Language: English

ISSN: 0010-700X

Abstract/Notes: This qualitative ethnographic case study explored the evolution of a public urban high school in its 3rd year of small school reform. The study focused on how the high school proceeded from its initial concept, moving to a small school program, and emerging as a new small high school. Data collection included interviews, observations, and document review to develop a case study of one small high school sharing a multiplex building. The first key finding, “Too Many Pieces, Not Enough Glue,” revealed that the school had too many new programs starting at once and they lacked a clear understanding of their concept and vision for their new small school, training on the Montessori philosophies, teaching and learning in small schools, and how to operate within a teacher-cooperative model. The second key finding, “A Continuous Struggle,” revealed that the shared building space presented problems for teachers and students. District policies remain unchanged, resulting in staff and students resorting to activist approaches to get things done. These findings offer small school reform leaders suggestions for developing and sustaining a small school culture and cohesion despite the pressures to revert back to top-down, comprehensive high school norms.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1177/2158244013486789

ISSN: 2158-2440

Abstract/Notes: Montessori pedagogy is a century-old, whole-school system increasingly used in the public sector. In the United States, public Montessori schools are typically Title I schools that mostly serve children of color. The present secondary, exploratory data analysis examined outcomes of 134 children who entered a lottery for admission to public Montessori schools in the northeastern United States at age 3; half were admitted and enrolled and the rest enrolled at other preschool programs. About half of the children were identified as White, and half were identified as African American, Hispanic, or multiracial. Children were tested in the fall when they enrolled and again in the subsequent three springs (i.e., through the kindergarten year) on a range of measures addressing academic outcomes, executive function, and social cognition. Although the Black, Hispanic, and multiracial group tended to score lower in the beginning of preschool in both conditions, by the end of preschool, the scores of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students enrolled in Montessori schools were not different from the White children; by contrast, such students in the business-as-usual schools continued to perform less well than White children in academic achievement and social cognition. The study has important limitations that lead us to view these findings as exploratory, but taken together with other findings, the results suggest that Montessori education may create an environment that is more conducive to racial and ethnic parity than other school environments.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v9i1.19540

ISSN: 2378-3923

Language: German

ISSN: 0944-2537

Language: English

Language: Danish

Published: Copenhagen, Denmark: Martins Forlag, 1926

Language: English

ISSN: 0889-5643

Language: English

Language: English

ISSN: 0889-5643

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was to describe the variables that contributed to the establishment of a charter school in an urban Arizona district and rural California district noting the similarities and dissimilarities, and to disclose the factors used to justify the implementation of the Montessori theory of education. Another purpose of the study was to describe the guidelines for maintaining a charter school, and the evaluation methods and factors used in the school's unique experience with staffing and funding. This research was descriptive and employed a case study approach. Descriptive research methodology was used to identify the same factors found in the Arizona study replicated by the researcher. Nonprobability, purposive sampling technique was the sampling used in the study. The instrument used for the study was interviews. Findings. The NFL/YET Academy in Arizona and Discovery Charter School in California experienced many similarities when the same variables were applied to both schools. As a result, the stakeholders of both schools used the principles of the organizational theory of empowerment to implement choices in curriculum. This process allowed the stakeholders an opportunity to meet the educational needs of students in the community. The following conclusions were made: (1) community empowerment plays a vital role in educating children; (2) the charter school movement allows parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders to be involved in the creation of school governance and curriculum; and (3) charter schools allow all stakeholders to become involved in the decision-making process. The following are recommendations for further study: (1) This study should be conducted using a greater number of charter schools, and (2) This study should be conducted using administrator's leadership style in the organizational theory area of structure/roles.

Language: English

Published: La Verne, California, 2003