Abstract/Notes: Students of color comprise a majority in public Montessori school enrollments around the United States, and practitioners are often asked for evidence of the Montessori Method’s benefits for these students. This article examines the relevant literature related to the experiences of students of color in public Montessori schools. Research finds Montessori education offers both opportunities and limitations for students of color in attending diverse schools, developing executive functions, achieving academically, accessing early childhood education and culturally responsive education, minimizing racially disproportionate discipline, and limiting overidentification for special education. Public Montessori education’s efficacy with students of color may be limited by several factors: the lack of diversity of the teaching staff and culturally responsive teacher education, schools that struggle to maintain racially diverse enrollments, and the challenge of communicating Montessori’s benefits to families with alternative views of education. The review concludes with directions for future research.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v3i1.5859

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: Montessori classrooms vary a good deal in implementation, and one way in which implementation differs is the provision of materials. Specifically, some classrooms use only Montessori materials, whereas others supplement the Montessori materials with commercially available materials like puzzles and games. A prior study suggested this might be a reason for observed differences across studies and classrooms (Author, 2012) but an intervention study is the best test. The present study presents such an intervention with 52 children in 3 Montessori classrooms with Supplementary materials. All children were given 6 pretests, and non-Montessori materials were removed from 2 of the classrooms. Four months later, children were retested to see how much they changed across that period. Children in the classrooms from which the non-Montessori materials were removed advanced significantly more in early reading and executive function, and to some degree advanced more in early math. There were no differences across the classroom types in amount of change on the tests of vocabulary, social knowledge, or social skills.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i1.5678

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: Base-10 and place value understanding are important foundational math concepts that are associated with higher use of decomposition strategies and higher accuracy on addition problems (Laski, Ermakova, & Vasilyeva, 2014; Fuson, 1990; Fuson & Briars, 1990; National Research Council, 2001). The current study examined base-10 knowledge, place value, and arithmetic accuracy and strategy use for children in early elementary school from Montessori and non-Montessori schools. Children (N = 150) were initially tested in either kindergarten or first grade. We followed up with a subgroup of the sample (N = 53) two years later when the children were in 2nd and 3rd grade. Although Montessori curriculum puts a large emphasis on the base-10 structure of number, we found that children from Montessori schools only showed an advantage on correct use of base-10 canonical representation in kindergarten but not in first grade. Moreover, there were no program differences in place value understanding in 2nd and 3rd grade. Although Montessori children used different strategies to obtain answers to addition problems in 2nd and 3rd grade as compared with non-Montessori children, there were no program differences in addition accuracy at any grade level. Educational implications are discussed.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i1.5677

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: As public Montessori schools rapidly expand through the United States, the question then arises: What population of students do the schools serve? This study presents a new empirical data set examining the racial and economic diversity of 300 whole-school, public Montessori programs open in 2012–2013, where the entire school uses the Montessori Method. While school-choice scholars are concerned that choice programs like Montessori lead to greater student segregation by race and social class, this study finds a variety of outcomes for public Montessori. Public Montessori as a sector has strengths in student racial and socioeconomic diversity, but it also has diversity challenges, particularly among Montessori charters. The study concludes with recommended strategies for public Montessori schools to enroll a racially and economically diverse student body.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i2.5848

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: This study examined the influence of enrollment on the development of self-determination in a Montessori middle school. Bounded by self-determination and student voice theory, this research was designed to give voice to students, add to the discourse on middle school reform, and provide the perspective of the student to the critique of middle level education.Based on the analysis of narrative major themes indicated the importance of autonomy and relatedness. Students valued the ability to choose the order of their tasks and the tasks they could choose to demonstrate understanding as well as the ability to re-take tests. These changes require a paradigm shift to a student-centered learning environment.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i1.4994

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: As the Montessori Method continues its expansion in public education, a social justice lens is needed to analyze its contributions and limitations, given the increase in racial and socioeconomic diversity in the United States. Furthermore, much of the work in Social Justice Education (SJE) focuses on classroom techniques and curriculum, overlooking the essential work of school administrators and parents, whose work significantly influences the school community. The current study applied an SJE framework to the efforts of one urban, socioeconomically and racially integrated Montessori charter school. We examined the extent to which SJE principles were incorporated across the school community, using an inductive, qualitative, case-study approach that included meetings, surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Administrators quickly adopted a system-wide approach, but parents—often color-blind or minimizing of the relevance of race—consistently resisted. Study results imply a continued need for an institutional approach, not solely a classroom or curricular focus, when integrating social justice into Montessori schools.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i2.5066

