Abstract
Within the realm of elementary public schools, several pedagogical models of early childhood
education are practiced in the United States (Lillard, 2005). The constructivist approach to
early childhood education is illustrative of best practices based on current theory. One model
of constructivist early childhood education is the Montessori Method founded in the early
twentieth century by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician (Montessori, 1912/1964).
Though the Montessori Method is aligned with research-based best practices espoused by
constructivism, there are relatively few public Montessori schools currently in the United
States. A direct comparison is needed between the academic outcomes of public elementary
school programs which implement the Montessori Method and those which implement a more
traditional approach to early childhood education. The focus of this study is the academic
achievement outcomes of Montessori public school students as compared to similar nonMontessori students. The Montessori students’ Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) Total
Reading and Total Math scores in grades one and two were not statistically different than their
non-Montessori counterparts. In grade three, the Montessori students’ Texas Assessment of
Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Reading and Math scores were not statistically different than
those of the non-Montessori students. In grades four and five, the TAKS Reading and Math
scores statistically favored Montessori students.
Jan Davis Mallett, Jennifer L. Schroeder. (2015) Academic Achievement Outcomes: A Comparison of Montessori and Non-Montessori Public Elementary School Students, Journal of Elementary Education, Volume-25, Issue-1.
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