Abstract/Notes: Stress and burnout among teachers are serious problems because of the negative consequences associated with them that have contributed to the current crisis in the American education system. Until the problems of teacher stress and burnout are understood and addressed, efforts to restructure American education cannot succeed. This study assessed the relationships among perceived autonomy, perceived transformational leadership style and burnout in public elementary teachers, and the moderating/mediatinginfluence of teacher orientation (Montessori and traditional) on burnout levels. An integration of Maslach’s multi-dimensional burnout theory, self-determination theory, and the theory of transformational leadership formed the theoretical foundation of the study. A nonexperimental correlational design was used with survey methodology. A convenience sample of 82 public elementary teachers were recruited via educator social media sites and professional associations. Participants completed an online survey viaSurvey Monkey. Multiple regression analyses determined strong negative relationships among the predictor variables and the three dimensions of burnout as well as the significant predictive power of the independent variables. Moderation analyses determined a significant influence of teacher orientation across these relationships. The mediation analysis determined that teaching autonomy was a significant mediator between teacher orientation and emotional exhaustion burnout. The results from this study may be used for positive social change by developing strategies to mitigate burnout in public elementary teachers, increase engagement, improve teacher retention, ultimately improving student achievement and engagement.

Language: English

Published: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2022

Abstract/Notes: The following research assesses how the daily integration of singing and listening to music helps to construct a socially cohesive, cooperative and joyful classroom during clean up time. This study combined group singing opportunities, a music listening station and music played during clean up time. The songs used for this study included lyrical themes of cooperation, happiness, overcoming obstacles and/or friendship. The thirty-day study involved twenty-one participants between the ages of six and nine at a public, Montessori school in Missouri. Each individual completed a pre- and post-survey, as well as a survey each time they used the music listening station. During clean up time, observations were taken daily to record instances of helpful behaviors and joy amongst the participants. Results of the surveys showed that the intervention was successful at increasing positive experiences during clean up time and including a Music Listening Station as an available work choice. The intervention was not successful in creating positive experiences when singing together as a group. Further research may include the use of other mediums to promote community and collaboration like the fine arts, sports or other group oriented activities.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2019

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research project was to study the effects of goal-setting and self-reflection on the intrinsic motivation and on task behavior of students in an upper level (ages 9-12) public Montessori classroom. The project used multiple data sources to better understand the impact of goal-setting and self-reflection on student academic achievement, prosocial behavior, and emotional wellbeing. Teacher-made rating scales and self-reflection prompts were used to determine student outlook on completion of their goals while semi-structured student interviews, given at the beginning, middle, and end of the project, gave insight into student perceptions of goal-setting benefits. After analyzing the results of the data, it was found that weekly short term and long range goal-setting can have a positive impact on student achievement, prosocial behavior, and emotional wellbeing.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2018

Abstract/Notes: As the Montessori method of education bursts into the public education sector, public school district administrators are finding themselves leading Montessori programs without any Montessori training. Through surveys and individual meetings, this action research project examines traditionally trained administrators’ knowledge and perceptions of Montessori and how these perceptions affect support of a public Montessori program. This research shows that an increase in knowledge of Montessori philosophy, practice, and outcomes does indeed increase support for a Montessori program.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2015

Language: English

Published: Charlottesville, Virginia, 2021

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: This study investigates differences in academic achievement and self-concept of students enrolled in a traditional public school program and a public school Montessori program. The attitudes of parents of students are also compared. The population includes 182 experimental and control kindergarten, first-, second-, and third-grade students in a Texas metropolitan school district. Academic pretest and posttest data include scores on the Bilingual Syntax Measure, Metropolitan Readiness Tests, California Achievement Tests, and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. The McDaniel-Piers Young Children's Self Concept Scale and the Parent Opinion Survey were also administered. A two-way analysis of covariance was used to analyze pretest and posttest academic achievement and self-concept scores, and to test for possible interaction between the programs and the sex variable. The pretest score was used as the covariate. The means of both parent groups were analyzed using the t test for two independent samples. The .05 level of significance was used to test each hypothesis. First-grade traditional students had significantly higher academic achievement scores than first-grade Montessori students. A significant interaction effect at the first-grade level revealed that traditional males had the highest adjusted mean score for academic achievement and Montessori males had the lowest adjusted mean score. Second-grade traditional students showed a significant increase over second-grade Montessori students in self-concept. No significant difference was found in the attitude of parents of students enrolled in both programs. Conclusions based on this investigation are that more similarities than differences are evident between the two programs, differences in academic achievement and interaction effects and sex appeared at only one grade level, differences in self-concept appeared at only one grade level, and parent attitudes are similar. Recommendations include continuation of the Montessori program evaluation and replication using a larger population, different grade levels, and different socioeconomic levels.

