Abstract/Notes: This research examines integrated drama curriculum for first-grade students taught by a drama specialist and a first-grade classroom teacher during a 6-week drama program at a private school in the Midwestern United States. Specifically, how drama is integrated with math, what unique knowledge and content of drama are delivered, and what roles drama serves in an integrated program are explored through a qualitative case study. During the drama sessions students` kinesthetic exploration and representation, re-creation of the story, and on-stage performance enabled them to reinforce math learning as well as experience art forms of drama. Adopting their learning of basic knowledge and skills of drama performance, the students used their body for communication and elaboration of their ideas with creativity. Based on the findings, important contributions to a successful integration are suggested. / 본 연구는 미국 중서부 지역의 한 사립학교에서 이루어진 6주간의 드라마 프로그램에서 드라마 특별교사와 담임교사가 초등학교 일학년 학생들에게 가르치는 통합 드라마 교육과정을 살펴보았다. 구체적으로, 드라마가 수학과 어떻게 통합되는지, 드라마의 어떤 지식과 내용이 가르쳐지는지, 또한 드라마가 통합 프로그램에서 어떠한 역할을 수행하는지를 질적 사례 연구를 통해 살펴보았다. 드라마 수업 동안, 아동들은 신체운동 탐색과 표상, 이야기의 재구성, 공연하기를 통해 드라마에서의 기본 지식과 기술들을 배웠으며 수학 학습을 강화하였다. 자신들의 신체를 이용하여 수학 내용에 대해 비언어적으로 표현하는 경험을 다양한 방법으로 체험하였으며, 수학 문제가 포함된 이야기를 토론을 통해 재구성하였다. 이렇게 재구성한 이야기를 공연하는 동안 아동들은 드라마에 관한 기초 지식과 기술들을 적용시켰으며, 상상력을 이용해 자신의 아이디어를 정교화 하였다. 결론에서는 연구 결과에 기초하여 성공적인 통합교육과정에 필요한 요소들이 논의되었다.

Language: Korean

ISSN: 1226-9417

Abstract/Notes: This action research project examined how the implementation of Kindness Guidelines affected prosocial behavior among Early Childhood students. The setting was a private Montessori school, with 18 children ages two to five-years-old. Guidelines were developed using child-generated ideas on how to be kind to themselves, others, and the environment, along with teacher-made materials that illustrated acts of kindness and emotional awareness. Implementation of the intervention lasted six weeks with 20 days of data collected during two 15-20 minute observations per day. Positive and negative behaviors were recorded using tally sheets and an observation journal. Use of teacher-made materials was tracked using a materials log, and children expressed their ideas about kindness through drawings. Data analysis showed that positive behaviors increased and indicated the changes were related to the intervention. Ideas for further research include increasing emotional awareness in children and how the practice of observation affects children’s behavior.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this research was to determine whether a progress report that aligns the Montessori materials to child development benchmarks would increase parent understanding of the Montessori materials, as well as give teachers a means of reporting growth that is systematic and consistent. Trial reports were created aligning the toddler and early childhood practical life and sensorial curriculum areas to the state standards. Parents were asked to compare the current reports with the new reports. The postimplementation survey results suggested that 97% of parents better understood the alignment between the Montessori materials and child development and 100% of teachers affirmed the new reports made a clear association between the two. The new reports clarified the alignment between the Montessori materials and children’s development for parents and created a standard measurement tool for Montessori educators with the vernacular to explain the Montessori materials progression to parents.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2015

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this research was to determine if daily lessons in yoga, mindfulness, and transition skills positively affect the transition from lunch to recess in a Montessori environment. The seven‐week study involved 17 children between two and a half to five years old. Data collection included a pre-and post‐assessment and observations which documented the type of disruptions, amount of disruptions, and the resolution to the disruptions. Results of the pre-and post‐assessments revealed that practice of the skills needed in a transition resulted in more independence. The mindfulness exercises resulted in less distractions while waiting in line during a transition. Observation data showed there was little decrease in the amount of disruptions during a transition, but an overall increase in the children’s independent and child assisted resolutions to disruption. Suggestions for further research include a longer length of time for a study, more clarified data collection, a video recording for observing, and further study concerning needed and unneeded adult interventions.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2016

