Abstract/Notes: This action research project investigated my teacher efficacy in a multicultural classroom with children ages 3 to 6. This was a self-study that I started during my first year of teaching in a private school in downtown Chicago. As a first generation American, I was the only participant. Throughout the four-week study, I responded to journal prompts where I reflected on daily readings of anti-bias literature and my past schooling experiences. I measured my teacher efficacy and confidence levels through weekly attitude scales and pre and post self-assessments. My emotions were tracked with tally sheets. The data showed an increase in positive emotions vs. negative emotions, higher confidence levels in teaching, and growth in confronting bias and engaging in discussions about anti-bias education. This study recommends further engagement in anti-bias media and taking the time to reflect before making decisions in my work as a teacher.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Abstract/Notes: The skills associated with self-regulation begin in toddlerhood. This action research study was designed to assess the impact of Grace and Courtesy lessons on toddler behavior. Students participated in lessons on how to greet a friend, how to ask for a turn and how to express affection. The study took place in a Montessori toddler classroom of 14 children, aged 26-36 months old. The classroom was part of a half-day Montessori preschool located in the South Eastern United States. I used field notes and tally marks to observe behavior in the classroom. Observations were done daily, and the data collection tools tracked behavior in the classroom. Grace and courtesy lessons were offered to all students daily. While more research in this area is needed the overall impact of the Grace and Courtesy lessons showed an increase in use of language rather than physicality for expression.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this paper is to increase the self-efficacy of a first-year teacher, with a focus on increasing the subject’s comfort with the autonomy required of the position. The subject teaches in a Montessori classroom of preschool-aged children (designed for 3-6 year olds, serving 3 year olds) at a young school in an urban environment. This was done through interventions that focused on factors of vicarious experience and social persuasion, as informed by Albert Bandura’s research. Data was collected through surveys that measured self-efficacy, satisfaction with life and job satisfaction, and through daily physical, mental, and emotional scales. Written reflection was evaluated through charting positive, neutral, and negative language. Interventions resulted in a significant increase in self-efficacy, with the influence of social persuasion having the largest impact on all factors. Future research might consider collective efficacy’s connection to social persuasion, and how a novice teacher’s sensitivity to social persuasion and vicarious experience may shift towards other factors that influence efficacy, with greater work experience.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research was to explore how a social justice-oriented mindfulness practice would impact the self-efficacy of an early childhood educator. This self-study, with the researcher as the sole participant, took place over a six-week period while the researcher was working in a private Montessori school in the Northeastern United States in a classroom of 20 students aged 3-5. The intervention included breathwork; both walking and seated meditation paired with articles, essays, interviews, and poetry relevant to social justice; meditation; and mindfulness. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through reflective journaling, a record of feelings scale, an attitude scale, and a pre- and post-intervention survey. While the data did not reflect any substantial impact with regards to teacher self-efficacy, the study was transformative in many ways. The intervention resulted in a deeper understanding of social inequities and a heightened sense of self-reflection. A more focused and comprehensive selection of content relevant to equity in the educational setting would likely have allowed for a more guided learning experience. Additionally, community organized events and workshops relevant to this work could play a crucial role in encouraging the need and responsibility to take action in establishing more equitable schools.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Abstract/Notes: Teachers experience high levels of stress due to the demands of their profession. The purpose of this study is to determine if mindfulness and meditation have an effect on stress levels and self-efficacy. The researcher-participants were two female teachers in public schools. Five days a week for four weeks, the participants practiced mindfulness activities from a curated list including Body Scan, Meditation, Breathing, Yoga, and Journaling.. The participants detailed their stress levels before and after the intervention each day and weekly through different means of data collection. The study used pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, daily journals, and weekly questionnaires to track stress levels. The intervention findings show an overall decrease in stress, one participant’s self-efficacy improved, and the other participant’s self-efficacy decreased. Future research should consider a more varied participant base, a longer period of intervention, a control and experimental group, and other forms of data collection.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Language: Dutch

Abstract/Notes: The paper first expounds the produce of discipline in the Montessori education, then describes how Montessori education thought cultivates children's self-discipline. The article focuses on how the discipline of children naturally produced in the Montessori education, mainly discusses how to use the montessori education theory cultivate children's self-discipline.

Language: Chinese

ISSN: 1006-4311

Language: English

Language: English

Language: English