A study was done to contrast the beliefs of teachers in Montessori preschools with those of teachers in more traditional preschools. Montessori teachers were shown to be both more flexible in their attitudes toward children and more structured in their beliefs about how they should guide the child's use of instructional materials. (JN)

Discusses the feasibility of Kohlberg's "just community" concept for preschool children. Kohlberg showed that elementary and secondary school students could operate in participatory democracies. Despite lower levels of cognitive development, Montessori preschool children demonstrated their ability to participate within a simplified…

Addresses the issue of homophobia, how it affects young children, and how it is commonly exhibited in the classroom environment. Recounts a classroom discussion about what "gay" means, including children's observations and comments. Asserts that children need accurate information, and that all children should be encouraged to be compassionate and…

Chronicles the outdoor work of Lincoln Montessori School in Nebraska in prairie, forest, and indoor greenhouse environments, highlighting the application of prepared environment principles to the natural world. Highlights how implicit to the design are opportunities for caring, including practical life exercises with outdoor tools. Shows how…

Surveyed mothers and children at four constructivist and ten Montessori preschool classrooms. Found a near significant trend suggesting that temperamentally active boys were more likely to be perceived as behavior problems in Montessori settings, which are characterized by working quietly for long periods of time. No similar trends were revealed…

Presents a list of imaginative design options for optimal outdoor learning as well as intimate contact with nature. Focuses on entrances, pathways, signage and displays, barriers and enclosures, manufactured equipment and play structures, multipurpose game settings, groundcovers and safety surfaces, landforms and topography, trees and vegetation,…

Maintains that moral education should be at the foundation of educational reform and that education should prepare adolescents to find their place in society. Asserts that secondary level instruction, provided in a rural neutral environment and with opportunities for adolescents to work with their hands and their minds, will help to create a more…

Chronicles a teacher's first year teaching geometry at the Hershey Montessori Farm School in Huntsburg, Ohio. Instructional methods relied on Euclid primary readings and combined pure abstract logic with practical applications of geometry on the land. The course included geometry background imparted by Montessori elementary materials as well as…

This article presents an interview with Erica Roach, a former Montessori student and a musician, who shares her story about how her Montessori experiences shaped her life. Roach grew up in San Francisco and attended two different Montessori schools: Big City Montessori, for kindergarten, and San Francisco Montessori School (now called The San…

This issue features seven studies that address affective as well as academic educational outcomes. The first article incorporates teachers' perceptions of the role of technology in supporting English language learners' writing. The second article highlights results for two cohorts of young children served by an Early Reading First program at…

They are adolescents--and those who work with them must understand them, connect with them, and make learning relevant to their lives. This article looks at recent theories and educational practices identified as appropriate for supporting the educational learning experiences of students ages 12 to 15. In this article, the author also discusses,…

Notes that Montessori classrooms provide children with the opportunity to explore and discover mathematics. Describes the introduction to Pascal's Triangle as a suggested opportunity to connect young children to deep mathematical truths. Provides teachers with materials requirements, and notes ideas on what can be acquired from the problem, the…

Offers strategies for preparing children for literacy in the early Montessori classroom through emphasis on phonemic awareness. Specifically addresses activities to develop phonological and phonemic awareness including song, the alphabet, rhyming activities, "I spy" games, word games, and word segmentation. Presents a case study in…

Asserts that graphing calculators give students and teachers the ability to investigate, explore, compare, and discover concepts in a much more comprehensive way than simple calculators or no calculators at all. Offers specific examples that illustrate the advantage of graphing calculators in the Montessori middle school classroom. Lists three…