Abstract/Notes: Portfolios have gained wide acceptance as a learning and assessment tool. Yet, little research has been reported on the practices of teachers who are actually using portfolios within their classrooms and how those practices are moderated by contextual variables. This research examined the instructional, learning, and assessment roles of student portfolios, and explored, from the perspective of the classroom teacher, variations in portfolio applications associated with teaching level (primary versus intermediate) and classroom environment (self-contained versus multiage/teaming). Teachers for kindergarten through grade 5 in 3 elementary schools (n=314) completed a survey questionnaire regarding the instructional and assessment uses to which portfolios are put within their classrooms. To further examine patterns of portfolio use, a subset of 44 teachers was interviewed to explore teacher perceptions about the impact of student portfolios on themselves and their students. Results suggest that these teachers make deliberate decisions regarding uses of their students' portfolios, decisions that appear heavily impacted by the maturity or skill level of the child, the purposes of the application, and the classroom environment within which the application occurs. They also depend on whether the portfolio product is in a formative state (working portfolio) or final state (performance portfolio). (Contains 7 tables and 14 references.) (Author/SLD)

Language: English

Published: Montreal, Canada, Apr 19-24, 1994

Abstract/Notes: Under current circumstances, educational issues such as the achievement gap, non-cognitive development, Executive Function, and students with challenging behaviors impact day-to-day classroom practices and fundamentally reshape the results of education. The purpose of this research was to utilize the Montessori environment and principles, as well as the "normalization" approach developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, to help students with behavioral and learning challenges find the balance of their mental developmental processes and maximize their academic achievement at the same time. This action research conducted focused-group case studies of the Montessori Normalization process for children possessing behavioral and learning challenges at a preschool in rural China. The research applied pre-and post-assessment for the 3-6-year-old participants to investigate the evidence of improvement. The assessment utilized indicators based on symptom guidelines for ADHD, ASD, Learning disorders, and Learning Difficulties, published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study’s findings indicate that the Montessori-guided early childhood education intervention had helped students with behavioral and learning challenges, thereby providing an alternative solution for addressing the challenge of the development gap. This research also suggested that Montessori-based classrooms provide a positive, nurturing environment for gifted children with learning difficulties (exceptional learners) who confront challenges in a mainstream classroom.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2022

Abstract/Notes: Self-directed learning (SDL) has been gaining popularity in recent years, particularly with adult learners. However, research has indicated that it can be an effective means to educate younger students within a variety of disciplines. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of student-directed learning through goal setting on academic performance and self-determination in lower elementary students. The researcher hypothesized that allowing students to self-direct their learning through goal setting would result in higher self-determination and improved academic performance. Researchers measured the progress of 15 students towards self-selected goals and compared their results to self-determination scores before and after the intervention. 77% of participants showed quantitatively measurable improvement of academic performance in their selected goal. 100% of participants showed qualitatively measurable improvements of academic performance in their selected goal. There was no evidence found to support that self-directed learning leads to higher self-determination, nor was their evidence found to support that self-determination leads to improved academic performance. This study provides evidence that student-directed learning implemented with student-selected goals in multiple academic areas leads to higher academic performance related to self-selected goals.

Language: English

Published: River Falls, Wisconsin, 2021

Language: English

Published: Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia, 2022

Abstract/Notes: Poster presentation at an undetermined conference.

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of Montessori method education on the visual-motor abilities of students with nonverbal learning disorders. For the purpose of this study, 4 first grade male students with nonverbal learning disabilities who were studying at Nabi Akram primary school in Bonab, during the academic year of 2019-2020, were selected based on the bender visual - motor gestalt test. In this research, which is a single-subject design with multi-baselines (ABA), each participant was first carefully observed according to the criteria of nonverbal learning disability and their visual-motor cognitive abilities accurately measured and recorded. Then, during the intervention phase, each participant received the Montessori method education during the 10 sessions for 45 minutes separately. The performance of the participants is also observed in the follow-up sessions. Finally, the data was analyzed by analyzing the visual diagrams, percentage of all non-overlapping data (PAND), calculating the effect size index and recovery percentage. The results of the research showed that the Montessori method education increased the visual-motor abilities of all four participants. As a result, Montessori education can be used as part of empowerment programs for students with nonverbal learning disabilities.