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: Research from the past 40 years indicates that African American students are subjected to exclusionary discipline, including suspension and expulsion, at rates two to three times higher than their White peers (Children’s Defense Fund, 1975; Skiba, Michael, Nardo, & Peterson, 2002). Although this phenomenon has been studied extensively in traditional public schools, rates of racially disproportionate discipline in public Montessori schools have not been examined. The purpose of this study is to examine racial discipline disproportionality in Montessori public elementary schools as compared to traditional elementary schools. The Relative Rate Index (RRI) is used as a measure of racially disproportionate use of out-of-school suspensions (Tobin & Vincent, 2011). Suspension data from the Office of Civil Rights Data Collection was used to generate RRIs for Montessori and traditional elementary schools in a large urban district in the Southeast. While statistically significant levels of racial discipline disproportionality are found in both the Montessori and traditional schools, the effect is substantially less pronounced in Montessori settings. These findings suggest that Montessori schools are not immune to racially disproportionate discipline and should work to incorporate more culturally responsive classroom management techniques. Conversely, the lower levels of racially disproportionate discipline in the Montessori schools suggests that further study of discipline in Montessori environments may provide lessons for traditional schools to promote equitable discipline.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v1i1.4941

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: A public Montessori school is expected to demonstrate high student scores on standardized assessments to succeed in the current school accountability era. A problem for a public Montessori elementary school is how to make sense of the school’s high-stakes assessment scores in terms of Montessori’s unique educational approach. This case study examined the ways one public Montessori elementary school responded to its high-stakes test scores in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The research revealed the ways the principal, teachers, and parents on the school council modified Montessori practices, curriculum, and assessment procedures based on test scores. A quality Montessori education is designed to offer children opportunities to develop both cognitive skills and affective behaviors such as student motivation that will serve them beyond their public school experiences. However, fundamental Montessori practices were modified as a result of the pressure to raise test scores. The impact of the highstakes assessment era on alternative types of schools must be considered because it is contradictory to support the availability of educational alternatives while at the same time pressuring these schools to conform to strict and narrow measures of success.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v1i1.4913

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: The purposes of the study were 1) to investigate the current situations, desirable situations and needs of teachers for Montessori learning management in schools under Chaiyaphum [Thailand] primary Educational service area office 1, 2) to develop the program to enhance Montessori learning management competency of teachers under Chaiyaphum primary Educational service area office 1. This study was divided into 2 phases; phase 1 was the study current situations, desirable situations and needs of teachers for Montessori learning management in schools under Chaiyaphum primary Educational service area office 1. The sample was 213 consisted of teachers who implemented Montessori in kindergarten level in the academic year of 2019 who were selected by stratified random sampling. The instruments used were questionnaire, interview questions and evaluation of the program. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean and standard deviation. Phase 2 was the development of the program to enhance Montessori learning management competency of teachers under Chaiyaphum primary Educational service area office 1. The results of the study revealed that; 1) The current situations of teachers for Montessori learning management in schools under Chaiyaphum primary Educational service area office 1 shown that overall rated in more level, the indicators of Montessori learning management theory knowledge rated in the most level. 2) The desirable situations of teachers for Montessori learning management in schools under Chaiyaphum primary Educational service area office 1 shown that overall rated in the most level, the indicators of Montessori learning management characteristics rated in the most level. 3) The result of evaluation the program to enhance enhance Montessori learning management competency of teachers under Chaiyaphum primary Educational service area office 1 shown that the appropriateness rated in more level, the possibility rated in more level, the correctness rated in the most level and benefits of the program rated in the most level.

Language: Thai

ISSN: 2630-0362, 2586-923X

Abstract/Notes: This phenomenological case study was conducted to better understand the experience of a Montessori teacher in a leadership role. A veteran Montessori teacher, newly hired by an established Montessori preschool, was interviewed over the course of her first year in the position. A critical discourse analysis revealed multiple social identities that contributed to her desire, and ability, to be what she felt was an authentic Montessori educator. While some of these discourses and social identities aligned, some did not, creating ideational dilemmas that affected her work, relationships, and personal identity. The findings suggest that current Montessori discourse excludes important characteristics of the teacher-lived experience. Acknowledging and discussing the social challenges Montessori teachers face is a necessary addition to teacher preparation, teacher support systems, and Montessori leadership decisions.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i2.5067

ISSN: 2378-3923