' reflections on the present and future perspectives of Montessori education. Life histories make it possible for each individual teacher to be presented in the light of his/her own personal attributes and unique qualities as well as in relation to a wider (historical, cultural) context. The overall aim has been to come to a better understanding of what it means to be a Montessori teacher, by getting a group of Montessori teachers to reflect on their lives and work. Valuable insights have been gained concerning the changing roles of teachers in contemporary educational settings.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1080/0031383042000245799

ISSN: 0031-3831, 1470-1170

Language: English

DOI: 10.1002/sce.3730750204

ISSN: 1098-237X

Abstract/Notes: We explore the use of video and photo elicitation in a research study undertaken to understand the way in which preschool teachers perceive and construct their provision of children’s educational experiences. We explore the value of visually elicited interviews based on video footage and photographs captured during teaching and learning in four classrooms in two preschool settings in Kenya. Through visually elicited interviews, both the teachers and the researcher constructed meaningful conversations (interviews) to explore preschool teachers’ practical experiences and their beliefs, understanding and interpretation of developmentally appropriate educational practices. This paper targets the possible value of and contribution made by visual data generation procedures, as well as their inherent challenges, in order to add to the body of knowledge on visually elicited interviews.

Language: English

DOI: 10.15700/saje.v32n4a661

ISSN: 2076-3433

Abstract/Notes: South African studies based on school readiness found that most children who commence formal schooling (from Grade 1) lack the basic skills needed to adapt within the learning environment – these include having challenges to follow instructions, work autonomously or focus on a task. The national guideline for teaching children between birth to 9 years does not specify how early childhood education programmes can facilitate or strengthen executive function (EF) skills through structured play. Structured play, can be understood as play activities that require guidance and instructions for completion. During the activities, the participants have to follow instructions in order to attain the outcome. Hence, there is a need to explore how EF skills can be developed through structured play. From our understanding, EF is an individual’s cognitive ability to regulate thoughts and actions needed to complete a task. Executive function skills assist learners to adjust and work effectively later (Grade 1) in a formal learning environment to perform academically. The study was conducted at preschool sites that follow different educational approaches. They are Montessori, National Curriculum Framework (NCF), Reggio Emilia and Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) preschools. The preschools are situated in affluent suburbs of Pretoria, Gauteng. In this article, learners refer to children aged 4 years in the Grade RRR class. A qualitative multiple case study design was utilised. We interacted with two teachers from four schools who followed different educational approaches. The data collection techniques included individual semi-structured interviews, lesson observation and document analysis, whilst photographs and field notes were taken when the teacher-participants interacted with learners during a planned learning experience. The generated data sets were inductively analysed and interpreted using the theoretical frameworks of sociocultural theory and metacognition. The interpreted data sets revealed that the preschool teacher-participants can facilitate EF using games, songs, movement exercises or racing competitions. The participants explained that indoor, outdoor and learning experiences facilitated EF skills such as self-regulation, working memory and cognitive flexibility during structured play. There is a need for preschool teachers to identify EF in the curriculum and know how to link and intentionally include the skills in daily learning experiences. This will ensure learners acquire EF and apply it in formal learning environments. The contribution to the body of scholarship is the development of guidelines for teachers to intentionally and explicitly develop EF skills using structured play. We confer that teachers play a role in enabling fun, engaging and hands-on activities that promote the acquisition of EF in the early years.

Language: English

DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1141

ISSN: 2223-7682

Abstract/Notes: La presente investigación tuvo como propósito determinar que la capacitación docente basada en la teoría Montessori, influye en la atención de la discapacidad intelectual leve en niños de educación general básica de Guayaquil. Se sustentó teóricamente con los aportes de Montessori (1907), Lee (2018), Molina (2012, 2015), Chiavenato (2000), Rodríguez y Ramírez (1997), OMS (2021), AARM (2020),Tünnermann (2011), (Aubrey, 2010), UNESCO (2006), Cossentino (2005), Díaz (2002), Ministerio de Educación del Ecuador (2011), entre otros. La investigación se catalogó como experimental-aplicada, con nivel netamente explicativo. El diseño se clasificó como pre-experimental, con modelo pre-test/post-test con un solo grupo. La población estuvo constituida por 50 profesionales de educación general básica; debido al número finito y conocido de la población se empleó un censo poblacional. Como técnica de recolección de datos se utilizó la encuesta y como instrumento, el cuestionario. El análisis descriptivo de los datos se realizó mediante la confección de tablas de frecuencia absoluta (fa) y porcentaje (%), medidas de posición (promedio, mediana, mínima y máxima), dispersión (desviación estándar) y varianza. Asimismo, se realizó un análisis inferencial acerca de la población, basándose en los datos recolectados y la contrastación de las hipótesis planteadas. Los resultados evidenciaron una diferencia significativa de 19,02, entre los resultados del pre y post test, con un nivel de significancia de 0,000 < 0,05. Por tanto, se aceptó la hipótesis de investigación (Hi) y se rechazó la hipótesis nula (Ho), llegando a la conclusión que la propuesta basada en teoría Montessori influye de forma significativa y positiva en la atención de la discapacidad intelectual leve en niños de educación general básica de Guayaquil. El presente estudio representa un gran aporte para el sistema educativo en lo concerniente al área de la discapacidad e inclusión.

