Abstract/Notes: Over the past several years, with support from key Association Montessori International – USA (AMI-USA) leaders, many Montessori schools have adopted the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) as a tool to screen young children for developmental disabilities or delays, to have key conversations with parents, and to ensure children receive the support they may need. While research supports many positive benefits of using such a screener, it is less understood how Montessori guides and administrators of Montessori children perceive potential benefits or challenges of using such a tool. As such, the aims of the present evaluation study are threefold: (1) To investigate the current realities and needs of Montessori community partners in supporting students with developmental disabilities or delays. (2) To assess Montessori guide and administrator attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, skills, confidence, and self-efficacy around using universal screeners to support students with developmental disabilities or delays as well as the extent to which they believe they have requisite the tools and resources they need before and after completing an ASQ training. (3) To highlight associated benefits or challenges of implementing the ASQ training and tool as an aid for Montessori guides and administrators in supporting students with developmental disabilities or delays.

Language: English

Published: Woodsboro, Maryland, June 30, 2023

Abstract/Notes: The goal of this research was to explore teachers' and university students' perceptions of material, cognitive and affective-motivational characteristics as well as the acceptance of didactic materials used in Montessori schools. It has been found that both teachers and university students are not familiar enough with alternative pedagogical concepts and believe there's an insufficient number of them in Croatia. While teachers prefer Cosmic Education and Mathematics materials, university students like Language Education materials more, although teachers show more willingness to use Language Education materials in teaching whereas university students use Cosmic Education materials more readily. Both university students and teachers find it most demanding to make Cosmic Education materials, but they also believe such materials to be most concrete. The results have shown that both university students and teachers are more willing to use in teaching such positively evaluated examples of Montessori didactic materials, which have been explored in this research, when they believe them to be valuable, desirable, necessary and useful.

Language: Croatian, English

DOI: 10.15516/cje.v17i3.1054

ISSN: 1848-5189, 1848-5197

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: While a growing body of research reveals the beneficial effects of music on education performance the value of music in educating the young child is not being recognized. If research of students in the school system indicates that learning through the arts can benefit the ‘whole’ child, that math achievement scores are significantly higher for those students studying music, and if Montessori education produces a more academically accomplished child, then what is the potential for the child when Montessori includes an enriched music curriculum? The decision to support music cannot be made without knowing music’s effect on academic achievement and its contribution to a student’s education. This study was an experimental design using a two-group post-test comparison. A sample of 200 Montessori students aged 3-5 years-old were selected and randomly placed in one of two groups. The experimental treatment was an “in-house” music enriched Montessori program and children participated in 3 half-hour sessions weekly, for 6 months. The instrument used to measure mathematical achievement was the Test of Early Mathematics Ability-3 (Barody & Ginsburg) to determine if the independent variable, music instruction had any effect on students’ math test scores. The results showed that subjects who received music enriched Montessori instruction had significantly higher math scores and when compared by age group, 3 year-old students had higher scores than either the 4 year-old or 5 year-old children. This study shows that an arts-rich curriculum has a significant positive effect on young students academic achievement.This comprehensive research presents developmentally appropriate early education curriculum for children from 2 through 6 years old and addresses some of the most compelling questions about early experience, such as how important music is to early brain development. Contemporary theories and practices of music education including strategies for developing pitch, vocal, rhythmic, instrumental, listening, movement and creative responses in children are presented. It explores the interrelationship of music and academic development in children, and demonstrates how music can enhance and accelerate the learning process. This study combines the best of research and practical knowledge to give teachers the necessary tools to educate tomorrow's musicians. It is essential reading for all students and teachers of young children.

Language: English

DOI: 10.21977/D93110059

ISSN: 1932-7528

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this technology-integrated research is to understand the effects peer collaboration has on students writing skills on 2nd and 3rd graders in a virtual setting. The research took place over five weeks in a lower elementary classroom in a private Montessori school in New England area. The population included 18 students ages 8 to 9. Students participated in a 5-week intervention process, working in groups of 3 on peer collaboration, sharing ideas, and creating group written work. The findings indicate an overall beneficial effect on children’s attitude towards writing, leading to better writing skills and communication skills. Collaborative writing in a technology-integrated platform positively impacted students’ typing skills. Continued research is necessary to assess additional domains such as cognitive improvement, vocabulary effects, and students’ specific writing skills.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2021