Language: English, Persian

ISSN: 2383-353X

Abstract/Notes: Hudson Montessori School, Jersey City, NJ For the past 6 years, teachers at Hudson Montessori School in Jersey City, NJ, have been, in their own words, "exploiting the Hudson River in the most positive way"-that is, as an abundant resource for learning-by participating in "A Day in the Life of the Hudson." Elementary students, armed with turbidity tubes, refractometers, and other gear, examine river tides and currents, water chemistry, flora and fauna, and more. (Oranges are used for this test as they are bright, buoyant, and biodegradable.) Grace Sanvictores, Hudson Montessori School STEAM educator, added, "The Day in the Life of the Hudson event is a creative avenue that allows our students to understand the importance of sharing a livable urban environment for them and the organisms of the Hudson River."

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: With the passing of NCLB in 2001, pedagogy in the kindergarten classroom has changed exponentially. The requirement for a rigorous academic curriculum has replaced the play-based learning that used to be synonymous with the kindergarten classroom. Since the beginning of kindergarten, researchers have worked to prove the importance of play in the classroom and the role of the educator in these play-based learning scenarios. Many studies have found a correlation between play and child development, but this has not been enough to change the minds of educators and school districts across the United States. This qualitative case study explored teachers’ perceptions and classroom interactions during play through a triangulation of data including video recordings, interviews, and observations to explore the effect play might have on the social, emotional, and oral language development of kindergarten students in a district that is already implementing free play centers in the classroom. Varying beliefs among the educators and multiple scenarios of social, emotional, and oral language development skills being used by students during these free play sessions were explored. Key themes that emerged from the data included a range of understanding amongst the teachers, the need for regular professional development on how to implement play in the classroom, and the importance dramatic play has on social, emotional, and oral language development for kindergarten students.

Language: English

Published: Springfield, Missouri, 2022

Abstract/Notes: This guide provides conceptual as well as practical information for meeting the needs of all learners in heterogeneous classrooms. The first six sections discuss the growing heterogeneity in today's classrooms, the rationale for differentiated teaching and learning, the changing roles of teachers and students, the importance of creating classroom communities that nurture diversity, helpful ideas for organizing a classroom in which differentiated teaching and learning is practiced, and a step-by-step process for differentiation. The seventh section provides many examples of how to differentiate teaching and learning in four areas: (1) what students learn; (2) how students learn; (3) how students integrate and demonstrate what they have learned; and (4) how students and teachers utilize assessment throughout the learning process. Sections 8 and 9 include an in-depth look at actual classrooms through case studies. The first case study describes how two multi-age elementary classrooms

Language: English

Published: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1997

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of the research was to find whether the creation of self-assessed student work portfolios would be effective in engaging students in learning opportunities and lead to self-regulated behaviors. The research project was conducted in an upper elementary classroom. The class consists of twenty-three grade four to grade six Montessori students in a private school. Ten students have had a Montessori education starting in preschool, eight students started in grade three, two were held back a year, two students started in grade four, and two students started in grade six. Fifty-two percent of the class has a form of learning difference; prominently dyslexia. Three students are on the Autism spectrum. The sources of data used in this research included observation forms, self-assessment forms, journal prompts, teacher reflection journal, and student-teacher interviews. The results indicated an increase in engagement in learning and self-regulated behaviors. This was equally evident in the students with different learning needs. Implications are that empowering students with self-assessment and choices of work improves work habits and leads to better quality of learning outcomes and engagement. Students improved the most when they combined their self-assessment with peer feedback and were given direct responsibility for the creation of their own portfolio.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2014