Abstract/Notes: This basic qualitative research records the author’s findings from the one-on-one in-depth personal interviews with twenty-three teachers, trainers, and administrators working for the Christian Montessori schools. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of the teachers in facilitating meta-learning, the how-to-learn and the why-to-learn, among students in the Christian Montessori schools. The findings are as follows: First, both the Montessorian training and the Christian spiritual preparation of the teachers in the Christian Montessori schools enables them to effectively facilitate both the how-to-learn and the why-to-learn meta-learning, which endorses their claim that they are the true heir of the original Montessori method; second, the teachers’ most meaningful way of facilitating meta-learning is students’ receiving spontaneous training through the teachers’ respectful scaffolding; third, the Christian Montessori school model is an integrated and viable system for educational reform pursuing both the how-to-learn and the why-to-learn at the same time.

Language: English

Published: Deerfield, Illinois, 2020

Abstract/Notes: This mixed method study seeks to utilize a comparative analysis to explore the impacts of two types of parental involvement in urban elementary school students’ academic performance. Epstein’s (1995) widely cited typology describes six different types of parental involvement, and this typology serves as a framework for this study. More specifically, this study compares learning at home and collaborating with community, as parent involvement types, to student academic performance. The study utilizes descriptive statistics and correlational analyses to compare parent-reported student performance via a survey instrument and semi-structured focus group interviews to collect narrative data. Parental involvement has been vigorously studied over the last two decades, however, not much data appears to address how collaborating with the community, as a form of involvement, influences student performance and other studies provide an ambiguous picture for learning at home as another parenting type. Furthermore, there is evidence that direct-action parent organizing, as a parental involvement form of collaborating with the community, may impact educational outcomes and this study examines these research areas. After analyzing the data, the researcher did not find evidence of a significant relationship between learning at home and parent-reported student academic performance. However, the study did reveal a significant association between parents who were collaborating with the community and the parent-reported academic performance of their children. This moderate correlation from an often overlooked parenting type, collaborating with the community, may harbor rich findings within the literature and point to the need for greater scrutiny herein. In fact, this provides a warrant for additional research to explore the “efficacy” of collaborating with community as a type of parental involvement that significantly influences positive student academic performance.

Language: English

Published: Baltimore, Maryland, 2018

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this research is to determine what effect weekly conferences and goal setting opportunities have on the motivation of kindergarten children, in a multi-age (3-6 year-old) Montessori early childhood classroom in the Midwest. The goal was for children to become selfmotivated to choose and practice independent work that is developmentally appropriate. Data was collected before, during, and after the project using an observational checklist to determine the effectiveness of implementing goal setting and conferences with students. The research showed that writing goals in a journal was helpful for the majority of students. The students involved in the study came into the classroom ready to choose the lessons that were written in their journal. Also witnessed was an increase in positive talk and encouragement throughout the classroom. The students were reassuring each other and checked on one another to see how close they were to meeting their goals. Future research could be done to determine if goal setting could be carried over into the home and further research into intrinsic motivation of children would be helpful.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017

Abstract/Notes: This paper investigates whether and to what degree Montessori’s “Walking on the Line” activity affected student engagement and concentration. This study took place in a private Montessori classroom serving twenty students, aged 33 months through five years. Data was collected using four tools on line usage, engagement, and concentration: a tally of how many times students walked the line, a tally measuring how engaged students appeared while working in the classroom, how long students concentrated following a lesson, and a professional journal. All but the line usage tool gathered baseline data five days before the intervention. Results were inconclusive. While overall student engagement and concentration rose, there was little to no correlation between number of times students walked on the line daily and engagement or concentration. I will continue to offer this activity while investigating additional activities to increase engagement and concentration.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017