Language: English

Published: Denton, Texas, 1982

Language: English

ISSN: 0277-9064

Abstract/Notes: O método Montessori, como se convencionou chamar a perspectiva pedagógica derivada do trabalho de Maria Montessori (1870-1952), foi desenvolvido, principalmente, ao longo da primeira metade do século XX. Até hoje, no entanto, há escolas, publicações e cursos para professores sendo criados em todo o mundo. Desde o início de sua história, a pedagogia montessoriana aparece frequentemente na mídia de vários países do mundo, e, em alguns momentos da história, representou tanto um fenômeno midiático quanto editorial (KRAMER, 1988). Esta pesquisa trabalhou com um arquivo de textos midiáticos, publicados desde 1911 nos Estados Unidos da América e dedicou-se à análise e à interpretação de um corpus de textos da mesma natureza. Uma ênfase da análise foi dada aos textos publicados entre os anos 2000 e 2015. O aporte teórico das análises e das reflexões expostas aqui é a Análise de Discurso filiada aos estudos do inconsciente e da ideologia, iniciada na França, por Michel Pêcheux, e desenvolvida e ampliada no Brasil por autoras como Eni Orlandi. A história da perspectiva pedagógica de que tratamos já foi explorada antes por diversos autores (STANDING, 1962; KRAMER, 1988; POVELL, 2010, entre outros), mas poucos tangenciaram o trabalho da mídia quanto a essa pedagogia, embora mencionem a importância desta mesma instância de produção, e nenhuma das publicações emprega a perspectiva discursiva, que pode oferecer outros pontos de vista e permite a interlocução de diversas áreas de estudo. Os resultados obtidos com esta pesquisa apontam para uma direção previsível e duas bifurcações importantes desta. Em primeiro lugar, como propõe a teoria da Análise de Discurso, a produção discursiva é atravessada pela ideologia, e, assim, os textos com que trabalhamos fazem parte de um conjunto de sentidos e proposições que harmonizam com o verdadeiro, como operado pela ideologia dominante. Isso tem duas consequências específicas para este corpus. Por um lado, os sentidos que caracterizam o método Montessori são vinculados a valores não estranhos ao neoliberalismo e ao discurso empreendedor: fala-se muito de diversão, e, ao mesmo tempo, de alto desempenho, liberdade, sucesso, escolha individual e liderança. Por outro lado, há uma contradição muito presente entre caracterizar-se Montessori como uma pedagogia alternativa e dizer-se que Montessori é só uma via diversa para se alcançar os mesmos fins: alto desempenho acadêmico e sucesso financeiro. Em segundo lugar, notamos a proeminência do ponto de vista adulto sobre o possível ponto de vista infantil. Os textos, especialmente a partir de 2011, fazem sentido, com frequência, construindo as vantagens que a pedagogia montessoriana representa para o adulto, segundo uma perspectiva corporativa ou empreendedora. Por meio de nossa análise, pudemos caracterizar a configuração do discurso midiático sobre o método Montessori nos Estados Unidos e compreender como os sentidos se articulam para fazer de Montessori uma perspectiva válida e positiva, ao mesmo tempo, silenciando os sentidos que, ligados a ela, poderiam ser desarmônicos e, até mesmo, arriscados para a hegemonia do verdadeiro sobre a criança e sobre a educação. [The Montessori method, as the pedagogical perspective derived from the work of Maria Montessori (1870-1952) is usually called, was developed mainly during the first half of the twentieth century. To this day, however, there are schools, publications and courses for teachers being created around the world. From the beginning of its history, Montessori pedagogy has frequently appeared in the media of several countries, and at some moments in history has represented both a mediatic and editorial phenomenon (KRAMER, 1988). This research relies on an archive of media texts published since 1911 in the United States of America and is focused on the analysis and interpretation of a corpus of texts of the same nature. Emphasis was given to those texts published between the years 2000 and 2015. The theoretical foundation for the analyzes and reflections exposed here is the Discourse Analysis affiliated to the studies of the unconscious and the ideology, initiated in France by Michel Pêcheux, and developed and expanded in Brazil by authors such as Eni Orlandi. The history of the pedagogical perspective that we have dealt with has already been explored by several authors (STANDING, 1962, KRAMER, 1988, POVELL, 2010 and others), but few have touched on the work of the media in relation to this pedagogy, although they recognize its relevance, and none of the publications adopts the discursive perspective, which can offer other points of view, allowing the interlocution with several areas of study. The results obtained with this research point to a predictable direction, and two important and novel bifurcations. First, as the theory of discourse analysis proposes, discursive production is traversed by ideology, and thus the texts we work with are part of a set of meanings and propositions that harmonize with the truth, as operated by the dominant ideology. This, in turn, has two specific consequences for this corpus. On the one hand, the meanings that characterize the Montessori method are linked to values not unfamiliar to neoliberalism and entrepreneurial discourse: much is said of fun, and at the same time high performance, freedom, and success, individual choice, and leadership. There is a very present contradiction between characterizing Montessori as an alternative pedagogy and saying that Montessori is only an alternative way to achieve the same ends: high academic performance and financial success. Secondly, we notice the prominence of the adult point of view over the possible infantile one. The texts, especially as of 2011, often make sense from the advantages that the Montessori pedagogy represents for the adult, from a corporate or entrepreneurial perspective. Through our analysis, we have been able to characterize the configuration of the media discourse on the Montessori method in the United States and to understand how the senses are articulated to make Montessori a valid and positive pedagogical perspective, while silencing the meanings that could, if linked to that, be disharmonious, and we would say risky, for the hegemony of the truth about the child and about education.]

