Language: English

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-concept and perceived levels of stress in the teaching profession at the elementary school level. The subjects of the study were teachers from two communities--Romulus, Michigan and Buffalo, New York. The subjects were chosen by the schools in which they taught and by the methods of teaching which they used. One-half of the total number of the subjects used traditional methods of teaching and one-half of the total number of the subjects used the Montessori Method of teaching. The responses of these teachers were gathered during the 1981 winter school term. The instruments used to gather the data for the study were the Tennessee Self Concept Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and a personal data questionnaire. The levels of self-concept of the subjects were taken as indicated by the means of the total positive scores of the Tennessee Self Concept Scale. The levels of the subjects' perceived stress were taken as indicated by the means from the Maslach Burnout Inventory in the areas of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal achievement. Pearson product-moment correlations were found to determine if a significant relationship existed between self-concept and the perceived stress of the subjects. Demographic data from the questionnaire were used to divide the subjects into categories which were investigated for significant differences. One way analyses of variance were performed of the self-concept and stress means of the categories to determine if significant differences existed. Statistical significance was chosen at the 0.05 alpha level. For the thirteen null hypotheses formulated and tested, it was concluded that the subjects indicating higher self-concept means, as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, also indicated lower stress means, as indicated on the Maslach Burnout Inventory, in the areas of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and higher means in the area of personal achievement. Null hypotheses formulated indicating no significant differences of stress or self-concept when the subjects were categorized by teaching methods, years of formal education, number of years of teaching experience, classroom racial dominance, number of students in the classroom, or marital status were all accepted. No significant differences were found at the 0.05 alpha level. The subjects of this study were shown to be similar in life style, education, and work environments. Further studies might bring to light differences if more varied teachers, teaching methods, and levels of education were taken into consideration. Replication of the study may also provide valuable information if performed with subjects from independent schools. A search for areas which the teachers feel are stress producing may also contribute to significant research.

Language: English

Published: Columbus, Ohio, 1981

Language: English

ISSN: 0010-700X

Language: English

Published: Washington, D.C., 1958

Language: English

ISSN: 0519-0959

Abstract/Notes: The purpose is to compare the Kindergarten music textbooks with those of the first grade of elementary school and analyze them, to examine whether the correspond to children's developmental characteristics whether the music education of Kindergarten and the first grade have a connection each other. The subject of this study are as follow: 1. What are the objects of music education in Kindergarten and the first grade? 2. How are the contents of music education in Kindergarten and the first grade? 3. Do the songs mentioned in the music textbook of Kindergarten and the first grade coincide with children's musical charateristics? The method of this study: Comparing the objects and contents of the collection of guiding child education materials' with those of the pleasant lives' guide book for teacher, I analyze the songs gathered in each book through the aspect of contents, composition, length, rhythm and voice-ranges. The result of this study are as follows: 1. The music education of the first grade presents the goal which 'the musicality of children is enlightened, through desirable musical experiences and the harmonious emotion and creativity.' On the contrary, the goal of music is not presented in Kinergarten education. 2. The spheres of music education contents in the first grade are divided into three, as like the basic capability, the expression capability, and the appreciation, 3. The songs of the first, grade are estimated that they are selected to correspond to children's musical characteristics, on the other hand, those of Kindergarten have many problems in the aspect of composition, length, rhythm and voiceranges. The conclusions derived from the results. The music education of Kindergarten should be carried out coinciding with children's growth, connecting with that of elementary school.

Language: Korean

Abstract/Notes: This study was designed to explore the role of educational evaluation in three selected Montessori elementary classrooms; to characterize educational evaluation in these three classrooms in terms of an educational philosophical orientation and an evaluation model; and to analyze critically and interpret the observed role of educational evaluation within the framework of Montessori philosophy and methods. Three classrooms (two kindergarten-first and one second-third grade class) from two Montessori schools in the Newark-Wilmington, Delaware area comprised the sample of the study. Following a pilot study, arrangements were made to interview parents, teachers, and students. Other sources of data included 60 hours of classroom observation and three questionnaires that focused on educational philosophy and evaluation. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the classrooms, but the emphasis was on the former approaches, such as observation and questioning. Problem-solving techniques were used, especially with regard to social conflicts. The instructional programs and evaluation primarily were individualized. The observed evaluative practices were consistent with Montessori philosophy and represented a logical outgrowth of the Montessori method. Evaluation was carried out in a positive, supportive way that focused on the individuals; however, the well-being of the class was also important. The observed evaluative practices observed were indicative of a liberal philosophical orientation. Reasons for this assessment include the emphasis on problem-solving, the importance of the individual and of the group as a social collective, the use of non-testing evaluation practices, the individualized nature of the evaluation activities, and the guiding/collaborative nature of the teacher's role. Quantitative methods were used, but served to confirm observations gathered by less formal means. For both teachers and children, the approach to evaluation was an individualized one. An aspect common to both teachers and children was the understanding and appreciation of others as individuals. Teachers sought information on which they could make decisions regarding individuals and the class as a social unit. Students were encouraged to become independent by learning how to evaluate their own work, to become their own best critics.

Language: English

Published: Newark, Delaware, 1989

Abstract/Notes: The "central problem of education" for Maria Montessori (1971) was "how to give the child freedom”. Montessori wrote more about freedom and liberty than any other topic (Ethel Wheeler in Feltin 1987, 90). Modern theorists such as Paula Polk Lillard (1996) and David Kahn (1997) also give great importance to children's freedom in Montessori classrooms. Freedom is necessary for the development of autonomy (Feltin 1987), which is one of the aims of Montessori education (Montessori 1964, Barron 1992, American Montessori Society website, Kendall 1993). Many Montessori organizations (West Seattle Montessori, American Montessori Society) include some version of the phrase "freedom with limits" in their literature or refer to the child's independence as a goal. However, many programs limit children's responsibility for their learning at the elementary level to choosing which assigned work to do first. Children are not given the opportunity to choose what they will learn and how they will show what they learned. Orcillia Oppenheimer (1999) considered the lack of "real free choice" to be one of the "two fundamentals which are missing from most Montessori programs" (65-67, emphasis in original).

Language: English

Published: Pasadena, California, 2000

Abstract/Notes: This study investigated the impact an oral storytelling component had on students’ story writing. The study took place over six weeks in an Elementary classroom at a small independent Montessori school. Eight Lower Elementary students (ages 6-9) listened to stories told by the teacher, or orally told ideas for their stories, prior to thirty minutes of story writing. Also, approximately halfway through the study, the students participated in a storytelling workshop conducted by a professional storyteller. Data sources included pre-intervention and weekly writing samples, engagement observations, a writing rubric to code the writing samples and a student writing attitude scale completed before and after the intervention. Over the course of the study, students’ time engaged in the writing process and quality and length of their stories increased. Additionally, after the storytelling workshop, improvement in student writing increased at a faster rate than before the workshop. Further research could study if an oral storytelling workshop implemented earlier in the school year could have a greater impact over a greater length of time.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017

Abstract/Notes: In many schools, teachers are mandated to assign homework by the administration or school district. Thus the challenge for the teacher is often not whether to assign homework, but what content and how much. This study seeks to help answer these questions by examining characteristics of and parent satisfaction with homework assigned to students in grades one through three in both traditional and Montessori schools.

Language: English

Published: Cincinnati, Ohio, 2007