Abstract/Notes: Although Montessori's name is almost universally known in education circles today, and there are countless nursery schools throughout the world using the "Montessori Method," the real core of her thinking has remained largely misunderstood. Most people regard the method as a system for the education of very young children. And most who have some direct experience of it, either as parent or teacher, would regard it as involving a certain set of procedures and specialized educational materials with clear and elaborate instructions for their use. However, the essence of Montessori's philosophy of education is in reality far broader than this, and contains a powerful message for educators everywhere. What is less well-known about Montessori's work is that she began by establishing the effectiveness of her approach at the pre-elementary level, but also strongly encouraged the extension of her method to the higher levels of education. Wentworth's purpose in writing this book is to elucidate this vital aspect of Maria Montessori's life's work and to show how it applies to real-life teaching situations. She believed that by transforming the process of children's education she could help to transform the attitudes of the adults they will later become, and so those of society and the world at large--a message she promoted as vitally relevant to the future of humankind as a whole.

Language: English

Published: New York, New York: Routledge, 1999

Edition: 1st

ISBN: 978-1-4106-0440-8

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Abstract/Notes: Speech to members of the Teaching Seminar at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Language: English

ISSN: 0519-0959

Language: English

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: It is aimed in this study to analyze the effects of the Montessori education method on children with Down syndrome and autism having special training who have received and not received Montessori education through the Eurofit test batteries selected for motor skills and physical fitness. A total of 20 male children with Down syndrome and autism in the age range of 12 to 16 and receiving and not receiving Montessori education at two different special education and rehabilitation centers in Kayseri were included in the study. The treatment group included a total of 10 children, 5 with Down syndrome and 5 with autism, and the control group of 10 children, 5 with Down syndrome and 5 with autism. While the volunteers included in the treatment group received Montessori education, those included in the control group received a traditional education. In the study, the volunteers performed the selected Eurofit tests including flamingo balance, plate tapping, sit and reach, handgrip and standing long jump tests. When the results of the Eurofit test batteries of the treatment and control groups were examined, plate tapping and standing long jump test results were found significant in the comparison of the pretest and posttest of the treatment group (p < 0.05). In the pretest and posttest comparison of the control group students, a significant difference was determined in the sit and reach test (p < 0.05). In the posttest comparison of the control and treatment groups, a statistically significant difference was determined between the pretest and posttest measurements of the plate tapping and between the pretest and posttest measurements of the standing long jump (p < 0.05). In the pretest comparison of the control and treatment groups, no statistically significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest of flamingo balance, pretest and posttest of plate tapping, pretest and posttest of sit and reach, pretest and posttest of standing long jump and pretest and posttest of handgrip measurements of the control and treatment groups (p > 0.05). Consequently, the use of Montessori education materials supports the big and small muscle groups of children with disabilities since most of them learn about an object through touch. In our study, when some activity and motor skills of the children with down syndrome and autism in the special rehabilitation school that uses the Montessori education method were analyzed, it was observed that there was an improvement in their physical activities and some motor skills according to the results of plate tapping, standing long jump and sit and reach tests. It is recommended that education programs can be prepared by using Montessori Approach as part of the education programs applied in preschool education institutions and that they can be used more widely together with traditional education programs.

Language: English

DOI: 10.30918/AERJ.104.22.074

ISSN: 2354-2160

Abstract/Notes: This is an article from a Japanese language periodical published by Japan Montessori Research Institute.

Language: Japanese

Abstract/Notes: Early childhood education (ECE) provision is becoming a growing priority. During the past twenty years, Latin America has shown a growing recognition in the provision of educational programs for young children, birth to age eight, is essential. Urban and rural populations intimated in 2009, that many countries utilizing equitable access to quality early childhood programs is often seen by policy makers as a means of achieving economic and political goals (United Nations, 2012). Unfortunately, a pre-occupation with economic and political goals may conflict with the provision of quality programming for young children. In a number of Latin American countries provisions for educating young children exist as intent to provide quality services. The continuing challenge is to finance, organize and regulate those well-meaning intentions. The objective of this article is two-fold. First, to describe national policy efforts that regulate the education of young children consistently. And, second, to reflect the status of early childhood education programming; and to examine the possibilities for the improvement of the quality and accessibility of an education for all young children. Five Latin American nations have been chosen for examination, including: Belize, Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru. (Contains 4 tables.)

Language: English

ISSN: 1556-763X, 1938-9809

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: This chapter will look at the purpose of education in the context of Indonesia’s past and present. I will draw on the philosophy of Ki Hajar Dewantara (1889–1959), who is regarded as the father of Indonesian education. In conceptualising education, he was influenced by his upbringing, local culture, and international influences from various educators and philosophers such as Rabindranath Tagore, Maria Montessori, and Friedrich Fröbel. This chapter is particularly timely because the Indonesian government has started to critically re-examine two of the educational concepts proposed by Dewantara, which are “pendidikan karakter” (character education) and “merdeka belajar” (independent learning). The chapter will start with a discussion on the purpose of education before introducing Dewantara and his background. I will then offer two comparisons; First, between Dewantara’s purpose of education and the aims of Dutch schools during the colonial period in Indonesia, highlighting the importance of imparting local wisdom and values in Dewantara’s school which were ignored by the colonial schools. Second, between Dewantara’s purpose of education and the current government’s policies. By doing so, I will highlight the different purposes articulated for education in various contexts, from the colonial era to present-day Indonesia. The conclusion of this chapter is that there have been profound changes to the very purpose of education in Indonesia. Nevertheless, Dewantara’s philosophy is still very much relevant today and thus, the Indonesian government should revisit its conceptualisation of the foundations of education. Dewantara’s thought is also likely to see increased interest in other countries due to a growing global demand for awareness of non-Western educational philosophies.

Language: English

Published: Singapore, Singapore: Springer Nature, 2023

Edition: 1st ed.

ISBN: 978-981-9901-39-5