Abstract/Notes: Lebanon suffered a civil war that torn its society. The third generation is still living the instability and conflicts that their grandparents experienced when the war started forty-five years ago. Nowadays, there is a need of a substantial change and children have the power of creating peace and making a major transformation of the society. Therefore, educators should believe in children’s power. The inclusion of a practical Peace Education Program in the Lebanese National Curriculum is, from the perspective of the researches, the tool children need to lead the future transformation. Peace Education can help them to know themselves and understand that everyone is an important part of the community and the country. Accordingly, this study examines the Peace Education Program at the first Montessori School in Lebanon and the teachers’ level of awareness of implementing it through their teaching practices. The level of awareness is related to the four pillars to be developed in the students according to the Montessori approach to Peace Education: Self-awareness, community-awareness, cultural-awareness, and environmental-awareness. The results of the study show that the director and the teachers have the adequate knowledge and awareness about this approach and they implement it, complying with Montessori’s principles and concepts.

Language: English

DOI: 10.47340/mjhss.v1i3.4.2020

ISSN: 2708-8022, 2708-8014

Abstract/Notes: Artykuł prezentuje wyniki badań kwestionariuszowych dotyczących wartości preferowanych przez nauczycieli w szkołach pracujących w systemie tradycyjnym oraz al-ternatywnym – Marii Montessori. Badania zostały przeprowadzone w 2017 roku na terenie województw lubelskiego, mazowieckiego oraz kujawsko-pomorskiego. Zastosowano kwestio-nariusz PVQ-RR Shaloma Schwartza w polskiej adaptacji Jana Cieciucha. Ogółem przebadano 102 osoby (51 nauczycieli montessoriańskich, 51 tradycyjnych) i zakwalifikowano ich wyniki do ostatecznej analizy. Celem badań było określenie wartości, które są cenione zarówno przez nauczycieli montessoriańskich (grupa badawcza), jak i nauczycieli pracujących w systemie tradycyjnym (grupa porównawcza), a także zbadanie, czy istnieją różnice w zakresie prefe-rowanych wartości między tymi dwiema grupami. / The article presents the results of questionnaire concerned values preferred by teachers working in schools on the basis of traditional and alternative systems - Maria Montessori. The research was conducted in 2017 in the Lublin, Mazovian and Kuyavian-Pomeranian provinces. The S. Schwartz PVQ-RR questionnaire was used in the Polish adaptation of Jan Cieciuch. Overall, the research group of 102 respondents were qualified for the final analysis (Montessori teachers = 51, traditional = 51). In the research undertaken, the aim was to identify values that are valid both by Montessori teachers (research group) and teachers working in the traditional system (comparative group). The collected data presents whether there are differences in the preferred values between the both groups.

Language: Polish

DOI: 10.17951/lrp.2018.37.4.143-154

ISSN: 0137-6136

Abstract/Notes: Problem statement: Childhood is an integral time for literacy development and the aim of this article is to closely examine what pedagogical strategies were most effective to promote literacy learning with a group of six to nine year old children. This case study investigates how the use of specific literacy and drama-based strategies prepared and stimulated young children’s understanding and appreciation of a Shakespeare play. Approach: The study was conducted over a period of three months in a multi-age Montessori primary classroom in Vancouver, Canada. Over 600 writing samples from the class of 22 children were analyzed. Eight classroom observations by the author and another researcher were documented, using field notes, still photo images and video. Interviews with the teacher, parents and children were undertaken and two years after the study, a focus group was conducted with eight of the original children who had participated in the initial research. Using a qualitative research approach, the data was analyzed in search of recurring patterns and themes that highlighted literacy strategies where children’s understanding and engagement with Shakespeare was most effective. Results and Conclusion: It was observed that five particular writing and drawing strategies (word wall, journal, character masks, letters and newspaper) allowed the children to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare’s work. The above literacy strategies fostered vocabulary development, understanding of plot and character motivations and the ability for the children to rehearse and perform the Shakespeare play for their peers and family. Member checking with a randomly selected group of children two years later and written feedback from parents confirmed key learning outcomes that occurred during the study.

