Language: English

ISSN: 0031-7217

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: Researchers who study any intervention must rule out potential alternative explanations for their results by establishing that the program being investigated is implemented with fidelity. Various instructional practices are attributed to the Montessori Method because the term is not legally protected, meaning any school can say it is Montessori regardless of the degree to which it adheres to practices generally understood to represent Montessori education. Researchers have used a variety of tools to measure the fidelity of Montessori environments they study, but most of these tools lack an extensive psychometric foundation or are labor intensive, requiring in-person observation. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of instruments that were developed to measure Montessori implementation through Early Childhood (EC) and Elementary (EL) teachers’ reported instructional practices. Findings supported three hypothesized dimensions of Montessori implementation (structure, curriculum, and freedom), which worked fairly well in describing practices. While the properties of these instruments are promising and provide preliminary supporting evidence, results of this analysis suggest further refinement of the items in these instruments is necessary with larger and more diverse samples. While we do not suggest that these are finalized tools, we believe they provide a valuable starting point that is a vast improvement over the requirement of investigators to develop their own instruments as part of each Montessori study they design. The authors hope other researchers will incorporate these instruments into their studies to help build a robust body of evidence supporting their use.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v5i1.9797

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: While emotion recognition is shaped through social interactions from a child's early years through at least late adolescence, no emphasis has thus far been given to the effects of daily experiences at school. We posited that enriched, more diverse, and less competitive social interactions fostered by some pedagogical practices may contribute to emotion recognition processes in children. Here, we investigated differences in emotion recognition among schoolchildren experiencing the Montessori versus traditional practices. Children performed two tasks; one measuring the impact of social context on fear-surprise perception, and one measuring their bias toward happiness or anger. Results suggest that children experiencing traditional practices show a higher sensitivity to fear-recognition, while children attending Montessori schools show a higher integration of social cues and perceive expressions of happiness for longer durations. Such preliminary findings call for replication and further research to determine which pedagogical features from the Montessori method may explain these effects.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2020.101353

ISSN: 0959-4752

Abstract/Notes: This study developed a typology of recommended teacher practices related to whole-group instruction in preschool classrooms and examined the relationship between teachers' use of the practices and children's attentiveness. Thirty-nine classrooms in 31 schools (15 public and 16 private) were observed during regularly scheduled whole-group instruction sessions. Bivariate correlations indicated a positive relationship between children's attentiveness and number of practices that teachers used, but not between attentiveness and length of activity. Regression analyses suggested a set of eight specific practices that are related, with length of activity, to children's attentiveness.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1080/02568543.2012.657744

ISSN: 0256-8543, 2150-2641

Abstract/Notes: The subject of the article is the role of nature in learning as an essential part of the Montessori Philosophy in early childhood education. This article highlights the use of nature-based activities within Montessori’s pedagogical perspective for including content about the natural world in early childhood settings. In this paper, it is aimed to increase the awareness of learning through nature on child development and to disseminate nature-based practices used in line with the Montessori approach in preschools. Firstly, the role of nature as an educational tool is described, followed by an understanding of nature pedagogy and its educational value according to Maria Montessori. Additionally, the article reviews the implementation of nature-based learning activities as an integral part of the educational work in Montessori schools. In this educational stream, nature-related work stands as the main methodical means for early childhood education and supporting the development of children. Nature in itself serves as a kind of special resonance and restorative effect that can help children understand the world and impart meaning to their lives. Subsequently, recommendations for nature-based practices that can be applied in preschools were presented in light of the Montessori philosophy.  Article visualizations:

Language: English

DOI: 10.46827/ejae.v8i1.4670

ISSN: 2501-5915

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Abstract/Notes: Circle time is commonplace in traditional preschools, yet there are few references to the practice in Montessori’s writings or in major Montessori organizations’ and teacher education standards. This article investigates whether circle time is frequent in Montessori 3–6-year-old classrooms using data from a widely distributed Qualtrics survey. The results, from 276 respondents spanning all 50 states, provide insight into the circle time practices of United States-based preschool Montessori teachers, also known in Montessori classrooms as guides. We present novel information regarding circle time duration and frequency, types of circle time activities, Montessori guides’ circle time training and planning, whether children’s circle time attendance is free choice or compulsory, and the nature of circle time in programs associated with Association Montessori Internationale versus American Montessori Society. Results revealed that 92% of survey participants have circle time every day or most days; most participants hold circle time for 20 minutes or less; the most common circle time events were show-and-tell, calendar work, vocabulary lessons, Grace and Courtesy lessons, read aloud discussions, dancing and movement, snack time, general conversation, read aloud (stories), and birthday celebrations. We found that many of the most frequent circle time activities do not align with children’s preferences, teacher preferences, or Early Childhood best practices. Our work invites Montessorians to engage in the work of reconstructing the traditional practice of circle time to better align with Montessori hallmarks of choice, development of the will, and joyfulness.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v9i2.20962

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: Brain hemispheres develop rather symmetrically, except in the case of pathology or intense training. As school experience is a form of training, the current study tested the influence of pedagogy on morphological development through the cortical thickness (CTh) asymmetry index (AI). First, we compared the CTh AI of 111 students aged 4 to 18 with 77 adults aged > 20. Second, we investigated the CTh AI of the students as a function of schooling background (Montessori or traditional). At the whole-brain level, CTh AI was not different between the adult and student groups, even when controlling for age. However, pedagogical experience was found to impact CTh AI in the temporal lobe, within the parahippocampal (PHC) region. The PHC region has a functional lateralization, with the right PHC region having a stronger involvement in spatiotemporal context encoding, while the left PHC region is involved in semantic encoding. We observed CTh asymmetry toward the left PHC region for participants enrolled in Montessori schools and toward the right for participants enrolled in traditional schools. As these participants were matched on age, intelligence, home-life and socioeconomic conditions, we interpret this effect found in memory-related brain regions to reflect differences in learning strategies. Pedagogy modulates how new concepts are encoded, with possible long-term effects on knowledge transfer.

Language: English

DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13091270

ISSN: 2076-3425

Abstract/Notes: Learning Outcome: Upon completion, participants will be able to describe the relationship between Montessori teachers’ cultural food competence, teacher-parent communication and classroom nutrition practices. || Objective: Assess relationships between Montessori teachers’ cultural food competence, teacher-parent nutrition communication, perceived nutrition beliefs and classroom nutrition practices || Design: Pre-test data was obtained from participants enrolled in The T.E.A.C.H. Study, a nutrition program for Montessori teachers, using validated questionnaires to assess nutrition knowledge (NK), nutrition teaching self-efficacy (NTSE),teaching practices, teacher-parent communication (TPC), classroom food practices, & cultural food competence (CFC). ||Participants: Teachers (n=98) were recruited from Montessori schools across the US. Subjects were predominantly female (98%), White (84.7%), non-Hispanic (57.1%). || Statistical Analysis: Descriptives and correlations conducted using SPSS v.26 || Results: CFC was positively associated with TPC (r=.396, p<.001), NTSE (r=.233, p=.021), & providing nutrition education (r=.292, p=.004). However,few teachers "strongly agreed" that they provide nutrition education in their classrooms (14.3%), while the majority had low CFC (67.4%) and reported low amounts of TPC (77.8%). Furthermore, teachers had low NK (average score: 65%)which was positively correlated with NTSE (r=.478, p<.001) and low-fat/sugar food intake (r=.295, p=.003). NK was inversely associated with TPC (r=.270, p=.007), sugary drinks intake (r=-.249, p=.014), using food rewards (r=-.507, p<.001) & permitting unhealthy foods (r=-.356, p<.001). || Conclusion: Montessori teachers’ cultural food competence may impact teacher-parent communication and classroom practices. Teachers with higher cultural competence were more likely to discuss nutrition with parents and provide nutrition education; however, paradoxically nutrition knowledge was inversely associated with teacher-parent communication. With ethnic diversity increasing in schools, cultural nutrition programs would be beneficial to improve teachers’ classroom nutrition practices and parent communication.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.06.066

ISSN: 2212-2672