The thesis deals with gender aspects of parental choice of common and Montessori kindergarten. The theoretical part focuses on topics related to both gender identity and its development and with the preschool period, which is described primarily in terms of gender. Given that important parts of childhood are toys, the theoretical part also focuses on the gender aspect and explores it. Gender equality is offered as one of the possible approaches to children upbringing and education. The Montessori method of education occupies a large space of the theoretical part. The thesis also compares Montessori kindergartens with common kindergartens. Research of the thesis is based on a qualitative analysis of interviews with mothers of children in the pre-school and early school age. This analysis goes through all the interviews. It searches and then compares common categories. The research shows that parents choosing a kindergarten for their child do not reflect forms of gender socialization in the kindergarten. Alternative kindergarten is often chosen by parents of children who apply elements of gender- sensitive education in their upbringing. Parents, who chose child Montessori kindergarten for their child, have more specific and clearly defined selection criteria than parents collecting common...

The teaching of regional geography in Montessori schools Abstract The goal of this thesis is to present the importance and position of the curriculum of regional geography and to analyze the approaches to teaching methods of regional geography, which are used in Montessori schools in the Czech Republic and are applicable in teaching geography in other types of schools. Specifically, we study pupils in the higher grades of primary schools and the lower grades of a grammar school. The work deals with this topic in two main parts. The first theoretical part is devoted to familiarization with the history of regional geography as a scientific discipline and, subsequently, with the functions and subject of study of regional geography in general. The next section deals with the curriculum and teaching of regional geography. At the end of the theoretical part, there are chapters devoted to Montessori education and methodology utilized in this thesis. The second part summerizes results of qualitative research, including the method of semi-structured interviews with teachers of regional geography and participatory observations in classes. At the end of the thesis, the summary results of qualitative research are proposed and further discussed. Keywords: Teaching geography, regional geography, Montessori, qualitative...

Abstract Students in grades 3 and 4 attending a traditional public elementary school in a northeastern state did not meet proficiency levels in mathematics as measured by the state's assessment system. Published reports indicated that students attending the Montessori programs were more proficient in solving math problems compared to students in traditional schools. However, researchers had not compared Montessori and traditional teachers' perceptions of teaching elementary mathematics. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of traditional and Montessori teachers regarding teaching basic problem solving skills in mathematics. Koehler and Grouws' model provided the theoretical framework. Data collection included semistructured interviews with 6 traditional and 4 Montessori elementary teachers, field notes, and journaling. Data were analyzed using a coding scheme that incorporated the theoretical model's categories. Findings indicated that both groups of teachers reported that concrete (manipulatives) to abstract (pen and paper) learning was an effective approach to teaching basic math concepts and problem-solving skills. Social change will be realized when struggling elementary students in both Montessori and traditional settings begin to meet proficiency levels in mathematics and benefit from instruction that balances concrete and abstract learning skills. As such, students will be able to explore, develop, and become more actively engaged in learning math and problem solving in all elementary grades. The project deliverable, a position paper supporting the principal theme of concrete to abstract learning, may be used to promote effective instructional practices in mathematics, hence, positive social change.

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Syftet med vår studie är att beskriva hur elever i årskurs 1 uppfattar sin läs- och skrivinlärning, samt undersöka om det finns någon skillnad i elevernas beskrivningar ur ett genusperspektiv. Eleverna i vårt urval arbetar enligt tre olika arbetssätt, Montessori-pedagogiken, Tragetonmetoden samt Språkbiten. Arbetet utgår från frågeställningarna Hur talar elever om sin läs- och skrivinlärning? samt Finns det någon skillnad i elevers beskrivning av sina tankar ur ett genusperspektiv? Läs- och skrivinlärning i skolan är ett väl utforskat ämne. Att vi tar in elevernas perspektiv är just det som gör vår studie unik. För att besvara våra frågeställningar har vi använt oss av kvalitativa metoder i form av observation, intervju, samt bilduppgift. Studiens resultat är att faktorer som autentisk mottagare samt elevernas tidigare erfarenheter kan ha en inverkan för hur lustfyllt eleverna beskriver sin läs- och skrivinlärning. Det är viktigt att mottagaren till det eleverna gör är autentisk, det vill säga äkta, och att elevernas erfarenheter synliggörs och tas tillvara i läs- och skrivundervisningen. Hur stor plats elevernas erfarenheter får i läs- och skrivundervisningen, samt vilka mottagare eleverna skriver och läser för, varierar beroende av vilken/vilka pedagogisk/a grundsyn/er samt vilket arbetssätt som elevernas läs- och skrivundervisning genomsyras av. Vidare har vi kommit fram till att de olika arbetssätt som finns i vårt urval och lärarnas pedagogiska grundsyner som genomsyrar undervisningen, kan kopplas samman med de genusskillnader vi sett i de klassrum vi besökt. Vi drar därför slutsatsen att man som lärare bör vara noga med val av arbetssätt och vilken pedagogisk grundsyn som genomsyrar undervisningen. Enligt oss kan lärarens arbetssätt samt pedagogiska grundsyn bidra till eller begränsa eleverna i hur lustfyllt elever beskriver sin läs- och skrivinlärning.

