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

Language: English

Published: Eagan, Minnesota, 2007

Abstract/Notes: Based on an online survey with 85 principals and other leaders in public Montessori elementary schools, this study provides an update on the characteristics of Montessori education in public elementary schools as they begin facing the new challenges of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Despite the lack of emphasis on traditional testing practices in Montessori education, the study finds that many schools have participated in standardized testing programs for many years and that support for testing practices does not differ between those with and those without Montessori certification. Even though they struggle with budget cuts, stricter state and federal requirements and teacher shortages, public Montessori elementary schools strive to maintain a unique educational environment through certified teachers, ongoing professional support for teachers and well-equipped classrooms.

Language: English

Published: Lawrence, Kansas, 2005

Abstract/Notes: Improving academic achievement for students of color has long been the subject of debate among advocates of education reform (Anyon, 2013; Breitborde & Swiniarski, 2006; Payne, 2008). Some scholars have advocated for the Montessori method as an alternative educational approach to address some chronic problems in public education (Lillard, 2005; Murray, 2011, 2015; Torrance, 2012). Montessori programs are expanding in public schools (National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, 2014c) at a time when the American public school population is more racially diverse than ever before (Maxwell, 2014). A review of the literature reflects a lack of consensus about the efficacy of Montessori elementary instruction for students of color in general, and lack of attention to outcomes for African American students specifically (Dawson, 1987; Dohrmann, Nishisda, Gartner, Lipsky, & Grimm, 2007; Lopata, Wallace, & Finn, 2005; Mallet & Schroeder, 2015). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of reading and math instruction for third grade African American students in public Montessori, traditional, and other school choice settings, using end-of-grade standardized test scores from a large, urban district in North Carolina. Stratified sampling was used to select demographically similar traditional and magnet schools for comparison. Group mean reading and math test scores were compared using factorial MANCOVA and MANOVA procedures. African American students at grade three were found to perform at significantly higher levels in both reading and math in public Montessori schools than in traditional schools. No statistically significant difference was found in math achievement between African American third grade students in public Montessori and other magnet programs, although the Montessori group did achieve at significantly higher levels in reading. This suggests that the Montessori method can be an effective pedagogy for African American students, particularly in reading. Based on these results, recommendations are provided for policy, practice, and future research.

Language: English

Published: Charlotte, North Carolina, 2016

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

Abstract/Notes: Public Montessori schools have grown in number significantly in the United States. This case study chronicles the journey of teachers as they navigate the tension of balancing the Montessori approach with an accountability Standards model. Although Montessori may be in demand among parents in the nation, exhibited by the increase in public Montessori schools, this approach remains in the niche, or boutique, versus the big box of standards education. In this case study, teachers from a large standards-based school in transition to becoming a public Montessori school answered self-reflective survey questions and were observed in their classrooms to verify their responses. Using this approach, the teachers' practice and reflections were compared and contrasted against the teachers' proclaimed continuum for balancing the dual curriculums of Montessori and Standards-based instruction. Twelve teachers were then interviewed and observed to examine their ability to change. The descriptive feedback from these teachers gave insight into the challenges and successes of implementing complex instructional change. Among significant findings was that some teachers in a short time were able to successfully balance the two curriculum mandates. This study's results revealed that given a complex criteria of support, motivated and experienced teachers could implement this change. This study opens the possibility that under certain circumstances, Montessori boutique education could be replicated in a public Big Box way.

Language: English

Published: Greensboro, North Carolina, 2013

Language: English

Published: Moraga, California, 1994

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study is to find out the implications for the characteristics of inclusive education in Montessori Elementary Schools in Germany, affecting Korea's inclusive education. The research method was based on the data and information, collected by visiting the Montessori Schools in Germany, along with literature reviews, which is inclusive of data search on the Internet. Two major implications of this study are as follows: First, the most important and basic community spirit and the will to practice of Montessori Elementary Schools are thoroughly imprinted in school authorities, school members, and educational programs in integration education. Second, To realize the essential meaning of inclusive education, the proportion of students with disabilities in each school and class plays an important role. This means that students with disabilities should account for a certain percentage, not the proportion of very small number of students, regardless of schools or classes so as to prevent the isolation or stigma of students with disabilities. This is more effective than any other way in terms of the educational support of teachers. / 본 연구는 독일 몬테소리 초등학교에서의 통합교육 운영 특성을 바탕으로 우리나라 통합교육에 미치는 시사점을 찾아보는데 그 목적이 있다. 이에 연구방법으로는 인터넷 자료검색을 비롯하여 문헌연구와 더불어 독일의 관련 몬테소리학교를 방문하여 수집된 자료와 정보를 바탕으로 하였다. 본 연구를 통하여 도출된 두 가지 주요 시사점은 첫째, 몬테소리 초등학교는 통합교육에 있어서 가장 중요하고 기초적인 공동체 의식과 실천의지가 학교당국과 학교 구성원 및 교육프로그램에 철저하게 각인되어 있다는 점이다. 둘째, 통합교육의 본질적인 의미를 실현하기 위하여 각 학교 및 각 학급에서 장애학생이 차지하는 비율이 매우 중요함을 알 수 있다. 이는 학교차원이든 학급차원이든 장애학생들이 극히 소수가 아니라, 일정 비율을 차지하여야 장애학생의 고립이나 낙인효과를 예방할 수 있고, 교사들의 교육적 지원에서도 더 효과적이라는 것이다. 특히 통합학교나 통합학급에 일정비율의 장애학생 점유율은 통합교육이나 장애인에 대한 인식 개선, 행·재정적 지원, 교육프로그램, 특수교사 및 보조교사의 증원, 장애인 편의시설, 교사 간 협력 수업 등에 있어서 통합교육의 본질적인 목적인 교육 공동체의 실현을 위하여 매우 긍정적이고 실제적인 요소로 작용할 수 있다는 것이다.

Language: Korean

ISSN: 2288-4289

Abstract/Notes: Lack of knowledge about how formative assessment is routinely used in classrooms is a problem for schools and teachers who want to adopt these practices and for schools and teachers who struggle to explain to stakeholders how they use formative assessment to understand and advance their students’ academic growth. Formative assessment has a long history in Montessori education, where it is foundational to teachers’ practice. This project examined the use of summative and formative assessment by Montessori lower elementary teachers in public and private schools. An online survey, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data on frequency of use for summative and formative assessment; types and frequency of formative assessment use; and meanings which teachers assigned to them. Results indicated that Montessori lower elementary teachers in both public and private schools used summative assessments, with public school teachers using them more than private school teachers, reflecting the requirements of public schools for data collection. Montessori teachers in both types of schools showed a high degree of frequency and unanimity of practice in their use of formative assessment, especially in use of observation and conversation as formative assessment. Findings could by used by schools and teachers who want to understand formative assessment practices as they are enacted in classrooms in order to begin to adopt some of these practices. Findings could be used by Montessori schools and teachers to develop understanding of how they know what their students know in the absence of summative assessment data. This study points to professional development opportunities for public and private schools.

Language: English

Published: Bothell, Washington, 2014