Teaching in a public Montessori school: contexts, quandaries, and thinking schemes

Abstract

ABSTRACTAs one of many contemporary educational reform strategies, the charter school movement has expanded opportunities for educators, children and parents to pursue environments that suit their personal values and predispositions. This project invited teachers to share their experiences working in a unique charter school environment. It examined how teachers described and conceptualized their experiences as professional educators in a public Montessori charter school. Two research questions guided the work as a whole: (1) How do teachers working in this unique charter school environment describe their ideals and perceptions of professional practice? And, (2) what do teachers have to say about this unique charter school environment and their experience working in it? The study employed multiple interviews with seven experienced educators. Using a modified interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, the researchers inductively analyzed teachers’ narratives. After inductive analysis, the teachers’ responses were considered in light of qualities reported to be associated with effective person-centered practice (therapy and teaching). These qualities included practitioner afforded conditions and teachers’ strategies for coping with a wide range of intra-personal, personal and organizational/contextual challenges.