Abstract/Notes: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires schools to be held accountable for academic performance. It is believed the pressure of accountability will lead teachers to narrow the curriculum by engaging students in test preparation activities. The purpose of this two-phase, explanatory mixed methods study was to examine elementary teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the Stanford Achievement Test 10 (SAT-10) and the Alabama Reading and Math Test (ARMT) on classroom teaching practices from a sample of third-grade, fourth-grade, and fifth-grade teachers in three large school systems in Alabama. The purpose of the first, quantitative phase of the study, was to reveal teachers’ perceptions of the impact of high-stakes testing on curriculum and instructional approaches, the amount of time spent on critical thinking skills, the amount of time spent on test preparation activities, and the perceived impact of state tests on students and teachers by surveying 123 third-grade through fifth-grade teachers in three large Alabama school systems. In the second, qualitative phase of this study, purposeful sampling strategy and maximal variation sampling strategy were employed to interview nine teachers who responded to the survey in the first, quantitative phase of the study to explore the results from the statistical tests in more depth. Findings suggested urban teachers spent more time on critical-thinking skills than rural and suburban teachers, and low-socioeconomic, rural teachers experienced more stress caused by high-stakes testing than their geographical counterparts. All teachers independent of socioeconomic status or school geographical location reported they increased their focus on reading and math, which were the subjects assessed on high-stakes tests and de-emphasized subjects not tested such as social studies and science. Finally, most teachers reported they decreased the teaching of critical thinking skills due to the SAT-10 but increased the teaching of critical thinking skills due to the ARMT. Due to the lack of research regarding high-stakes testing in Alabama elementary schools, there was a need for teachers to discuss the specific impact of testing on classroom teaching practices because they work directly with students and are cognizant of the challenges that teachers face.

Language: English

Published: Birmingham, Alabama, 2010

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of Texas public Montessori school principals as instructional leaders in science. Twelve public Montessori school principals were interviewed for this study. Two research questions were used: How do public Montessori principals perceive Texas science standards in public Montessori Elementary classrooms? How do principals view their role as an instructional leader in elementary science related to teachers' effectiveness and student outcomes? Research question one resulted in the following themes: (a) aligning curricula to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), (b) engaging science instruction as integrated and hands-on lessons, (c) emphasizing required district and state assessments, and (d) incorporating traditional teaching methodologies to support Montessori instruction. Research question two yielded common themes: (a) balancing Montessori methodologies and philosophies in public school settings with competing demands, (b) monitoring assessment scores as the determination of student success, (c) working in collaboration to support teacher effectiveness, and (d) providing resources and support to teachers. Implications for Montessori practitioners: paradox of Montessori education in a public school setting, strong support for science in classrooms from the principal and a need for continued research around Montessori education in public school settings.

Language: English

Published: Beaumont, Texas, 2013

Abstract/Notes: This study provides insight into the American public's perceptions of Montessori education one hundred years after its inception. The study is based on responses from an online survey with 1,520 members of an internet panel which was stratified to reflect the U.S. population based on age, ethnicity, gender, region, and income. The study answered research questions regarding how much the general public knows about Montessori education, perceptions of Montessori education and the attitudes and demographic characteristics that are associated with positive perceptions of Montessori education. The study found high awareness of the term "Montessori," but lower knowledge of the specifics of Montessori education. Generally favorable perceptions of Montessori education were also discovered along with less widespread evidence of commonly reported criticisms. Finally, and not surprisingly, familiarity with Montessori education led to more positive opinions of Montessori education as did stronger beliefs that schools should play a role in children's development beyond academics.

