| Description |
As American schools continue to diversify, issues of equity in schools remain unresolved and disparities between different racial and cultural groups have become more pronounced (Paris, 2012). Key components of the Montessori Method seem to align with aspects of a Social Justice Education (SJE) framework. These features include an emphasis on autonomy, high expectations, individualized learning, and a focus on interconnectedness, and show numerous benefits for students from all backgrounds (Montessori, 1912; Lillard et al., 2021; Culclasure et al., Lillard et al., 2017). However, Montessori classrooms still exhibit patterns of bias towards students from diverse backgrounds, indicating room for improvement (Brown & Steele, 2015). This research targets the extent to which Montessori educators agree with key features of SJE, and to what extent they feel they implement SJE in their classrooms. This research also aims to identify factors which affect the implementation of SJE in Montessori classrooms. Data were collected using a mixed-methods survey with participants at two local Montessori schools. Likert-scale items, open-ended responses, and yes-no questions were used to collect responses to these questions. Findings indicate that Montessori educators agree with key features of SJE and implement them in their classrooms. In addition, though some factors affect the ability of educators to integrate key features of SJE in their classroom, they report they can and should implement SJE within the classroom. Finally, educators report that the Montessori framework aligns well with the practices and goals of frameworks for SJE, both theoretically and in practice. |
