Abstract/Notes: Today, on almost every continent, there are schools adopting in spirit and practice the ideas of Maria Montessori who ranks with Pestalozzi, Froebel, and Dewey in the field of education. Her approach to early childhood education can be linked to the Thomistic dictum that there is nothing in the intellect which is not first in the senses. In this article, the author discusses the important elements present in the Montessori method, as well as Dr. Montessori's educational aims. An environment with "built in" discipline teaches the small child a great deal about physical self-mastery. It is not the verbal emphasis that abounds in the Montessori method, but the sensory. Dr. Montessori's educational aims were twofold: to help children develop and to help them adapt themselves to the physical conditions of their environment and to the social requirements dictated by the customs of the group in which they live. As the Montessori approach has been modified in every culture in which it is found, some modifications would be necessary in the U.S., but the possibility for the success of such an approach seems unquestionable. Like children everywhere, American children can benefit from what Maria Montessori has offered in the rest of the world.

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Language: English

ISSN: 0889-5643

Language: English

ISSN: 0889-5643

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: Review of 'Emotional Intelligence' by Daniel Goleman

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Abstract/Notes: Reprinted in 'The California Lectures of Maria Montessori, 1915' (Clio Press, 1997).

Language: English

Language: English

ISSN: 0010-700X

Language: English

ISSN: 0028-5048

Abstract/Notes: This paper examines the effects of teacher use of an online record-keeping system on teacher self-efficacy and student self-regulation behavior. Four teachers and thirty-four students between the ages of three and six years old participated in this seven-week study in one of the few Montessori schools in a Latin American capital city. Pre- and post-study data collection methods included a teacher self-efficacy questionnaire and small group discussion, as well as use of the Head-to-Toe Test, a means of measuring children’s self-regulation behavior. For seven weeks, teachers used the program Transparent Classroom to record lessons, inform their lesson presentations, and track overall student progress. Through weekly classroom observations, child behaviors hindering and encouraging normalization were tracked with a tally sheet. Data showed increases in both teacher self-efficacy and student self-regulation, especially in children with the lowest pre-study scores, who saw dramatic gains. These results show the use of a record-keeping system may be a means of increasing achievement and satisfaction in both students and teachers.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2018

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research was to determine if using flags, created as tools for signaling for help, was an effective way to develop persistence and encourage children to complete their chosen work. The study was conducted in a preschool classroom at a private Montessori school. Participants included 15 children aged three to five and three teachers. Data was collected in the form of student interviews, tallies, and observations made during the period of research. The results indicated that the helper flags increased the children’s persistence with their work and increased the likelihood they would complete their chosen work. Therefore, it was concluded that the flags were effective tools for the children. Additionally, the flags proved to be a useful classroom management technique. However, because the research was conducted at the beginning of the school year in a class of children new to the Montessori environment, it is unclear whether or not the results would apply to other classrooms. Therefore, further research is recommended in other classroom environments and at a later point in the school year.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2014