Abstract/Notes: Early childhood education has been shown to positively impact future academic performance, as well as social and emotional development. With ever-increasing demands being placed on children's academic performances, school readiness has become a key component of academic success. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the effectiveness of different early childhood curriculum models in preparing children for kindergarten, and to investigate whether one early childhood curriculum model better prepares students than another. The theoretical framework for the study is based on the developmental constructivist theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, and Dewey. Kindergarten teachers assessed school readiness by administering the Kindergarten Observation Form. Each student had matriculated from either Montessori, High/Scope, or Reggio Emilia programs or early childhood programs without an identified curriculum model. Kindergarten teachers rated students on 24 items related to areas of cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development. ANOVA and post-hoc tests revealed that students matriculating from programs without an identified curriculum model scored significantly better than their counterparts, F (3,122) = 5.33, p = .002. Implications for social change include improved kindergarten readiness on the part of students, increased awareness by educators as to best practices in early childhood education, and, a move towards understanding the types of environments in which children learn best.

Language: English

Published: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2012

Abstract/Notes: This action research was carried out to determine if parent education of sleep and routine had an effect on classroom behavior (physical contact and defiance). The research was completed in two full day 4K (four-year-old) Montessori classrooms in a Pee Dee Region elementary school. Students and parents were included in the research. Data from parents was gathered using assessments and sleep diaries. Teacher data was gathered using reflection journals and tallying charts. Parents were provided weekly education on sleep and routine importance. There was no conclusive data to show that parent education directly affected classroom behavior. The researchers believe the outcome was due to a lack of consistent parental participation.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this investigation was to study the impact of extended recess with loose parts play on student self-regulation at recess and on-task behavior after recess. The population for this action research study were students in grades one through three at a public Montessori elementary school in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia during a Covid-restricted school year. The intervention involved 45-60 minutes of extended recess with access to loose parts play for three weeks. Data collection included the following: loose parts play field observations, conflict type and frequency, on-task behaviors tally, and student self-assessments of on-task behaviors. As a result of the intervention, students experienced fewer conflicts at recess and more on-task behaviors after recess. Due to the findings, future actions include trying different schedules of extended recess with rotating access to loose parts and inviting more children to join.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2021

Abstract/Notes: This mixed-methods action research examined the effects of classroom talk lessons on children’s perceptions of collaborative group work in an online Montessori learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 19 Lower Elementary students and one teacher/investigator. All work was online, both synchronous and asynchronous. Students were presented with lessons in classroom talk, and practiced these skills during online collaboration in the creation of a student newsletter. Key findings were that students use of classroom talk behaviors and rigorous thinking increased slightly over the four-week period and students’ perceptions of their community identity and the value of their ideas increased over the course of the intervention, most notably in younger students. Teaching classroom talk had positive effects on student agency, depth of collaborative work, and grace and courtesy in this digital Montessori classroom. Respectful disagreement was identified as an area for future study.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2021

Abstract/Notes: This action research project studied how student-created formative assessments in mathematics would affect student confidence and perceived math ability. Students participated in a four-week study. The researcher conducted this study in September and October of 2021. The seven participating students were from an Upper Elementary classroom in a private Southern California Montessori school. The intervention consisted of a student-constructed survey taken weekly and a group analysis of the anonymized data collected from the said survey. Additional data sources included parent surveys, end-of-intervention student surveys, and classwork observational tally sheets. This study found that students gained further awareness of their work choices by completing the student-constructed formative assessments and reviewing the data. In the future, educators could conduct further research regarding the impact of using student-created formative assessment long-term and with a wider variety of subjects

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2021

Abstract/Notes: This action research project investigates the effect of providing earth-conscious materials in the art curriculum on early childhood Montessori students' environmental awareness. The participants for this study were seven preschool students at a private, home-based Montessori school in the urban Western United States. The research design was qualitative and quantitative, utilizing field notes, observational notes, behavioral tally sheets, and group conversational questionnaires to gather information on students' environmental awareness. The students' mean eco-affinity responses increased by 16%, while their mean environmental awareness responses increased by 23%. The frequency of material usage positively correlated with the frequency of environmental actions. The findings suggest that earth-conscious art materials have a positive effect on student environmental awareness. The researcher realized that increased environmental awareness does not indicate increased ecological stewardship. The conclusion of this study urges educators to reconsider the role that art curriculum and materials play on student environmental awareness.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2020