e guidance, support, and help of skilled teachers. There is a social component in the program in that the method aims to foster moral development by emphasizing order, patience, self-control, responsibility, and cooperation.
In the context of private schools, Montessori programs have been very successful; effects include language development, creativity development, social development and cognitive development (Kahn, 1993). However, more and more frequently, these programs have been implemented in American public schools. According to Cisneros (1994), there is a need to evaluate whether this implementation has resulted in maintaining the high success rates of Montessori methods.
In order to provide some information in this regard, Cisneros (1994) conducted a study attempting to measure the effectiveness of a public school Montessori program. Specifically, Cisneros measured and compared student academic achievement and self-concept, attendance and promotion rates, and level of parental involvement in the schools of students enrolled in public school Montessori and traditional programs.
The 95 subjects in this study were third-grade children selected from the student populations in Montessori and traditional school sites. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) was used as the pre-test scores, and the Norm-referenced Assessment Program for Texas (NAPT) was used as the post-test scores to compare academic achievement in reading and mathematics.
Multiple regression analyses were used to compare the levels of academic achievement and self-concept. Multiple regression was also used to test for possible relationship between the Montessori and traditional programs and gender and ethnicity. The findings of the study were as follows:
(1) There were no significant differences in the adjusted mean reading scores between the Montessori group and the traditional group in the third grade.
(2) There were no sign...