I denna studie undersöks hur Bilingual Montessori School of Lund (BMSL):sspråkbadsmetod kan ha en positiv påverkan på begreppsförståelse. Den fokuserar på detkomplexa sambandet mellan flerspråkig pedagogik och dess inverkan på begreppsförvärv.Genom att använda exempel från språkbadsmetoden, testar denna studie hypotesen attspråkbadspedagogik ger en icke försumbar effekt på kreativt tänkande, men viktigast av allt,på konceptualisering av ämnesmässiga innehåll. Genom en noggrann diskussion om vilkenmetod som används har en empirisk analys gjorts ur tre perspektiv: en teoretisk analys avlitteraturen i ämnet, en intervjustudie med fyra semi-strukturerade lärarintervjuer och enenkätstudie där fler än 80 elever mellan årskurs 7 och 9 fick i uppdrag att besvara en enkät för att testa några av de iakttagelser som gjorts av de intervjuade. Syftet med denna forskning är att ta fram en empirisk kvalitativ innehållsanalys baserad på exempel från de intervjuades påståenden och därigenom utveckla en djupare förståelse om begreppsförvärv och hur detta yttrar sig i en stimulerande flerspråkig undervisningsmiljö. Vidare är syftet med denna studie att fastställa om BMSL okonventionella språkbadspedagogiks påverkan på begreppsförvärv kan vara orsaken till skolans höga poäng i de svenska nationella proven i matematik, engelska, svenska, NO och SO i årskurs 9 under de senaste åren. Analysen har lett till slutsatsen att flerspråkiga pedagogiska metoder som BMSL:s språkbadsmetod kan ha en mycket positiv inverkan på elevernas förmåga att tillgodogöra sig begrepp. Analysen hardessutom genererat nya hypoteser som kan utgöra grund för ytterligare fördjupande forskning inom specifika ämnen såsom språkbadsmetodens inverkan på elevens kreativitet,demokratisering av klassrummet, interkulturell medvetenhet och kognitiv utveckling. Denbidrar också till ett nytt kompetensutvecklingsperspektiv och samarbetsperspektiv för enpositiv utveckling av svenska läroplanens pedagogiska lärandemål. / This research focuses on the complex relationship between multilingual immersionpedagogy and its impact on concept acquisition (begrepp). By using the example of BilingualMontessori School of Lund (BMSL)'s språkbad method, this study tests the hypothesis thatmultilingual immersion pedagogy produces a non-negligible impact on creative thinking, butmost importantly, on the conceptualization of topic-specific content. With a careful reflectionon the method used, an empirical analysis has been made from three perspectives: atheoretical analysis of the literature on the subject, an interview study with four semistructured interviews with teachers, and a survey-based study where more than 80 students in grades 7 to 9 were given the task of answering a questionnaire to test some of the observations made by the interviewees. The purpose of this research is to produce an empirical qualitative content analysis based on examples taken from the interviewees’testimonies to develop a deeper understanding about concept acquisition and the way itmanifests itself in a stimulating multilingual immersion teaching environment. Furthermore,the aim of this study is to establish if BMSL’s unconventional multilingual immersionpedagogy’s impact on concept acquisition can be the reason for the school’s outstandinglyhigh scores in the Swedish National Tests in Maths, English, Swedish, NO and SO in grade 9over the past few years. Nevertheless, the analysis led to the conclusion that multilingualimmersion methods like the BMSL språkbad method can have a very positive impact onstudents' ability to assimilate concepts, but also helped generate thesis-seeking rather thanthesis-supporting observations about its impact on the students’ creativity, classroomdemocratization, intercultural-awareness and cognitive development. It also highlights thepedagogical collaboration and competence development perspective promoted by theSwedish National Curriculum for Compulsory School Lgr 11.

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Virtual preschool seems to contradict the Montessori Method, a hands-on, sensorial-based early childhood curriculum. However, many virtual Montessori schools, borne out of the temporary need for isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, seek to continue this new implementation of Montessori education permanently. This qualitative study examined how eight preschool teachers in one US-based virtual Montessori program described how they made sense of implementing the Montessori curriculum in an online setting, how they understood the academic and social experiences of their preschool students, and what advantages and disadvantages they perceived for children in the enactment of Montessori education in the virtual format. Using a thematic analysis, this study found that teachers described many adaptations to Montessori education in the virtual format, including to the materials and to the class structure. They felt that their offerings generally met the academic and social needs of their students, while staying as true to the Montessori Method as possible. Teachers found various advantages in the enactment of virtual Montessori school, including the potential to reach children and families who would otherwise not have access to Montessori education in their local communities. Teachers also found various disadvantages, including the uncertainty of the future of the program, and the interference of the screen in a child’s path towards deep concentration, and did not feel that virtual Montessori preschool was an adequate stand-alone replacement for in-person Montessori preschool. Further research is needed on the effectiveness of other virtual Montessori preschools, on the experiences of children completing a full three-year cycle in the virtual Montessori Children’s House program, and on the academic and social readiness of children emerging from virtual Montessori preschool programs for both in-person Montessori and traditional elementary school.

This study constitutes an attempt to describe and analyse the quality of selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa, and provide criteria by which the quality of programmes could be assessed. The need for, and importance of, providing quality early childhood development programmes is highlighted. The influence of educational pf:lilosophies on programmes is recognised, hence the total development of the child and educational philosophies related thereto are discussed. Factors and components within programmes that contribute to high quality are explored. Moreover, criteria by means of which quality early childhood development programmes may be assessed, are provided. In this regard criteria for the formulation of aims, selection and the organisation of content, assessment, role of the teacher and parent involvement in programmes are suggested. It is against these criteria that selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa are described and analysed. programmes conclude the study. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)