ERIC Number: ED540068
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Feb-28
Pages: 38
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Further Fostering Intrinsic Motivation in the Montessori Elementary Classroom
Fitch, Victoria A.
Online Submission
The Montessori classroom appears to be the ideal learning environment for children throughout elementary and middle school. It is based on the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori which describes an environment tailored to the Sensitive Periods of children, prepared with materials appropriate for the age and abilities of the children in a particular classroom (McCormick Rambusch, 2010). Children are observed as they choose their work and are assessed according to mastery (2010). This form of education supports the popular notion that intrinsic motivation is best developed in classrooms which incorporate autonomy, mastery and purpose. It also supports the view that extrinsic motivation is a thing of the past and does not belong in the elementary classroom. However, might Montessori teachers further foster intrinsic motivation within students? In some Montessori classrooms, there still exists a gap between measured levels of intelligence and actual academic achievement in students who have not benefited from the Montessori way from the beginning of their educational careers. When extrinsic motivation, such as grades, does not exist, what is the most effective method for cultivating intrinsic motivation in elementary children in the Montessori classroom? In an attempt to identify a method for further fostering intrinsic motivation among elementary age Montessori children, this study will follow a quasiexperimental design in which the intervention entails a goal-setting exercise intended to strengthen the sense of purpose and thus improve mastery within the children studied. Appended are: (1) Student Perception of Teachers' Goal Orientation; and (2) Student's Goal Setting Sheet.
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A