Montessori Education and a Neighborhood School: A Case Study of Two Early Childhood Education Classrooms

Project SYNC (Systems, Yoked through Nuanced Collaboration) details perspectives of a community of stakeholders committed to the enhancement of early childhood (i.e., prekindergarten through grade 3) education. Although there is a growing number of public-school programs informed by the Montessori philosophy, Montessori educational experiences often take place within affluent communities. SYNC aimed to enhance the prekindergarten through grade 3 educational experiences for traditionally underserved students by transforming two traditional early childhood classrooms to Montessori settings within a diverse, Title I school. Montessori pedagogy, curricula, and materials aligned with the school’s dedicated commitment to social justice. The study, one in a series, explored the impact of Montessori education on a neighborhood school community as evidenced through stakeholder opinions, project implementation, and teacher attitudes. Project data illustrate that a Montessori educational experience created learning opportunities that supported children from culturally and ethnically diverse communities in a traditional, Title I elementary school

Teacher Observations Using Telepresence Robots: Benefits and Challenges for Strengthening Evaluations

Project SCOUT (School Classroom Observations Using Telepresence) details findings from a pilot project where observers used a telepresence robot designed to capture teaching episodes. The study examined: 1) participants’ ability to review classroom teaching and determine teaching quality using a telepresence format; 2) whether a telepresence robot allowed observers to review the specific teaching competencies they would otherwise evaluate during in-person observations; and 3) the success of the telepresence robot in evaluating specific pedagogical environments (i.e., Montessori classrooms). Survey and observation data from two focal classrooms highlight the benefits of telepresence tools by allowing flexibility and the potential for a wider audience of observers using real time data collection. Limitations of a telepresence robot include challenges in its ability to capture classroom nuances necessary for evaluation, coaching, or supervisory support. Those who use a telepresence robot must be particularly sensitive to using a technology that might cause privacy and safety concerns for children and their families, particularly for marginalized communities