This study aimed to examine Montessori-practical life training influences on young children's self-regulation. For the study, the following questions were proposed:
1. Will Montessori-practical life training improve children's self-control?
2. Will ...
This study aimed to examine Montessori-practical life training influences on young children's self-regulation. For the study, the following questions were proposed:
1. Will Montessori-practical life training improve children's self-control?
2. Will Montessori-practical life training decrease children's impulsivity?
3. Will Montessori-practical life training advance children's concentration?
The subjects of the study were 60 kindergartner of age 5 who were selected from two classes of 'N' kindergarten in 'D' city: 30 children for the experimental group and another 30 children for the control group. The children in experimental group had participated in activities of the prepared environment with Montessori's educational instruments developed for young children's practical life training. During the sessions, the control group children played in free activities in their classroom. The experiment was carried out 5 times a week, for 2 hours, over 8 weeks by a homeroom teacher and an assistant teacher during free optional activity time. Teachers observed and recorded children's activity continuously during the experiment. The children of both experimental and control group were tested on the checklists of self-regulation befor and after the experiment. The checklist used in this study was SRRS (Self-Regulation Rating Scale), which was modified and applied to young children by Lee Ji-Hyun (2001) and Yu Hye-Jeong (1998). The statistical tests were conducted through ANVOCA with the pretest score as a covariant.
The reulsts of the analyses were as follows:
1. The young children who participated in Montessori-practical life training activities showed a significantly higher improvement in self-control compared to control group children who played in free play settings. Children who hadn't been able to control their behavior and fighted more came to control themselves through the montessori practical training, such as walking on the line and keeping silent.
2. The experimental group with Montessori-practical life training showed reduced impulsivity significantly more than the control group. Children came to deal with Montessori educational toys carefully while correction times were reduced and they showed proper movement. In addition, Children, who were aggressive, impulsive and over-reacting with their peers, showed less aggressiveness and patience, and co-adjustment without reacting impulsively when there was conflict.
3. The experimental group with Montessori-practical life training showed advanced concentration. Children could regulate their bodies and minds through step-by-step cutting, vegetable chopping and walking on the line practice, which require accuracy, concentration and attention, and concentrate through free options.
In conclusion, the results indicated that Montessori-practical life training was effective in improving young children's self-regulation and self-instruction strategies of Montessori education increased children's power of concentration on activities.