Language: English

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Language: English

ISSN: 1470-8647

Abstract/Notes: This study examines the effect of combining vigorous exercise with cognitively engaging games on children’s executive functioning skills such as self-direction, engagement, and focus. Over four weeks, the research took place in a Montessori early childhood classroom with 17 children ages 2.6 to 6. The four-week study included a one-week baseline week to collect initial data on the capabilities of self-direction and comprehensive data on energy levels and engagement. The children participated in a 14-minute movement activity with 7 minutes of vigorous exercise and 7 minutes of cognitive-engaging games. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative data tools to examine the effects on children’s ability to independently choose an activity, engage, and focus during the morning. The increased movement and cognitive exercise positively impacted children’s executive functioning skills. Future recommendations would include extending the intervention to study further if productivity continued to increase as the children had more days to engage in the exercises. Based on the data gathered in this action research, I recommend that teachers provide an opportunity for children aged three to six to participate in a short morning gathering where they can engage in vigorous movement and a cognitively engaging game.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2022

Language: English

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: Studies have shown scholastic, creative, and social benefits of Montessori education, benefits that were hypothesized to result from better executive functioning on the part of those so educated. As these previous studies have not reported consistent outcomes supporting this idea, we therefore evaluated scholastic development in a cross-sectional study of kindergarten and elementary school-age students, with an emphasis on the three core executive measures of cognitive flexibility, working memory update, and selective attention (inhibition). Two hundred and one (201) children underwent a complete assessment: half of the participants were from Montessori settings, while the other half were controls from traditional schools. The results confirmed that Montessori participants outperformed peers from traditional schools both in academic outcomes and in creativity skills across age groups and in self-reported well-being at school at kindergarten age. No differences were found in global executive functions, except working memory. Moreover, a multiple mediations model revealed a significant impact of creative skills on academic outcomes influenced by the school experience. These results shed light on the possibly overestimated contribution of executive functions as the main contributor to scholastic success of Montessori students and call for further investigation. Here, we propose that Montessori school-age children benefit instead from a more balanced development stemming from self-directed creative execution.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225319

ISSN: 1932-6203

Language: English

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: Opinnäytetyöni tarkoituksena oli tuoda Montessori-pedagogiikka ihmisten tietoisuuteen. Montessori päiväkoteja ei Suomessa paljon ole, joten tietoa niistä tarvitaan koska montessorimenetelmä poikkeaa kunnallisen päiväkodin kasvatusmenetelmästä. Montessori-pedagogiikka on lapsikeskeistä. Kasvatuksen lähtökohtana ovat lapsen kehitysvaiheet ja mielenkiinnon kohteet. Aikuinen on taustalla ja auttaa tarvittaessa. Lapsella on mahdollisuus työskennellä omaan tahtiinsa. (Tikkurilan Montessori-päiväkodin kannatusyhdistys ry 2000, 6.) Työhöni valitsin teemaksi vuorovaikutuksen, luovuuden ja leikin, joihin perehdyin varhaiskasvatuksen teoriassa. Alussa työssäni perehdyin ainoastaan varhaiskasvatuksen teoriaan. Valitsemani teemat tulivat esiin myös tutkimuskysymyksissä. Tutkimuksessani halusin selvittää miten varhaiskasvatuksen periaatteet toteutuvat Montessori-päiväkodissa ja mikä on lapsen rooli Montessori-pedagogiikassa. Opinnäytetyötäni varten perehdyin monipuolisesti Montessori-pedagogiikkaan ja sen historiaan. Opinnäytetyöni toteutin laadullisena tutkimuksena. Haastattelut suoritin Montessori-päiväkodeissa Orvokissa ja Rantakaislassa. Tutkimukseen haastattelin kahta työntekijää ja kahta vanhempaa. Haastatteluiden lisäksi aineistoni muodostui kirjallisuudesta, montessoripäiväkodeissa tekemistäni harjoitteluista sekä omista kokemuksistani. Montessori-pedagogiikan erityispiirteet löytyivät Rantakaislan ja Orvokin toimintasuunnitelmasta tiivistettyinä. Haastatteluissa ja omien kokemusten perusteella voin sanoa, että nämä tavoitteet toteutuivat. Haastatteluiden tuloksissa työntekijöiden näkökulmasta Montessori-pedagogiikan keskeiseksi asiaksi nousi lapsen kunnioitus ja yksilöllisyyden huomioiminen. Vanhempien haastattelussa Montessori-pedagogiikassa korostui yhteisöllisyys sekä eri-ikäisten lasten toimiminen yhdessä, joka vahvistaa lasten vuorovaikutustaitoja. Vanhemmat toivoivat ja pitivät tärkeänä, että Montessorikasvatus tulisi Suomessa tunnetuksi, jolloin päiväkoteja olisi enemmän. Suomessa Montessori-pedagogiikka on vielä suhteellisen uusia asia, kun vertaa miten tunnettu kyseinen kas-vatusmenetelmä on ulkomailla. [The purpose of my thesis was to bring Montessori pedagogy to people's awareness. There are not many Montessori daycare centers in Finland, so information about them is needed because the Montessori method differs from the educational method of a municipal daycare center. Montessori pedagogy is child-centered. The starting point of education is the child's developmental stages and interests. An adult is in the background and helps if necessary. The child has the opportunity to work at his own pace. (Tikkurila Montessori Kindergarten Support Association 2000, 6.) For my work, I chose the theme of interaction, creativity and play, which I familiarized myself with in the theory of early childhood education. At the beginning of my work, I only familiarized myself with the theory of early childhood education. The themes I chose also came up in the research questions. In my research, I wanted to find out how the principles of early childhood education are realized in a Montessori kindergarten and what is the role of the child in Montessori pedagogy. For my thesis, I learned a lot about Montessori pedagogy and its history. I implemented my thesis as a qualitative study. I conducted the interviews in Montessori kindergartens in Orvoki and Rantakaisla. For the research, I interviewed two employees and two parents. In addition to the interviews, my material consisted of literature, my internships in Montessori kindergartens, and my own experiences. The special features of Montessori pedagogy were summarized in the action plan of Rantakaisla and Orvok. Based on the interviews and my own experiences, I can say that these goals were realized. In the results of the interviews, from the perspective of the employees, respect for the child and consideration of individuality emerged as the central issue of Montessori pedagogy. In the interview with the parents, Montessori pedagogy emphasized community spirit and children of different ages working together, which strengthens children's interaction skills. The parents hoped and considered it important that Montessori education would become known in Finland, so that there would be more kindergartens. In Finland, Montessori pedagogy is still a relatively new thing, when you compare how well-known the education method in question is abroad.]

Language: Finnish

Published: Vantaa, Finland, 2011