Abstract/Notes: This ethnography drew on Vygotsky's (1986, 1978) sociocultural theory of development to understand social emotional learnings of young children. The unique K-8 span of circle group--coupled with intentional activities--provided the rich context for language and interactions between students. Examining a school with a mature philosophy and established practices highlighted the in-depth exploration of interactions in a multiage context. Young children depend on and are influenced by their context, linking to data collection methods appropriate for young children. Observations and fieldnotes of circle group interactions were aided by videotape which was utilized as a prompt during focus group interviews the following day (Graue & Walsh, 1995). Additional interviews with school personnel and parents explored perceptions pertaining to multiage groups and student experiences at the site. Artifact analysis included notebook entries by students who voiced concern and questions about what happened in school. Evidence of practicing nurturing relationships and exercising voice in circle group indicated multiage grouping complements the ideal of democratic practices in a school setting (Glickman, 1998; Goodlad, 1996; Parker, 1996). Students were active participants in democracy, believing that they had something to offer each other and the larger community. Circle group provided regular practice in expressing ideas and dealing with conflict. Intentional student-engaging activities were cooperative in nature, and open-ended, allowing all students to be participants. This wide span of ages and abilities enabled both--younger and older students--to be the capable one in circle group.

Language: English

Published: Laramie, Wyoming, 2009

Abstract/Notes: This dissertation explores the meanings of child-centeredness in early childhood education (ECE), by examining the interrelationship of theory and praxis. This study included theories which underpin the concept of child-centeredness for current ECE teachers, including Piaget's and Vygotsky's child development theories and Dewey's and Montessori's educational philosophies. While these theories all advocate the importance of children's individual interests and needs in education, they diverge somewhat in their perspectives about the teacher's role in education. From these theoretical divergences arises a central question about the idea of child-centeredness: what is the nuanced relationship between teacher control and children's freedom? This study was conducted in a public kindergarten and based on interviews designed to elicit information concerning a teacher's pedagogical philosophy, and on observation of her classroom over a period of three months. The results of this study showed high teacher control and high children's freedom in a holistic teaching process. Teacher control and children's freedom were not exclusive of one another: children's freedom was defined in an active way, as freedom to participate, rather than in a passive way, as freedom from any constraints. Findings may offer some insights helpful to those who have struggled with the tension between teacher control and children's freedom in the context of critical and progressive pedagogy. Adopting multiple theories and reflecting upon or adapting them in order to meet individual children's needs embodies Dewey's advocacy of the intellectual responsibilities of teaching, which value “interaction” and “continuity” in the teaching process.

Language: English

Published: Bloomington, Indiana, 2004

Abstract/Notes: The present study compares elementary school children from Traditional and Montessori programs. The purpose is to investigate how different educational philosophies and teaching methods affect perceived levels of self-esteem, self-efficacy, prosocial behavior and aggressive behavior in children. The participants in this study consisted of second through sixth grade students who were attending Montessori and Traditional schools since the age of five, or earlier. All children completed the Washington Self-Description Questionnaire (WSDQ), three subscales of the Children's Multi-dimensional Self-Efficacy Scales (i.e., academic achievement, self-regulated learning, & social), the Physical and Verbal Aggression Scale, and the Prosocial Behavior Scale. No significant differences were revealed between the Montessori and Traditional programs in relation to the children's perceived levels of self-esteem, self-efficacy for academic achievement, self-efficacy for self-regulated learning, social self-efficacy, or prosocial behavior. However, the Montessori children reported significantly lower levels of physical/verbal aggression than the Traditional children. Moreover, as Montessori children develop a heightened ability to work within a group of peers, they seem to develop lower levels of physical/verbal aggression, which was not found among Traditional children. Furthermore, Montessori children's perceived ability to make and keep friends of the same gender was found to significantly improve with increased years in the program, which was not found in the Traditional method. For Montessori children, their perceived ability to work together in a group was found to be positively associated with heightened levels of self-efficacy for academic achievement and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning. Furthermore, the Montessori children's levels of self-esteem were correlated significantly with their perceived levels of self-efficacy for academic achievement and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning. Although Traditional children were also found to gain self-efficacy for self-regulated learning through working together at young ages, as they proceed to higher grade levels, their self-efficacy for self-regulated learning decreased.

Language: English

Published: San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2002

Abstract/Notes: This research is a case study of African American parent involvement at a urban Montessori school in Minnesota. African American parents at this school have had limited involvement in conferences, PTSO meetings, school activities, and on the Site-Based Leadership Team. An examination of the literature was made to investigate the influences on African American parents when they make decisions about their parental involvement. This research covered the historical background, theoretical background, implications, racial barriers, and strategies that increased African American parent involvement. An ethnography was designed to gather data from 9 mothers of African American students. These parents provided information about their backgrounds and their experiences with the school. Staff at the school (6) were interviewed as to their experiences with African American parent involvement. The results of the study offer findings on attitudes, perceptions, needs and ideas for improving African American parent involvement at any school.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2000

Abstract/Notes: Maria Montessori famously designed her own materials to support children’s development. Thus far, the literature which focuses on Montessori Sensorial education - and on creativity, problem solving and creative problem solving - has not investigated connections between these matters. This study investigated the effect of using the Montessori Method on children’s skills, especially in creative problem solving. This research examines the integration of Montessori materials into a social context to develop children’s creative problem solving, and analyses these data using the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) framework [Isaksen et al., 2000] and Rogoff’s model [1990] of social interaction. The study provides a new way of using the CPS framework, for data analysis, rather than as a way of training an individual or a group in solving problems creatively. The methodology combines a quasi-experimental design with a sample of qualitative cases. The research was conducted in one pre-school in Saudi Arabia, in the city of Riyadh, and involved twenty-four five-year-old children (12 boys, 12 girls) and four teachers. Six matched pairs of children were observed using Montessori sensorial materials (MSM) for one academic year. All the children were assessed on their problem solving capacities, in order to compare their development, using the British Ability Scale-II. The results from the quantitative analysis reveal significant differences between the experimental and control groups in their capacity to solve problems, using a pre-post-test of the four subscales of the BAS II. The qualitative analysis shows social interaction assists children in the “understanding of the challenge” component of the creative problem solving process while individual differences were identified in relation to the three creative skills. The results revealed the children’s different ways of framing and solving their own problems creatively through exploring different positions of the materials and applying them in creative solutions. The research also found that children’s own individual experiences with, and interests in, the material affected their creative problem solving.

Language: English

Published: Southampton, England, 2011

Language: English

ISSN: 0277-9064

Abstract/Notes: The present study is a test of Self -Determination theory, which is well established in the field of education with a huge body of empirical evidence to support its assumptions that when the three universal psychological needs (Autonomy, Competence & Relatedness) of a child are met they will grow and function optimally leading to enhanced well-being. It is evident that Montessori philosophy is overlapping with the components of SDT. This study was conducted to examine the extent to which the three psychological needs are satisfied in Montessori schools in comparison to the Traditional schools. A purposive sample size of 80 children in elementary grades was selected from both Montessori and Traditional schools. Perceived support experienced by the children and their Well-Being was determined to establish the assumption of the SDT. The results showed that children in Montessori schools experienced greater satisfaction of needs when compared to traditional school children. However, the well-being of children from both school types didn’t vary much and the causes can be attributed to factors outside classroom. These findings have some strong implications for policy makers, educators and parents.

Language: English

Published: Bangalore, India, 2018

Language: English

ISSN: 0277-9064

Language: English

ISSN: 0277-9064

Language: Dutch

ISSN: 0924-5618