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this paper is to describe the effects of peace education on children’s prosocial behavior. This action research implemented peace education for six weeks in an early childhood classroom of 19 children, in the U.S., ages three to six. Qualitative data including interviews, observational logs, field notes, and a journal were collected. Quantitative data included a tally sheet of incidents and surveys of the children. The research concluded that peace education affected children’s prosocial behavior, increasing the number of prosocial behavior incidents, raising children’s awareness, knowledge, and skills for prosocial behavior, while positively impacting children’s prosocial behavior in the community. Further study was recommended to reinforce the findings by implementing peace education for a longer period of time, applying it in other classrooms, modifying activities and approaches to reach more children, such as those with special needs and behavioral problems, and educating parents in peace education at home.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: Children in an early childhood Montessori classroom were taught songs that included words to label emotions and phrases for solving social conflicts. The purpose of this research was to find out if children’s emotional vocabulary and problem-solving strategies would be affected by learning words and phrases from songs about feelings and communication for six weeks. Data was collected through comparing words known to describe emotions on faces of an emotion chart, phrases known to communicate feelings, and records of children’s behaviors and conflict resolution strategies both pre and post-intervention. The results showed an increase in both the amount of words and variety of words known, and an increase in independently attempting to problem solve, while non-verbal reactions to problems. such as crying and hitting, decreased. Songs were found to be an effective tool to use to teach children in early childhood about emotional literacy. Because songs are shown to be an effective way to communicate important messages, teachers could consider using them to teach about other sensitive information, such as about privacy and strangers.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research was to determine the effects of physical activity through purposeful movement on behaviors and the ability to focus in a mixed-age Montessori Early Childhood classroom. The intervention took place over a period of six weeks in an independent school setting with 17 children ages 2.5 to 6. Data was collected using observation tallies and notes, a teacher journal, and interviews with the children. Results show some of the children’s behaviors were positively affected by the use of specific movement materials. Although there was not much change observed, the intervention appeared to help some children become less distracted and helped them with their ability to focus on lessons in the classroom. Movement lessons in the research that required focused attention for their use were seen to create feelings of calmness in the children. Further research might include the introduction of focused movement exercises such as yoga or the introduction of meditation.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2016

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research study was to determine how community building music would affect the transition time in a primary Montessori classroom. The researchers were two female preschool teachers in public Montessori schools. The participants, aged three to six years old, were involved in a daily clean-up time, which took place before the study began. The teachers added a music intervention for four weeks to see if the dynamics of clean-up time would change. The teachers documented the research study using qualitative and quantitative data tools. The data tools included student surveys, teacher journals, a timer log, and a classroom tracker sheet. The intervention findings showed an overall decrease in the amount of time students took to clean up and an increase in happiness and community involvement in the classroom. Future researchers should consider the pre and post student survey be completed on an individual basis. Additionally, increase the length of baseline data collection and intervention.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how Montessori early childhood teachers approach teaching about race and racial bias in their classrooms. Twenty-four Montessori early childhood teachers participated in an open-ended survey, and five teachers of those 24 participated in a data-informed online semi-structured interview. The interviewees received an infographic with narrative and graphics in which themes of the survey were detailed, a form of graphic elicitation. Surveys and interviews were coded and analyzed for themes. Themes were verified through independent coding by an independent analyst. Several themes that emerged from the surveys and interviews indicated that 1) Montessori early childhood teachers generally hold a race neutral view of early childhood, 2) Most Montessori early childhood teachers believe that young children do not have bias, 3) Most Montessori early childhood teachers believe that teaching about race and racial bias is implicit in their Montessori training on culture, peace, and respect, 4) Montessori early childhood teachers did not receive explicit instruction from their Montessori training or education programs regarding teaching about race and racial bias, and 5) Most Montessori early childhood teachers supplemented their training with books or developed lessons outside of those obtained in training to teach about race. Reasons for participants' beliefs around race, racial bias, prejudice, young children, and teaching are discussed, as well as the implications of these outcomes. The results of this study were used to develop recommendations for Montessori teachers, Montessori teacher education programs, and national Montessori organizations. Recommendations for further research suggest that a broad examination of demographics along with data on how Montessori teachers are teaching about race and racial bias may yield pertinent information that could further guide educators and trainers.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2018

Abstract/Notes: This study investigated the viability and implications of technology-assisted story writing with kinder year students. Seven kinder year students at a private Montessori school participated in the study. Pre- and post-study conferences and Likert scales determined story writing skills and attitudes. These were followed by one-on-one storywriting sessions using a variety of story-writing tools. Students were given the choice of story-writing method at each session. Individual sessions were evaluated and completed stories compared to a rubric of fundamental story-writing elements. Stories written by the students improved with the use of computer and iPad programs, but independent story writing was not achieved. Individual phonetic abilities proved pivotal to any success with technology-assisted story writing. The results of the study suggest introducing technology-assisted story writing when a child can successfully build words phonetically.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017