Abstract/Notes: Mr Quade, AMI trainer at the primary level, gives a very concise and enlightening overview of how Executive Functions relate and respond to the Montessori prepared environment. He takes in all aspects and of fers insightful observations on the recognition of sensitive periods—for order, movement, language, sensory refinement, sensitivity for small objects, and social behaviour. All these enable Montessori teachers to provide opportunities for learning at the optimal moment of receptivity.

Language: English

ISSN: 1877-539X

Abstract/Notes: The aim of this review is to illustrate the role of working memory and executive functions for scholastic achievement as an introduction to the question of whether and how working memory and executive control training may improve academic abilities. The review of current research showed limited but converging evidence for positive effects of process-based complex working-memory training on academic abilities, particularly in the domain of reading. These benefits occurred in children suffering from cognitive and academic deficits as well as in healthy students. Transfer of training to mathematical abilities seemed to be very limited and to depend on the training regime and the characteristics of the study sample. A core issue in training research is whether high- or low-achieving children benefit more from cognitive training. Individual differences in terms of training-related benefits suggested that process-based working memory and executive control training often induced compensation effects with larger benefits in low performing individuals. Finally, we discuss the effects of process-based training in relation to other types of interventions aimed at improving academic achievement.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1007/s00426-013-0537-1

ISSN: 0340-0727

Abstract/Notes: Studies have shown scholastic, creative, and social benefits of Montessori education, benefits that were hypothesized to result from better executive functioning on the part of those so educated. As these previous studies have not reported consistent outcomes supporting this idea, we therefore evaluated scholastic development in a cross-sectional study of kindergarten and elementary school-age students, with an emphasis on the three core executive measures of cognitive flexibility, working memory update, and selective attention (inhibition). Two hundred and one (201) children underwent a complete assessment: half of the participants were from Montessori settings, while the other half were controls from traditional schools. The results confirmed that Montessori participants outperformed peers from traditional schools both in academic outcomes and in creativity skills across age groups and in self-reported well-being at school at kindergarten age. No differences were found in global executive functions, except working memory. Moreover, a multiple mediations model revealed a significant impact of creative skills on academic outcomes influenced by the school experience. These results shed light on the possibly overestimated contribution of executive functions as the main contributor to scholastic success of Montessori students and call for further investigation. Here, we propose that Montessori school-age children benefit instead from a more balanced development stemming from self-directed creative execution.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225319

ISSN: 1932-6203

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was to examine the executive function of 4th- to 6th-grade students in three distinctively different private school environments: a Montessori school, a classical school, and a Catholic school. Using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, parent-teacher dyads rated the executive function of 112 students. Results indicated differences in executive function ratings according to school environment, as well as by the source of the rating, with parents tending to rate their children higher as compared to the teacher ratings.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1080/02568543.2012.711431

ISSN: 0256-8543, 2150-2641

Abstract/Notes: European policy has seen a number of changes and innovations in the field of early childhood preschool education over the last decade, which have been reflected in various forms in the policies of individual EU countries. Within the Czech preschool policy, certain innovations and approaches have been implemented in the field of early children education, such as the introduction of compulsory preschool education before entering primary school from 2017, emphasis on inclusive education, equal conditions in education and enabling state-supported diversity in the education concepts of kindergartens. The aim of our study was to assess the influence of various preschool education systems in the Czech Republic in the context of psychological variables reflecting selected children’s outcomes which may contribute to future school achievement. The monitored variables were the attitudes, motivations and executive functions of children in the last year of preschool education. A comparison was made between the traditional preschool education program and the so-called alternative types of preschool education, such as Montessori, Waldorf and religious schools. The total sample was divided into four subgroups, namely a group of children attending traditional kindergartens (731, 84.9%), religious (65, 7.5%), Montessori (35, 4.1%), and Waldorf (30, 3.5%) kindergartens. To determine empirical data, the following research methods were used: Attitude Questionnaire, School Performance Motivation Scale, and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). The results of our survey show the fact that the type of kindergarten attended has a significant effect on the child’s level of school performance motivation, attitudes toward school as well as executive functions. Significant differences were found between the different types of kindergartens attended in the monitored variables.

Language: English

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.823980

ISSN: 1664-1078

Abstract/Notes: Studies in cognitive neuroscience have shown that education practices can affect the development of executive functions (EF) in young children, although there is very little evidence on young preschool children. The present study aims to provide support for this endeavor, and consists of a quasi-experimental design with one-group pre-test/ post-test measures of cognitive control at age 3 in an urban public Montessori preschool. Three-year-olds (N = 23) in an authentic Montessori public preschool in Washington DC improved significantly on core EF measures (inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility) validated by the NIH Toolbox Early Childhood Cognition Battery, and the data revealed large effect sizes. Comparisons against NIH published norms revealed no selection bias. Performance on EF measures did not correlate with age but did correlate with amount of time between testing sessions, suggesting the possibility that experience, more than age, could have contributed to cognitive control growth. A controlled comparison between mixed-age and single-age classes revealed no differences in these EFs, raising the possibility that aspects of the environment other than the age composition are likely to contribute to growth. We propose that a potential contributor to EF growth is Montessori education, and more specifically, that this growth might be found in the design of interaction of the child with the environment. In particular, we discuss the design element called control of error, and consider why this element might be related to cognitive abilities such as inhibitory control. In current national discussions on the importance of equitable early childhood education, the synthesis of findings from neurocognitive studies has implications for children’s academic and life success.

Language: English

DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2018.00106

ISSN: 2504-284X

Abstract/Notes: Executive function refers to the intellectual processes necessary for goal-directed cognition and behavior, which develop across childhood and adolescence. This study focused on the effects of physical activity on concentration and focus, prior to academic lessons, in urban Montessori classrooms ages 3-12. This study was administered for six weeks utilizing a thematic calendar of physical activities. The tools used for data collection were: a pre-dialogue with teachers, pre and post-assessments, control tallies, on and off-task observation counts and a post-satisfaction survey. Movement interventions improved focus and concentration by an average of 27%. The data collected supported our hypothesis that purposeful movement activities increase executive functioning skill development. Action plan implications include providing professional development training on movement activities and transitions for teachers and further research on the ability to improve children’s initiative to choose lessons independently. Physical activity opportunities should be incorporated into classroom schedules, as positive associations have been found between classroom-based physical activity and indicators of cognitive skills and attitudes, academic behavior, and academic achievement (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016).

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: Zelazo, Blair, and Willoughby (2016) refer to executive function as the attention-regulation skills that overlap with attributes of fluid intelligence, self-regulation, and social-emotional learning. (2017) is a randomized longitudinal study of preschool children who were enrolled in two high-poverty Montessori magnet schools and 71 non-Montessori control schools (both public and private) where at least one student in the study attended over the 6-year period of data collection. National Center for Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: Educational philosophy in elementary and secondary schools has often centered on creating a "product," full of content knowledge and basic skills (Bagby, 2002). However, no longer is academic achievement in the classroom considered the sole gauge of lifelong success. Meltzer (2010) suggested that the development of executive functioning skills utilized to reach academic achievement is equally important--skills such as prioritizing, planning, self-checking, and setting short-term and long-term goals. Being able to plan, organize, and monitor one's time are crucial skills in today's world. These three competencies are only a few of the elements of "executive function," an umbrella term referring to the cognitive processes that guide, direct, and manage thinking, emotional responses, and behavior. Dawson and Guare (2010) provided an overview of how executive function skills operate to maximize student success. The authors will consider three of these skills--planning, organization, and time management--and will illustrate how each is developed through Montessori practices.

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Language: English

ISSN: 1470-8647