Language: Portuguese

Published: São Paulo, Brazil, 2019

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to examine the relations between pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers' characteristics, belief in developmentally appropriate practices (DAP), and DAP classroom practices and 2) to examine the relations between principals' characteristics, DAP and testing beliefs, and preferred pre-K classroom practices. Sixty-six principals and 63 pre-K teachers from public schools in small districts (districts with only one elementary school) in Oklahoma participated. Principals and teachers completed questionnaires containing DAP, demographic, and time allocation information. Data were analyzed using correlations and regressions.Findings and Conclusions: In the study of teachers, number of child development courses taken (r=-.29) and number of years experience teaching pre-K (r=.30) were related to DAP beliefs. The relation of DAP beliefs to DAP classroom practices was moderated by teacher's beliefs in the importance of obedience; DAP beliefs and practices were positively related for teachers with lower belief in the importance of child obedience. In the study of principals, principals' ECE courses taken (r=.36), ECE state test certification (r=.59), elementary certification (r=.34), number of years as a principal (r=-.25), years teaching preschoolers (r=.35), experience teaching 4th to 6th grades (r=-.35), and years teaching 4th to 6th grades (r=-.30) were related to principals' beliefs in DAP. Principals' ECE state certification (r=.41), ECE courses taken (r=.27), and years teaching 4th to 6th grades (r=-.33) were related to preferred DAP classroom practices and experience teaching 1st to 3rd grades (r=-.29) was related to use of workbooks and worksheets. DAP beliefs (r=.60) were significantly related to preferred DAP classroom practices. Testing beliefs were not related to principal characteristics or preferred classroom practices. The relation between the number of early childhood courses taken by principals and preferred DAP classroom practices was mediated by principals' beliefs in DAP.

Language: English

Published: Stillwater, Oklahoma, 2010