Language: Spanish

DOI: 10.46932/sfjdv3n1-015

ISSN: 2675-5459

Abstract/Notes: The current international landscape shows that the most common alternative for the continuity of formative learning processes during the coronavirus pandemic has been the use the of e-learning to support children’s learning in environments outside of school. This forced change in teaching methods has consolidated the recognition that the digital skills of teachers are a relevant factor for the sustainability of education, both during the pandemic and in a future post-pandemic period or in other emergencies. In this sense, the objective of this study carried out between May and September 2020 was to determine the perceptions of 427 teachers from 15 countries about their digital competences in working with m-learning in primary education using a Montessori approach. The results of the questionnaire showed that teachers perceive their digital competences as inert and not very effective for innovation compared with the subsistence of traditional pedagogical practices, to deal with unpredictable situations or to generate differentiated adaptations for an inclusive education. The results of this study also serve as empirical support for establishing four training dimensions that can be considered priorities for the construction and implementation of a teacher training model that contributes to the sustainable development of education.

Language: English

DOI: 10.3390/su13010343

ISSN: 2071-1050

Abstract/Notes: In research focused on self-efficacy it is usually teacher-related phenomena that are studied, while the main aspects related to pupils are rather neglected, although self-efficacy itself is perceived as a belief in one’s own abilities. Evidently, this strongly influences the behavior of individuals in terms of the goal and success in mathematical problem-solving. Considering that alternative teaching methods are based on the principle of belief in one’s own ability (mainly in the case of group work), higher self-efficacy can be expected in the pupils of teachers who use predominantly the well-working pupil-centered pedagogies. A total of 1133 pupils in grade 5 from 36 schools in the Czech Republic were involved in the testing of their ability to solve mathematical problems and their mathematical self-efficacy as well. Participants were divided according to the above criteria as follows: (i) 73 from Montessori primary schools, (ii) 332 pupils educated in mathematics according to the Hejný method, (iii) 510 pupils from an ordinary primary school, and (iv) 218 pupils completing the Dalton teaching plan. In the field of mathematical problem-solving the pupils from the Montessori primary schools clearly outperformed pupils from the Dalton Plan schools (p = 0.027) as well as pupils attending ordinary primary schools (p = 0.009), whereas the difference between the Montessori schools and Hejný classes was not significant (p = 0.764). There is no statistically significant difference in the level of self-efficacy of pupils with respect to the preferred strategies for managing learning activities (p = 0.781). On the other hand, correlation between mathematical problem-solving and self-efficacy was confirmed in all the examined types of schools. However, the correlation coefficient was lower in the case of the pupils from the classes applying the Hejný method in comparison with the pupils attending the Montessori schools (p = 0.073), Dalton Plan schools (p = 0.043), and ordinary primary schools (p = 0.002). Even though the results in mathematical problem-solving are not consistent across the studies, the presented results confirm better performance of pupils in some constructivist settings, particularly in the case of individual constructivism in the Montessori primary schools. The factors influencing lower correlation of self-efficacy and performance in mathematical problem-solving ought to be subject to further investigation.