Language: English

Published: Lawrence, Kansas, 2008

Abstract/Notes: The aim of this study is to determine the self-efficacy perceptions of special education teachers about the use of the Montessori method by a valid and reliable scale developed by the researcher. The model of the research is a general descriptive model of quantitative research methods. In the 2017–2018 academic year, 67 special education teachers who work under the Directorate of Primary Education of the Ministry of National Education of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are participated in this research universe, which comprise 29, 12, 20, 4 and 2 teachers from Special Education Application Centre, Special Education and Work Application Centre, primary schools, kindergartens and school for visually impaired, respectively. This study was conducted only with all the special education teachers in the universe not by any sampling method. The general proficiency perceptions of the special education teachers for the use of the Montessori method were at the level of instability. According to the general competency perceptions of the female teachers on the use of the Montessori method, it was found that their responses were more positive than the males.

Language: English

DOI: 10.18844/cjes.v11i4.4480

ISSN: 1305-905X

Abstract/Notes: Montessori-based activities use a person-centred approach to benefit persons living with dementia by increasing their participation in, and enjoyment of, daily life. This study investigated recreation staff and multidisciplinary consultants’ perceptions of factors that affected implementing Montessori Methods for Dementia™ in long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada. Qualitative data were obtained during semi-structured telephone interviews with 17 participants who worked in these homes. A political economy of aging perspective guided thematic data analysis. Barriers such as insufficient funding and negative attitudes towards activities reinforced a task-oriented biomedical model of care. Various forms of support and understanding helped put Montessori Methods for Dementia™ into practice as a person-centred care program, thus reportedly improving the quality of life of residents living with dementia, staff and family members. These results demonstrate that when Montessori Methods for Dementia™ approaches are learned and understood by staff they can be used as practical interventions for long-term care residents living with dementia.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1177/1471301215625342

ISSN: 1741-2684, 1471-3012

Language: Korean

Published: Seoul, South Korea, 2000

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between the visual perception and drawing skills of children in the Montessori preschools. In this regard relational secreening model was used. The study group was composed of 83 children in Montessori preschools located in Ankara province. The data of research was collected by using the Bender Gestalt Visual motor Perception Test developed by Bender (1983) and Goodenough-Harris Draw-aPerson Test developed by Goodenough and revised by Harris (1963). It was detected that as the visual perceptions of children increased, the drawing skills also increased. / Montessori eğitim kurumlarındaki okul öncesi dönem çocuklarının görsel algı ve çizim becerileri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlayan bu çalışmada ilişkisel tarama modeli kullanılmıştır. Çalışma grubunu Ankara’da bulunan Montessori eğitim kurumlarına devam eden 83 okul öncesi dönem çocuğu oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen ve çocukların sosyo-demografik bilgilerini sorgulayan bilgi formu, Bender (1938) tarafından geliştirilen ve Türkçe’ye uyarlaması Yalın (1980) ve Somer (1988) tarafından yapılan “Bender-Gestalt Görsel Algı Testi” ve Goodenough (1926) tarafından geliştirilip Harris (1963) tarafından yeniden düzenlenen “Goodenough-Harris Adam Çizme Testi” kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda çocukların görsel algı ve çizim becerileri arasında pozitif yönlü düşük düzeyde anlamlı bir ilişinin var olduğu görülmüştür.

Language: Turkish

ISSN: 2147-9844

Language: English

Published: Chicago, Illinois, 2012

Abstract/Notes: The current international landscape shows that the most common alternative for the continuity of formative learning processes during the coronavirus pandemic has been the use the of e-learning to support children’s learning in environments outside of school. This forced change in teaching methods has consolidated the recognition that the digital skills of teachers are a relevant factor for the sustainability of education, both during the pandemic and in a future post-pandemic period or in other emergencies. In this sense, the objective of this study carried out between May and September 2020 was to determine the perceptions of 427 teachers from 15 countries about their digital competences in working with m-learning in primary education using a Montessori approach. The results of the questionnaire showed that teachers perceive their digital competences as inert and not very effective for innovation compared with the subsistence of traditional pedagogical practices, to deal with unpredictable situations or to generate differentiated adaptations for an inclusive education. The results of this study also serve as empirical support for establishing four training dimensions that can be considered priorities for the construction and implementation of a teacher training model that contributes to the sustainable development of education.

Language: English

DOI: 10.3390/su13010343

ISSN: 2071-1050