Language: English

DOI: 10.3844/jssp.2012.170.176

ISSN: 1549-3652, 1558-6987

Abstract/Notes: Within the current standards-based framework of early primary education, teachers must negotiate the integration of assessment with traditional, developmental orientations to teaching and learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers' approaches to early primary assessment within five different school contexts: public, independent, Froebel, Waldorf, and Montessori. Data were collected from 12 kindergarten to Grade 2 teachers through in-depth interviews followed by ethnographic observations of eight classrooms. Data were thematically analyzed to identify core approaches to assessment across the contexts related to the following themes: (1) diverse conceptions of assessment, (2) commitments to student-oriented assessment, (3) knowing children through a practice of observation, and (4) assessment of academic standards. Underpinning these assessment themes was the fundamental commitment of early-primary educators to whole-child teaching and assessment. The article concludes with suggestions for future research that explore the intersection between teaching and assessment in play-based pedagogical contexts, alternative educational approaches, and systems of high accountability, with the aim of supporting teachers in bridging developmental and academic priorities in the early primary grades.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1080/02568543.2014.944722

ISSN: 0256-8543, 2150-2641

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was to examine the executive function of 4th- to 6th-grade students in three distinctively different private school environments: a Montessori school, a classical school, and a Catholic school. Using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, parent-teacher dyads rated the executive function of 112 students. Results indicated differences in executive function ratings according to school environment, as well as by the source of the rating, with parents tending to rate their children higher as compared to the teacher ratings.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1080/02568543.2012.711431

ISSN: 0256-8543, 2150-2641

Abstract/Notes: Maria Montessori strongly advocated for music learning to be fully integrated into the classroom; however, many Montessori classrooms are dominated by materials aimed at developing children’s visual sense. The purpose of this critical participatory action research (CPAR) study was to address this perceived learning disparity by developing and implementing a curriculum that is consistent with the Montessori approach, child directed, and focused on sound examination and music learning. We designed six shelf works and offered them, over the course of 6 CPAR cycles, to 20 3- to 6-year-old children attending a Montessori school. Findings from qualitative and quantitative data indicate that the children received the works positively, chose to engage with them, became more confident in their musical tasks over time, showed signs of deep concentration and attention, and demonstrated consistent performance across similar tasks related to perception and cognition. We conclude that the presence of these 6 curricular works began to disrupt the perceived learning disparity we identified; however, more can be done to understand and change the classroom practices that support that disparity.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v6i1.10631

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: Project SYNC (Systems, Yoked through Nuanced Collaboration) details perspectives of a community of stakeholders committed to the enhancement of early childhood (i.e., prekindergarten through grade 3) education. Although there is a growing number of public-school programs informed by the Montessori philosophy, Montessori educational experiences often take place within affluent communities. SYNC aimed to enhance the prekindergarten through grade 3 educational experiences for traditionally underserved students by transforming two traditional early childhood classrooms to Montessori settings within a diverse, Title I school. Montessori pedagogy, curricula, and materials aligned with the school’s dedicated commitment to social justice. The study, one in a series, explored the impact of Montessori education on a neighborhood school community as evidenced through stakeholder opinions, project implementation, and teacher attitudes. Project data illustrate that a Montessori educational experience created learning opportunities that supported children from culturally and ethnically diverse communities in a traditional, Title I elementary school.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v6i1.8539

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: Montessori classrooms vary a good deal in implementation, and one way in which implementation differs is the provision of materials.  Specifically, some classrooms use only Montessori materials, whereas others supplement the Montessori materials with commercially available materials like puzzles and games.  A prior study suggested this might be a reason for observed differences across studies and classrooms (Author, 2012) but an intervention study is the best test.  The present study presents such an intervention with 52 children in 3 Montessori classrooms with Supplementary materials. All children were given 6 pretests, and non-Montessori materials were removed from 2 of the classrooms.  Four months later, children were retested to see how much they changed across that period.  Children in the classrooms from which the non-Montessori materials were removed advanced significantly more in early reading and executive function, and to some degree advanced more in early math.  There were no differences across the classroom types in amount of change on the tests of vocabulary, social knowledge, or social skills.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i1.5678

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: The objective of this study is to identify the important factors contribute most to parents' choice of pre-school for their children. Parents' choice of pre-school is influenced by various factors that are mostly associated with the pre-school institution itself. Parent have different educational believes and preferences which puts them in a dilemma when making decision for their children pre-school education. it is important for pre-school businesses to meet the needs of both parents and children in order to attract and retain their customer. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire. The sample consisted of 162 parents who have pre-school children. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the predictor variables that contributed to the choice of pre-schools. The main factors that influence parents' choice of pre-schools are branding, private-run institutions, safety and security, quality of teaching and hygiene. English medium and religion-based pre-schools are the preferred pre-schools chosen by these parents.

Language: English

ISSN: 2219-1933, 2219-6021

Abstract/Notes: This study examined the influence of enrollment on the development of self-determination in a Montessori middle school. Bounded by self-determination and student voice theory, this research was designed to give voice to students, add to the discourse on middle school reform, and provide the perspective of the student to the critique of middle level education.Based on the analysis of narrative major themes indicated the importance of autonomy and relatedness. Students valued the ability to choose the order of their tasks and the tasks they could choose to demonstrate understanding as well as the ability to re-take tests. These changes require a paradigm shift to a student-centered learning environment.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v2i1.4994

ISSN: 2378-3923