Language: English

DOI: 10.3390/su122310215

ISSN: 2071-1050

Abstract/Notes: More than a century before modern controversies over scripted instruction, the Froebelian kindergarten--the original kindergarten method designed by Friedrich Froebel--and Maria Montessori's pedagogy were criticized for rigidly prescribing how teachers taught and children learned. Today, scripted methods such as Direct Instruction and Success for All are condemned for limiting teachers' autonomy and narrowing students' learning, especially that of students from low-income backgrounds, for and with whom scripts are often designed and used. Proponents of scripted instruction counter that it is helpful for teachers and effective with students. Comparing historical and modern scripts offers an opportunity to explore teachers' reactions to this hotly debated approach to school reform and to think about some possible implications for teacher education. I examine how teachers reacted to four different models of scripted instruction. I chose to compare the Froebelian kindergarten, Montessori, Direct Instruction, and Success for All because of their longevity, wide use, and the amount of information available about them. I focus on the scripts' theory and research base and teacher training, and on teachers' assessments of the scripts' effectiveness, and ask how these factors might influence teachers' autonomy, fidelity, and resistance when using scripts. Research Design: Using historical methods, I summarize the history of scripted instruction; selectively survey research on teacher autonomy, fidelity, and resistance; and interpret primary and secondary sources on the Froebelian kindergarten, Montessori, Direct Instruction, and Success for All. Teacher autonomy, fidelity, and resistance varied in these four scripts. Froebelian kindergarten and Montessori teachers autonomously chose to receive scripted, lengthy, intensive, pre-service training and professional development in closed professional learning communities. Direct Instruction and Success for All teachers receive scripted, relatively limited pre-service training and ongoing professional development in schools in which teachers often do not autonomously choose to teach. Despite the scripted training, most Froebelian kindergarten teachers, and many Montessori, Direct Instruction, and Success for All teachers modified these scripts at the classroom level; some Froebelian and Montessori teachers made very overt, substantial changes when the social class backgrounds of the students changed. Many Froebelian and most Montessori teachers seemed to believe that these scripts helped their students learn. Direct Instruction and Success for All teachers express more mixed views of these scripts' effectiveness. Some say that the scripts "work "for their students but that as teachers they feel constrained, a situation I see as a professional dilemma. Anecdotally, some new teachers with little pre-service training say that they feel limited by scripts but daunted by the task of creating curricula and instruction on their own. My research raises questions about teachers' reactions to scripts. The examples of Froebelian kindergarten, Montessori, Direct Instruction, and Success for All teachers I studied suggest that there may be unpredictable contradictions in scripted instruction. Scripted, autonomously chosen, intensive training may strengthen teacher fidelity and resistance, by giving teachers a deep repertoire of pedagogical skills that some continue to use and others use to autonomously modify scripts in response to students' perceived needs. Scripted, externally imposed, less extensive training may give some teachers a sense of security but also create tensions between the scripts 'perceived effectiveness and the teachers' desires for autonomy, and, for new teachers, between autonomy and the difficulty of independently designing curricula and methods. I argue that these reactions suggest that educators in traditional pre-service teacher education programs may want to experiment with offering an autonomous choice of distinctly different instructional models, including scripted ones such as Direct Instruction and Success for All, in which teachers in training in professional learning communities may become deeply skilled. I also argue that script developers may want to experiment with giving teachers more explicit autonomy, both in choosing scripts and in modifying them, and more extensive pre-service training. I recommend more comparative research on teachers' reactions to scripts, especially on new teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language: English

ISSN: 0161-4681, 1467-9620

Abstract/Notes: This study compared the time use and perceptions of schools, teachers, and friends of approximately 290 demographically matched students in Montessori and traditional middle schools. We used the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) and questionnaires and conducted multivariate analyses showing that the Montessori students (a ) reported more positive perceptions of their school environment and their teachers, and (b ) more often perceived their classmates as friends while at school. ESM time estimates suggested that the 2 school environments were also organized in different ways: Montessori students spent more time engaged with school‐related tasks, chores, collaborative work, and individual projects; traditional students spent more time in social and leisure activities and more time in didactic educational settings (e.g., listening to a lecture, note taking, watching instructional videos). These results are discussed in terms of current thought on motivation in education and middle school reform.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1086/496907

ISSN: 0013-5984

Abstract/Notes: The aim of this study is to determine the pre-school teachers' opinions about Montessori approach based STEM activities. In the study, during the fall semester of the 2017-2018 academic year, the education faculty of a state university pre-school teacher studied at the 3rd grade and 50 teachers were trained and 15 people were interviewed. In the research, case studies pattern based on the effects of the program, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. “Montessori approach based STEM applications Interview Form” was used as a qualitative data tool developed by the researcher in the study. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis method. As a result of data analysis, it was determined that pre-service teachers about Montessori approach based STEM applications have a positive opinion and they intend to use these applications in their lessons in the future. In addition, it is seen that these practices improve the cognitive and psycho-motor features of prospective teachers. It has been changed in the perspective of preservice teachers towards science and technology in their daily lives. [Bu çalışmanın amacı, okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarının Montessori yaklaşım temelli STEM etkinliklerine ilişkin görüşlerini tespit etmektir. Çalışmada 2017-2018 eğitim öğretim yılının güz döneminde bir devlet üniversitesinin eğitim fakültesi okul öncesi öğretmenliği 3. sınıfta öğrenim görmekte 50 öğretmen adayına eğitimler verilerek aralarından 15 kişi ile mülakat gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması desenlerinden programın etkilerine dayalı durum çalışmaları deseni kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada araştırmacı tarafından geliştirilen nitel veri aracı olarak “Montessori yaklaşım temelli STEM uygulamaları Görüşme Formu” kullanılmıştır. Nitel veriler içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Veri analizleri sonucunda, Montessori yaklaşım temelli STEM uygulamalarına yönelik öğretmen adaylarının olumlu görüşe sahip oldukları, bu uygulamaları ilerde derslerinde kullanmayı düşündükleri tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, bu uygulamaların öğretmen adaylarının bilişsel ve psiko-motor birçok özelliğini geliştirdiği de görülmektedir. Öğretmen adaylarının günlük yaşamlarındaki fene ve teknolojiye karşı bakış açılarında değişiklerde meydana gelmiştir.]

Language: English, Turkish

DOI: 10.17569/tojqi.636526

ISSN: 1309-6591