ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF ADVANCED EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Montessori Approach to Preschool Education: The Case of Educare Program in Naga City
Jeovanie D. Tariman PhD1, Ma. Verna D. Agrado MAEd2
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4265-6174
jtariman@gbox.adnu.edu.ph1, mva.agrado@gmail.com2
Ateneo de Naga University, Ateneo Avenue, Naga City 4400, Camarines Sur, Philippines1,
Hamoraon Elementary School, Minalabac, Camarines Sur, Philippines2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54476/apjaet/73962
Abstract
The study was conducted to describe the Montessori approach to preschool education in the case of the Educare program in Naga City. It was geared towards determining the extent of compliance of the Educare program to the Montessori standards in terms of the prepared environment, methods, outcomes, and institutional support. Mixed methods were employed to describe and analyze the compliance of the Educare program with the standards of the Montessori approach. The respondents were the 42 Educare teachers in Naga City and were determined through Random Sampling. The main instruments used were the survey questionnaire, observation tool, checklist, and interview guide in data gathering and analyzed through frequency counting, getting the percentage, and weighted mean. Findings of the study show that the compliance of the Educare program of Naga City was in a “Standard” of the Montessori approach in the prepared environment. The observation in methods garnered a rating of “Satisfactorily,” and the outcomes of Montessori education in sensorial and culture education obtained a “Highest percentage.” The institutional support mainly affected the performance of the Educare program, and it was aligned with the Montessori approach. It is recommended that collaboration from all stakeholders and the school personnel be sustained and strengthened to provide full support by allocating budget funds to improve the existing Educare program that would encourage the support of the community, stakeholders, and parents to achieve optimum success not just in terms of academic but building the social aspect of the learners.
Keywords: Early childhood education, Montessori standards, Educare compliance, Mixed method, Philippines