Language: German

Published: Würzburg, Germany: Königshausen und Neumann, 1990

ISBN: 3-88479-423-X

Language: English

ISSN: 0571-1142

Abstract/Notes: Montessori education was born in Italy more than a century ago and today it is widespread in at least 36 countries around the world. In Italy, from 2016 to 2021, the number of Montessori primary schools more than doubled. This explanatory and exploratory research is the most comprehensive evaluation of Montessori education ever conducted in Italy. We investigated: a) the impact of Montessori education on academic and socio-emotional outcomes; b) the profiles of Montessori primary school teachers and the extent to which they implemented Montessori education with fidelity. The longitudinal study on the academic outcomes was conducted on 2nd, 5th, 8th and 10th grade students in two separate cohorts. The results demonstrate that, depending on the grade and the cohort considered, Montessori students achieve similar or significantly higher scores than non-Montessori students. In some cases, they achieve more heterogeneous scores, especially in mathematics. More heterogeneous scores were expected according to the hypothesis that Montessori education aims to develop the characteristics of each one and not to standardize academic outcomes. The study on the socio-emotional outcomes was conducted on 8th grade students and it demonstrates that Montessori students achieve significantly higher scores on the empathy scale. The survey on the teachers permitted to delineate 3 different profiles of them, thanks to a cluster analysis. Only the first group of teachers, which made up half of the sample, managed to implement Montessori education with fidelity. These findings highlight two main requirements. The first is the need to continue monitoring and guiding the diffusion of Montessori education among Italian primary schools, to improve and maintain fidelity. The second concerns the reaffirmation of the value of educational practices and the principles of Montessori activism as possible answers that are still valid to the new needs of the Italian school.

Language: Italian, Spanish

Published: Roma, Italy, 2022

Language: Dutch

Abstract/Notes: The article, an idea-historical contribution to the research on the Montessori pioneers of the early 20th century, takes a micro-historical actor perspective on the Montessori movement, which had a great impact in the inter-war educational debate, through an examination of five central actors from different countries. The focus is on their efforts for the movement, deea's driving forces and how they interpreted the liberation message of Montessorism in very different ways.

Language: Norwegian

ISSN: 0802-7005, 0802-7000

Abstract/Notes: The transition to distance learning in the spring of 2020 caused by COVID-19 was particularly challenging for Montessori educators and students because key elements of the Method were not directly transferable to this new and hastily designed format. Hands-on learning with Montessori materials and learning in a community, as well as careful teacher observation, could not be easily replicated when children were learning from home. To understand how educators applied Montessori principles to serve children and families in these highly unusual circumstances, we surveyed Early Childhood and Elementary Montessori teachers about how they translated core elements of Montessori education to a distance-learning environment. The overall results suggest that Montessori distance-learning arrangements balanced live videoconference experiences for children with offline hands-on activities, while also relying on parents’ and caregivers’ involvement. Teachers reported that they largely designed learning experiences themselves, without significant support or guidance from school leaders. Still, teachers reported that they were able to uphold Montessori principles to only a moderate degree under the circumstances. While teachers understandably hunger for support, professional connections, and a return to the classroom experiences that drew them to the field of Montessori education, this study highlights factors that may affect the transition back to school for teachers, parents and caregivers, and students when face-to-face instruction resumes for all children.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v7i1.15122

ISSN: 2378-3923

Language: German

Language: French

ISSN: 2492-3524

Abstract/Notes: Within the realm of elementary public schools, several pedagogical models of early childhood education are practiced in the United States (Lillard, 2005). The constructivist approach to early childhood education is illustrative of best practices based on current theory. One model of constructivist early childhood education is the Montessori Method founded in the early twentieth century by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician (Montessori, 1912/1964). Though the Montessori Method is aligned with research-based best practices espoused by constructivism, there are relatively few public Montessori schools currently in the United States. A direct comparison is needed between the academic outcomes of public elementary school programs which implement the Montessori Method and those which implement a more traditional approach to early childhood education. The focus of this study is the academic achievement outcomes of Montessori public school students as compared to similar non-Montessori students. The Montessori students’ Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) Total Reading and Total Math scores in grades one and two were not statistically different than their non-Montessori counterparts. In grade three, the Montessori students’ Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Reading and Math scores were not statistically different than those of the non-Montessori students. In grades four and five, the TAKS Reading and Math scores statistically favored Montessori students.

Language: English

ISSN: 2227-1090, 1991-8100

Language: German

Published: München: Kindler, 1978

ISBN: 3-463-00716-9