Abstract/Notes: Within the last decade, the pressures of implementing state mandated early learning guidelines and meeting the requirements from federal, state and local agencies, have taken their toll on many preschool programs. In the present study, preschool programs were given a chance to voice their opinions about how curriculum standards and other external mandates were directly and indirectly influencing curriculum planning, teaching practices, and child activity. A brief survey was sent to 90 preschool directors in a region in Massachusetts, 28 directors completed this survey. A sample of nine directors, from the survey respondents, volunteered to be interviewed. In two separate interviews the researcher asked a series of questions to obtain data from the participants. These interview questions focused on how the participants made sense of the mandatory integration of early learning standards and other external mandates into their preschool program and their concerns based on their role as a preschool director. The results of the study revealed that external guidelines set forth by the state and federal government were a great concern to the preschool directors. These directors agreed that curriculum mandates were necessary yet the amount of work, time and expenditure needed to meet the demands of these mandates could be quite overwhelming. Concerns were particularly relevant in the areas of obtaining or maintaining NAEYC accreditation and the push for a standardized curriculum and/or a standardized assessment tool. To recieve specific types of funding, a program must be using a standardized assessment tool. Many funding sources also require that a program be accredited by NAEYC. The financial and physical expense of both of these requirements was prohibitive . The results were analyzed with respect to child development and early childhood education principles. The findings indicated that curriculum mandates focused primarily on young children’s cognitive development to the detriment of social and emotional competence. The findings also indicated that children were being pressured to spend more time on narrow academic skills and less time on play. Yet play has been found to provide children with opportunities to interact socially, express and control emotions, and develop symbolic thinking skills (Nicolopoulou, 2010).

Language: English

Published: Amherst, Massachusetts, 2011

Abstract/Notes: The problem of this study was to measure the effectiveness of a public school Montessori program. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare student academic achievement and self-concept, attendance and promotion rates, and level of parental involvement in the schools of students enrolled in public school Montessori and traditional programs. The 95 subjects in this study were third-grade subjects selected from the student populations in Montessori and traditional school sites. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) was used as the pre-test scores, and the Norm-referenced Assessment Program for Texas (NAPT) was used as the post-test scores to compare academic achievement in reading and mathematics. Multiple regression was used to compare the levels of academic achievement and self-concept. Multiple regression was also used to test for possible relationship between the Montessori and traditional programs and gender and ethnicity. The findings of the study were as follows: (1) There were no significant differences in the adjusted mean reading scores between the Montessori group and the traditional group in the third grade. (2) There were no significant differences in the adjusted mean mathematics scores between the Montessori group and the traditional group in the third grade. (3) There were no significant differences in the attendance rate of third-grade subjects participating in a public school Montessori program and third-grade subjects participating in a public school traditional program. (4) There were no significant differences in the promotion rate of third-grade subjects participating in a public school Montessori program and third-grade subjects participating in a public school traditional program. (5) There were no significant differences in the adjusted mean scores in the self-concept measure of third-grade subjects in both programs. (6) There were no differences in the nature and magnitude of parental involvement in school activities.

Language: English

Published: Denton, Texas, 1994

Abstract/Notes: Lecture given in Frankfurt, Germany, 1975

Language: English

ISSN: 0519-0959

Language: English

ISSN: 0519-0959

Abstract/Notes: Paper delivered at the 18th International Montessori Congress, Munich, Germany, 1977.

Language: English

ISSN: 0519-0959

Language: English

ISSN: 0889-5643

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Language: English

ISSN: 0889-5643

Language: English

ISSN: 0889-5643

Language: English