The effectiveness of the Montessori guidance services for parents, O.B. Montessori Center, Inc

This study attempts to determine the parents\u27 assessment of the effectiveness of the Montessori Guidance Services for Parents (MGSP) as a means for Guidance Program Improvement. The subjects of the study were confined to the parents of O.B. Montessori school located at Greenhills, San Juan for the school year 1981-1982. This study used the descriptive research design. Out of the 843 students enrolled for school year 1981-1982 at the Greenhills center, belonging to 616 families, 50 percent or 422 were chosen by random sampling from Casa (pre-school) up to Grade School and their parents included among the sample. A total of 113 distributed questionnaires were retrieved which represented 26.7 percent of the total parent sample. An instrument was devised by the researcher using the objectives of the MGSP as reflected in the School Manual and verified by the authorities concerned. The questionnaire evaluated three aspects of the MGSP: 1. the Montessori System of Education, 2. insights into the Child, 3. partnership between Home and School. Conclusions drawn from the findings of the study were: 1. Overall, the parents perceived the MGSP to be moderately effective in achieving their objectives.2. Corollary to No. 1, the three areas of the Montessori system were likewise perceived to be moderately effective. 3. Items 1 and 2 notwithstanding, the parent seem to lack an understanding of their children\u27s behavioral difficulties and in applying the Montessori child-rearing methods. Likewise, there appears a low perception on the effect of the adoption of surrogate parenthood on their children\u27s development. 4. Among the various services offered by Montessori, school orientation, seminar-workshops and parent-teacher\u27s conferences appeared to be the most appreciated ones. They not only deepen the parents\u27 understanding of the Montessori system and its teaching process but also made them understand their children better. These enable them to be of better assistance in meeting the particular needs of their children. 5. The weak points of the services were found to center on lackluster implementation of the services in terms of scheduling of services, length of time spent with parents and the apparent lack of innovations which made the services monotonous to parents who have been with the Montessori for some time. 6. The degree of parent involvement as reflected in their attendance and frequency of availing of the services outside the given schedules appeared to vary with the type of services. Attendance is highest in parent-teacher conferences while the highest frequency of availment was found in effective parenting