Abstract/Notes: In order to investigate the effectiveness of Montessori preschool education as compared with non-Montessori preschool education, Phase I of this study matched 2 groups, each of 21 preschool children, on intelligence quotient and certain socio-economic factors. One group attended a Montessori preschool and the other a non-Montessori preschool. The children were administered tests near the beginning and end of the preschool year to determine any differences in achievement due to the preschool training. In Phase II a trained researcher interviewed the primary grade teachers who by then had some of the preschool children of Phase I in their classrooms. Ratings of these teachers provided information on the personality and ability of 3 groups of children, (1) former Montessori preschool children, (2) former non-Montessori preschool children, and (3) non-preschool children. The children were rated on 8 major traits which contained 27 stimulus variables. Phase I data indicated that Montessori preschool children gained significantly more in verbal ability than non-Montessori preschool children. Phase II data indicated that Montessori children were superior to the children of the other 2 groups in reading readiness, interest in learning, independence, interpersonal relations, leadership, and learning ability. No differences were found in creativity or ability to adjust to the traditional-type school.

Language: English

Published: Washington, D.C., Jun 1967

Abstract/Notes: The article is devoted to Montessori method and its analysis in the theory and practice of belarusian and chinese education. Studying the pedagogical heritage will help to choose the alternative program suitable for preschool education in modern times. / Статья посвящена методу Монтессори и его анализу в теории и практике белорусского и китайского образования. Изучение педагогического наследия поможет выбрать альтернативную программу, подходящую для дошкольного образования в современности.

Language: English

ISSN: 2706-8749, 2519-4534

Abstract/Notes: The changes in the social and economic structure of India have intensified the need for universal early childhood education. The formidable challenges before the Indian Government are: to provide high quality early childhood education programs; to preserve indigenous practices such as multilinguality, family/community involvement, participation of older children as caretakers of their younger siblings; and to provide early childhood education to all children despite serious financial constraints. This article presents a brief overview of the traditional childrearing practices in India, chronicles government initiatives in early childhood education, describes the range of programs available in India, and identifies goals that will shape the future of early childhood programs in India.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1007/BF02430544

ISSN: 1082-3301, 1573-1707

Abstract/Notes: Montessori, studied medicine firstly, has long engaged in children's education work. She has made outstanding contributions in the study of children’s education theory and practice. Children's physical education is an important part of children's education. She has put forward a lot of ideas for children's physical education. On the basis of synthesizing the achievements and opinions of others, this paper extracts the following four Montessori children's sports education. That is children's physical and mental development, children's freedom of movement, view of gymnastics based on physical development, and action and music theory. This paper also puts forward the inspiration of Montessori children's sports education concept in the light of the present situation of children's physical education.

Language: Chinese

ISSN: 1004-4590

Abstract/Notes: This study analyses five educational projects in India that are supported by German Agro Action (GAA) and the European Union (EU) and are executed on the ground by Indian NGOs. Located in different geographical parts of India, the projects follow different ideological and pedagogical approaches. The study does not claim, especially given the size and diversity of Indian society, to represent the Indian educational situation as a whole. Rather, it intends to elucidate some alternative approaches adopted by the specific projects to overcome the existing shortcomings of the Indian primary educational system. Using a range of qualitative indicators pertaining to the educational philosophy of the organisations, their curriculum, pedagogy, relationship with the state, relevance, effectiveness etc. the study critically reflects on each of the project, each of which works in areas where educational facilities are not easily accessible. The study thus helps further understanding about how the deficiencies of primary education in India, with regard to the underprivileged sections of the Indian society in particular, can be innovatively addressed. It should be noted that all findings and interpretations are those of the study team and do not necessarily represent those of GAA.

