Abstract/Notes: The system of education developed by Maria Montessori, noted Italian feminist, anthropologist and physician, is the single largest pedagogy in the world with over 22,000 public, private, parochial, and charter schools on six continents, enduring even as other teaching methods have waxed and waned. Despite its international diffusion and longevity, research into the pedagogy is glaringly absent from mainstream educational literature. The purpose of this study is, first, to explore Dr. Montessori's involvement in international conferences and examine how the exchange of ideas by participants may have influenced her pedagogy. Second, this study investigates the implementation of Montessori pedagogy in two countries, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Russian Federation, focusing on the interplay of teacher training, classroom practice, and culture. This comparative multiple case study was designed to differentiate what is universal in the Montessori pedagogy and what is country specific or culture bound. Observations in classrooms guided by a checklist of ten essential elements, interviews with teachers, trainers and leaders of Montessori associations, and historical and contemporary documents are the primary sources of data. The results of the data indicate that limited economic resources, the quality of training, government regulations and availability of Montessori books translated into the Kiswahili and Russian languages influence the implementation of Montessori pedagogy in the United Republic of Tanzania and the Russian Federation to a greater extent than culture. Montessori pedagogy as implemented in Tanzania is thriving and is providing much needed quality education for young children. Several factors influence its implementation, but poverty permeates through all the classrooms and is the most significant. Montessori pedagogy as implemented in Russia also is thriving, in spite of the challenge of consistent training. Impressive efforts such as the work of the Belgorod Montessori Study Center to develop the theoretical understanding and practical applications of cosmic education and Michailova Montessori School's experiment in integrating into a self-managed government school may determine whether Montessori remains on the periphery of pedagogy or moves to the center, influencing future policy.

Language: English

Published: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2010

Abstract/Notes: This study provides insight into the American public's perceptions of Montessori education one hundred years after its inception. The study is based on responses from an online survey with 1,520 members of an internet panel which was stratified to reflect the U.S. population based on age, ethnicity, gender, region, and income. The study answered research questions regarding how much the general public knows about Montessori education, perceptions of Montessori education and the attitudes and demographic characteristics that are associated with positive perceptions of Montessori education. The study found high awareness of the term "Montessori," but lower knowledge of the specifics of Montessori education. Generally favorable perceptions of Montessori education were also discovered along with less widespread evidence of commonly reported criticisms. Finally, and not surprisingly, familiarity with Montessori education led to more positive opinions of Montessori education as did stronger beliefs that schools should play a role in children's development beyond academics.

Language: English

Published: Lawrence, Kansas, 2008

Abstract/Notes: This study compares the opinions of public school teachers of their classroom teaching skills due to participation in the Montessori model of teacher training and the traditional teacher education training programs. The data were collected through a survey of 223 public Montessori schools across the United States. The design used in this study is causal comparative to establish cause and effect. The independent variable is the participation in the Montessori Model of Teacher Training. The dependent variables are the opinions of public school teachers as perceived from participation in the Montessori Model of Teacher Training. Comparisons of teacher opinions were compiled from a survey to ascertain the impact of participation in the Montessori Model of Teacher Training. The population for this study included all teachers employed in the public Montessori schools. The sample included the entire population of teachers who participated in traditional teacher training to earn state licensure and in a Montessori teacher training program. A total of thirty-eight states were included in the survey. A total of 560 surveys were received from the population sample. The teachers surveyed included 81% females and 19% males. The years of teaching experience in public schools were 0–5 years 31%; 6–10 years 28%; 11–15 years 16%; and over 15 years 25%. The years of teaching experience in Montessori schools were 0–5 years 57 %; 6–10 years 23%; 11–15 years 11%; and over 15 years 9%. The basic conclusions from this study indicated that there are significant differences, p < .05, in the responses of teachers who participated in the Montessori model of teacher training and the traditional teacher training for preparation of classroom instruction. In 11 out of the 12 survey items, the diverse approach of teaching used in the Montessori model of teacher training was perceived to be superior to traditional teacher training. However, in one survey question, the traditional teacher training was viewed superior for preparation of teaching in a whole group setting. This study suggest that the responses of teachers strongly recommend the Montessori model of teacher training.

Language: English

Published: Orangeburg, South Carolina, 1997

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of my study was to analyze a public school prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program via the investigation of 2nd grade reading achievement scores on a Spanish and an English norm-referenced test between two groups of students: those who had participated in a prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program and those who had participated in a prekindergarten traditional bilingual program. Additionally, my study investigated the perspective of my own personal experience as a leader, as well as the perspective of two other leaders' perspectives on implementing a prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program. The population included in this study was 450 2nd grade students enrolled in a large urban school district in southeast Texas. The prekindergarten Montessori bilingual students were the experimental group, while the prekindergarten traditional bilingual program composed the control group. To answer the first research question, two administrators were interviewed. I, as the researcher, described my perspective as a leader regarding the implementation of a prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program, as well as responses from other school leaders. To answer the second research question, a random sample of 200 students was selected from the population of 450 students who had taken the Aprenda and ITBS tests for 2nd grade and were enrolled during the 2000-2001 school year. For research question one the following themes emerged from this study: (a) program implementation, (b) Montessori training, (c) learning environment, (d) curriculum expectations, and (e) sustaining the Montessori program. For research question two, in Spanish reading the results of the independent t-test indicated that the children who had participated in the Montessori bilingual program significantly outscored the children in a traditional bilingual prekindergarten program on the Spanish reading subtest of the Aprenda. In English Reading, the results of the independent t-test indicated that the children who had participated in a Montessori bilingual program and who had continued through 2nd grade in a transitional bilingual program significantly outscored the children in a traditional bilingual prekindergarten program and who had continued through second grade in an English as a second language program on the English reading subtest of the ITBS.

Language: English

Published: Huntsville, Texas, 2002

Abstract/Notes: "Montessori System. — In the Liceo Grau, a public school of Lima, a new division was opened last September for small children between 3 and 6 years of age, in which the Montessori system will be exclusively employed."

Language: English

ISSN: 2332-9424

Abstract/Notes: Elementary education has theoretical underpinnings based on cognitive psychology. Ideas from cognitive psychologists such as James, Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky coalesce to form constructivism (Cooper, 1993; Yager, 2000; Yilmaz, 2011). Among others, the Montessori Method (1912/1964) is an exemplar of constructivism. Currently, public education in the United States is heavily impacted by the No Child Left Behind legislation (Paige, 2006) which emphasizes high stakes academic achievement testing. Absent from the literature is an examination of the academic achievement of Montessori students in public education. This study explores the academic achievement outcomes of public school students who completed varying numbers of years in Montessori elementary education. Singer and Willett's (2003) multilevel model of change serves as the statistical tool utilized to explore the academic achievement outcomes of a first grade cohort through their elementary and secondary school careers. Accrued years in Montessori did not account for significant variance amongst the trajectories, and gender and ethnicity, when considered without the interactions with accrued years, had minimal impact. Socioeconomic status, when the variable of accrued years in Montessori was removed from the equation, was a significant predictor of reading and math achievement.

Language: English

Published: Commerce, Texas, 2014

Language: English

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Language: English

ISSN: 0003-858X, 2470-1513