For faster results please use our Quick Search engine.
Advanced Search
Search across titles, abstracts, authors, and keywords.
Advanced Search Guide.
Doctoral Dissertation
The Impact of Montessori Teaching on Academic Achievement of Elementary School Students in a Central Texas School District: A Causal-Comparative Inquiry
Available from: Texas A&M University
See More
Abstract/Notes: Providing a meaningful and experiential learning environment for all students has long created a concern for alternate ways to teach students who are reportedly demonstrating non-mastery on state standardized assessments. As the benchmark for showing successful academic achievement increases, so does the need for discovering effective ways for students to learn. The Montessori teaching method has been in existence since the early 1900s when Dr. Montessori made her discovery of the student learning process. Dr. Montessori connected to the laws of nature and the environment for creating students who are problem-solvers with critical-thinking skills. The Montessori Method is designed to promote independent learning and support normal development in children. A Montessori lesson is defined as any interaction between an adult and a child; it incorporates techniques that are defined to serve as guidance for the adult personality in working with the child. The study investigated the impact of Montessori Method on the academic achievement of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) was used to measure academic achievement in reading and mathematics. An ex post facto, causal-comparative design was employed. The characteristic-present samples consisted of 47 3rd, 40 4th, and 44 5th graders. There were 71 3rd, 60 4th, and 49 5th graders in the comparison samples. Due to non-probability nature of the sampling technique, external validity was limited to study participants. Due to non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences were drawn. A series of Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the students who received the Montessori Method of instruction and those who did not on the basis of the outcome measures of academic achievement in reading and mathematics. The mean difference effect sizes, which were used to examine the practical significance of the findings, ranged from negligible to small. Although the results of the study did not support the hypothesis, it must be pointed out that the Montessori Method of teaching facilitates self-paced learning that promotes a child's independence and encourages decision-making which are instrumental in becoming successful learners. Additionally, Montessori advocates experiences that are "real-world" and allow children to build intrinsic motivational opportunities; therefore, creating independent thinkers that will be competitive problem-solvers in the global economy of the 21st century. The limited studies on the Montessori Method of teaching offer opportunities for further investigation at all grade levels. For example, it is recommended to conduct a study to compare students who receive Montessori education during the early years of their academic life with those who receive Montessori education from pre-k to high school graduation. Because the Montessori name does not have a trademark, there are opportunities for investigating Montessori teacher preparation and comparing the preparation of the teachers to the standardized assessment results. There are also opportunities for investigating the method and curriculum used at schools that carry the name Montessori for comparison purposes amongst Montessori schools as well as in comparison to the results of the standardized assessments at these schools.
Language: English
Published: Corpus Christi, Texas, 2013
Article
Aflame: Columbia, SC, School Fire Galvanizes a Community [Montessori Early Learning Center and School of the Arts, Columbia, South Carolina]
Available from: University of Connecticut Libraries - American Montessori Society Records
Publication: Public School Montessorian, vol. 18, no. 2
Date: Winter 2006
Pages: 10
See More
Language: English
ISSN: 1071-6246
Article
A School Opens, A Parent Celebrates [Hull-Jackson Montessori Magnet School, Nashville, Tennessee]
Available from: University of Connecticut Libraries - American Montessori Society Records
Publication: Public School Montessorian, vol. 11, no. 1
Date: Fall 1998
Pages: 11
See More
Language: English
ISSN: 1071-6246
Article
Middle School Students’ Motivation and Quality of Experience: A Comparison of Montessori and Traditional School Environments
Available from: University of Chicago Press
Publication: American Journal of Education, vol. 111, no. 3
Date: 2005
Pages: 341-371
Comparative education, Montessori method of education - Criticism, interpretation, etc., Motivation (Psychology)
See More
Abstract/Notes: This study compared the motivation and quality of experience of demographically matched students from Montessori and traditional middle school programs. Approximately 290 students responded to the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) and filled out questionnaires. Multivariate analyses showed that the Montessori students reported greater affect, potency (i.e., feeling energetic), intrinsic motivation, flow experience, and undivided interest (i.e., the combination of high intrinsic motivation and high salience or importance) while engaged in academic activities at school. The traditional middle school students reported higher salience while doing academic work; however, such responses were often accompanied by low intrinsic motivation. When engaged in informal, nonacademic activities, the students in both school contexts reported similar experiences. These results are discussed in terms of current thought on motivation in education and middle school reform.
Language: English
DOI: 10.1086/428885
ISSN: 0195-6744, 1549-6511
Article
Primary Schools [Stepping Stones, North Western, Southside Primary School, Forestville Montessori School]
Publication: Montessori Matters, no. 1
Date: 1985
Pages: 7
Australasia, Australia, Australia and New Zealand, Montessori schools, Oceania
See More
Language: English
Report
Primary School, School-Based Decision Making, Family Resource/Youth Services Centers: First Year Reports to the Prichard Committee
Available from: ERIC
See More
Abstract/Notes: These three reports by national consultants assess first year progress in implementing state mandated educational reforms in Kentucky. First, "The Status of Primary School Reform in Kentucky and Its Implications," by James Rath, Lilian Katz, and John Fanning, reports on site visits to 14 public schools to assess progress in implementing the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA) in primary schools. Findings with respect to the introduction of cooperative learning, developmentally appropriate practice, authentic assessment, parent involvement, and multi-age grouping practices are presented, along with administrators', parents', and teachers' views about KERA mandates. Next, "School-Based Decision Making: Observations on Progress," by Jane L. David, presents results of interviews with Kentucky education officials, school visits, and a review of newspaper articles and other documents. The report indicates that as of June 1992, almost 500 of Kentucky's 1,366 schools had councils for
Language: English
Published: Lexington, Kentucky, Jul 1992
Blog Post
Are Montessori Schools Better Than Public Schools?
See More
Abstract/Notes: Dr. Angeline Lillard discusses her new research on the benefits of a Montessori education.
Language: English
Published: Dec 16, 2021
Article
School Focus: Treetops Montessori School [Darlington, Western Australia]
Publication: Montessori Matters
Date: 2002
Pages: 17–18
See More
Language: English
Doctoral Dissertation
How "Montessorian" Are the Montessori Schools? A Study of Selected "Montessori" Schools with Respect to Their Adherence to the Montessori Tradition.
Available from: ProQuest - Dissertations and Theses
See More
Language: English
Published: New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1975
Article
A Middle School Model [School of the Woods, Houston, Texas]
Available from: University of Connecticut Libraries - American Montessori Society Records
Publication: Public School Montessorian, vol. 1, no. 4
Date: Summer 1989
Pages: 8
See More
Language: English
ISSN: 1071-6246