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: It is only within very recent history – the past 25 to 30 years – that neuroscience has become a force in child development and educational research, as the tools to study the brain in action have improved and become more readily available. Although neuroscience research on reading, math, and social and emotional function also has important implications for education, this chapter focuses on executive function (EF) skills because these skills play an especially foundational role in learning and because they have been particularly well studied. Basic research on EF development has provided an important foundation for interventions designed to specifically target EF skills in young children, and suggests how to structure places of education to playfully explore their environments in intentional and attentive ways, to practice reflection, and to engage in self-regulated learning. Although neuroscience is a relatively new player in early education, it has transformed people's understanding of the conditions that support learning and brain development.

Language: English

Published: New York: Routledge, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-429-46828-5

Abstract/Notes: Early childhood education in North America is currently in a state of flux. While Piagetian approaches to early childhood education curricula seem to predominate in North America today, some of the influences of the other paradigms discussed below are still in evidence. The idea of nurturing children as well as educating them has endured, even with the new cognitive focus. The concept of curricula appropriate to a child’s developmental level, first introduced by Froebel, has remained an important idea. The Montessori method has enjoyed a renaissance in North America, and specially designed curricula for the disabled has been re-established as the norm, after Itard’s and Seguin’s pioneering examples. Yet, new issues in early childhood education have arisen in North America. There is a great debate on the effects of day care, the changing family, the possibility of “hurried children”, and the role of state support in a “universal” child care system. The recent Report of the task force on child care in Canada reviewed many of these issues, and used data on child care arrangements in a number of European countries compared to canada and the United States in much of its discussion. It is not surprising, given the history of models of child care which have come from Europe to North America, that North Americans are once again looking across the Atlantic for fresh ideas.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1007/BF03176578

ISSN: 0020-7187, 1878-4658

Abstract/Notes: Philosophical, theoretical and scientific interest in early childhood has a very long history. The idea that the early years are the foundation of children's long term prospects is one of the most ancient, enduring and influencing themes shaping early childhood policy and provision today. The motivation and purpose for this study stems from a desire to de-familiarise that which is already known in order to reflect upon, and identify new understandings of early childhood education in relation to universal values and beliefs concerning young children's learning and development. Using an interpretative paradigm, which Habermas (1984, p.109) would describe as a "double hermeneutic" as the process involves striving to re- interpret the already interpreted world, I argue that the principles, practices and provision of early childhood education in the United Kingdom today have strong roots in the innovative pedagogies of four influential women of the 19th and 20th century: Margaret and Rachel McMillan, Maria Montessori and Susan Isaacs. This study adopts a historical stance and firstly examines how early childhood education began through exploring and reflecting upon the early philosophers of the past whose ideas, values and beliefs were influential in shaping the key women pioneers' thinking. The study then moves on to examines the roots and legacies of the four women and the contribution they each made to early childhood education today. The contribution of my thesis to current knowledge and understanding of early childhood education lies firstly in the way I have synthesised the lives and work of the four women who form the focus of this thesis and secondly, in my demonstration of the way much of what constitutes effective early childhood provision has been shaped through the course of history.

Language: English

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: Maria Montessori was one of Italy's first female physicians, and she developed a groundbreaking educational method based on astute observation of children's behavior while working in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Rome (Gutek 2004; Kramer 1988). As someone who witnessed the extent of injustice experienced by poor women and children particularly, she turned from medicine to focus on education, seeing its potential power for social reform (Gutek 2004). Others have been drawn to the Montessori philosophy, sharing her belief that all children have the potential to become self-motivated, independent, and lifelong learners given an appropriate environment in which to flourish. Marginalized communities in the United States find this inclusivity to be a compelling message, leading to a growing number of public Montessori schools serving disadvantaged children (Debs 2019). The work and influence of Black Montessori educators is less wellknown than the stories of their white counterparts, so we profile three Black pioneers in the field. Before elaborating on the stories of Mae Arlene Gadpaille, Roslyn Williams, and Lenore Gertrude Briggs, Black Montessori pioneers who shared Maria Montessori's belief in the power of education for social justice, we first provide background on the Montessori Method, Maria Montessori's early years, and the history of Montessori education in the United States.

Language: English

ISSN: 1535-0584