Contends that these are the "best of times" for public and private education in the United States, focusing on educational reform initiatives that could significantly reshape Montessori education at all levels. Examines the impact of several reform initiatives: national and state standards, testing and accountability, research-based curriculum and…

Reviews current literature--noting limitations--and provides observations regarding the impact on learning of six physical attributes of the Montessori prepared environment: aesthetics, spatial factors, light, noise, color, and temperature. Suggests guidelines for Montessori classrooms. Concludes by asserting that considering these six…

Discusses how Montessori infant and toddler communities provide an occasion for child development education for upper elementary and adolescent students within the school. Uses a question-and-answer format to illustrate how the program addresses the reality of lifestyles other than that of the traditional family. (Author/KB)

While a growing body of research reveals the beneficial effects of music on education performance the value of music in educating the young child is not being recognized. If research of students in the school system indicates that learning through the arts can benefit the "whole" child, that math achievement scores are significantly…

Details evaluation of effectiveness of the Montessori Movable Alphabet in successive exercises to build preschoolers' knowledge about written English. Describes preliminary activities, movable alphabet introduction, dictation, expanded usage, object/picture use, vowel addition, vowel combination, blends, phonetic phrases, H-digraphs, long vowels,…

Discusses the role that full-day Montessori preschool programs play in providing preschoolers with much more than the term "day care" implies, focusing on the teaching methods and educational strategies that such programs employ with preschoolers and their parents. (MDM)

Gives a personalized account of the individual development of one school administrator/founder in relation to a Montessori school's evolution. Suggests that the school must consider stages of development in teachers and parents. Discusses the expansion of services to a second charter school, identifying how failures can lead to success. Suggests…

The language immersion approach of the Intercultural Montessori School (Oak Park, Illinois) for children aged 2-6 years is described and discussed. An introductory section gives background information on early work with immersion by Maria Montessori, a personal experience leading to the school's establishment, and the response of language and…

This study analyzed a public school prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program, investigating second grade reading achievement scores on Spanish and English norm-referenced tests and comparing students who had participated in the Montessori program with those who had participated in a prekindergarten traditional bilingual program. Participants…

Premised on the view that students with more years of Montessori education (MEY) would possess to a higher degree those qualities emphasized in the Montessori environment and that Montessori students would be as successful as students more traditionally educated, this report presents the final assessment for the Longitudinal Assessment Study,…