Date of Award

4-2017

Document Type

Action Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education, Montessori

First Advisor

Irene Bornhorst

Department/School

Montessori Early Childhood

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine what effect weekly conferences and goal setting opportunities have on the motivation of kindergarten children, in a multi-age (3-6 year-old) Montessori early childhood classroom in the Midwest. The goal was for children to become selfmotivated to choose and practice independent work that is developmentally appropriate. Data was collected before, during, and after the project using an observational checklist to determine the effectiveness of implementing goal setting and conferences with students. The research showed that writing goals in a journal was helpful for the majority of students. The students involved in the study came into the classroom ready to choose the lessons that were written in their journal. Also witnessed was an increase in positive talk and encouragement throughout the classroom. The students were reassuring each other and checked on one another to see how close they were to meeting their goals. Future research could be done to determine if goal setting could be carried over into the home and further research into intrinsic motivation of children would be helpful.

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