Abstract/Notes: While a growing body of research reveals the beneficial effects of music on education performance the value of music in educating the young child is not being recognized, particularly in the area of Montessori education. This study was an experimental design using a two-group post-test comparison. A sample of 200 Montessori students aged 3 to 5-years-old were selected and randomly placed in one of two groups. The experimental treatment was an "in-house" music enriched Montessori program and children participated in 3 half-hour sessions weekly, for 6 months. This program was designed from appropriate early childhood educational pedagogies and was sequenced in order to teach concepts of pitch, dynamics, duration, timbre, and form. The instrument used to measure mathematical achievement was the Test of Early Mathematics Ability-3 to determine if the independent variable, music instruction had any effect on students' mathematics test scores, the dependent variable. The results showed that subjects who received music enriched Montessori instruction had significantly higher mathematics scores. When compared by age group, 3 year-old students had higher scores than either the 4 or 5 year-old children.

Language: English

Published: Windsor, Ontario, Canada, 2005

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: This research investigated Education for Sustainability (EfS) at an independent Montessori primary school, located in the Perth metropolitan area of Western Australia. A longitudinal case study involving analysis of data from a 20-year period was conducted to determine the effectiveness of EfS. Historical information about EfS at the school from 1990 to 2005 was examined, with the main focus of the study being on the impact of the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) between 2005 and 2009. AuSSI promotes a whole school, whole systems thinking approach to EfS.Three school-based issues in EfS were studied. First, the research aimed to determine what elements of EfS were in operation in the school prior to involvement in AuSSI. Second, student outcomes including engagement with whole systems thinking, attitudes and values, knowledge and understandings, and skills and behaviours related to EfS, were investigated during the first 5 years of participation in AuSSI. Third, teacher perceptions of the EfS program, including engagement with whole systems thinking, were examined during this same time period. A case study approach was employed to enable in-depth investigation of EfS in the life of the school prior to, during and post implementation of AuSSI. This approach facilitated revelation of participants’ lived experiences, their perceptions and understandings of EfS, as well as detailed information about student outcomes in EfS. Case study methodology was also compatible with the culture and processes of the participating school and provided an opportunity for utilising a whole systems thinking approach. Data was gathered from a range of sources, through surveys, interviews, observation and document analysis over a 5-year period. The total participants included 11 teachers and 75 students. The research identified particular antecedents of EfS in the Montessori method of education that existed in the school prior to AuSSI, including the whole child approach, together with the Montessori learning environment, curriculum and values. Following participation in AuSSI, student attitudes and values, knowledge and understandings, and skills and behaviours related to EfS were enhanced for all year levels. However, after 3 years, when specific EfS actions and projects ceased, student EfS outcomes were limited. Furthermore, students’ thinking and behaviour indicated a ‘silo’, rather than whole systems thinking approach to EfS. Teachers perceived the EfS program as highly effective in the initial 3 years after joining AuSSI. Key elements that enhanced EfS included EfS staff champions who had access to EfS networks, leadership support, and active school community involvement in all EfS processes. However, after 3 years of being an AuSSI school, the culmination of reduced leadership support for EfS, lack of staff training, vague designation of staff with EfS responsibilities and inadequate community involvement, resulted in cessation of the EfS program. Teacher perceptions on whole systems thinking revealed alignment between Montessori philosophy, EfS and whole system thinking was more in theory than in practice. Through an in-depth longitudinal case study of a school this research highlighted the importance of whole school EfS professional learning, embedding EfS and whole systems thinking across the curriculum at all year levels, whole school support, and the usefulness of a sustainability continuum that recognises the complex, dynamic interplay of issues involved in a school's EfS journey. It is strongly recommended that improvements to pre-service teacher education in EfS are implemented, and a review of the AuSSI toolkit is conducted to refine EfS evaluation processes and to target the specific EfS needs of teachers at different stages of schooling, as well as to enhance understanding and implementation of the whole systems thinking approach. Finally, EfS professional learning for all school staff in all schools is warranted to enhance depth of EfS engagement.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1017/aee.2013.8

ISSN: 0814-0626, 2049-775X

Language: English

Published: London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1900

Volume: 2