Using montessori resources in mathematics at primary level in a public primary school

Učitelju njegova avtonomnost omogoča izbiro učnih metod, oblik in didaktičnih sredstev za načrtovanje vzgojno izobraževalnega procesa. Za dodatno motivacijo in boljše učenčevo razumevanje podanega znanja pa naj bi učitelj uporabljal tudi različna konkretna ponazorila in didaktična sredstva, ki matematičnim vsebinam dajejo določen smisel (Program osnovna šola matematika. Učni načrt, 2011). Ena izmed podpornic uporabe različnih materialov v preteklosti je bila Maria Montessori. Po njenem mnenju uspešnega učenja ni mogoče uresničiti zgolj s poslušanjem besed, temveč je potrebna otrokova izkušnja. Zato je tako pomembno, da zna učitelj za učence pripraviti ustrezno okolje, ki jih spodbuja k izobraževanju oziroma k izvajanju dejavnosti (Montessori, 2011). V magistrskem delu smo se osredinili na uporabo didaktičnih sredstev, natančneje na uporabo montessori materiala pri pouku matematike od 1. do 5. razreda javne osnovne šole. Predstavili smo osnovne značilnosti montessori pedagogike, način poučevanja v montessori šolah in vključevanje različnih montessori materialov v učni proces. V empiričnem delu smo s pomočjo anketnega vprašalnika raziskali poznavanje montessori materialov med razrednimi učitelji, ki poučujejo matematiko in primerjali uporabo tako montessori materialov kot drugih didaktičnih sredstev pri pouku matematike v javni osnovni šoli z njihovo uporabo v montessori šolah. Osredinili smo se na mnenje učiteljev o montessori pedagogiki in možnosti uporabe montessori materialov pri pouku matematike v javni osnovni šoli ter ugotavljali dejavnike, ki vplivajo na pogostost uporabe didaktičnih sredstev. Zanimala nas je tudi povezanost uporabe montessori elementov z delovno dobo razrednih učiteljev. Prišli smo do ugotovitev, da so učitelji v javni osnovni šoli večinoma naklonjeni montessori pedagogiki in pri svojem delu v razredu uporabljajo tudi nekatere montessori elemente, ki so glede na pouk mogoči. Učitelji uporabljajo tudi t. i. montessori material in z njegovo pomočjo učencem predstavljajo nove vsebine. S primerjavo uporabe didaktičnih sredstev v javni osnovni šoli in montessori materialov v montessori šoli, smo ugotovili, da se med seboj razlikujeta. Največja razlika je ta, da montessori material predstavlja temelj poučevanja in učenja v montessori šoli, v nasprotju z didaktičnimi sredstvi v javni osnovni šoli, ki so zgolj pripomoček pri poučevanju. Posledica tega je drugačen način uporabe montessori materialov v javni osnovni šoli in tudi splošna uporaba didaktičnih sredstev pri pouku matematike. Opazili smo razlike pri seznanjenosti z montessori pedagogiko in uporabo montessori elementov med učitelji s krajšo in daljšo delovno dobo. V primerjavi z učitelji z daljšo delovno dobo, so učitelji s krajšo delovno dobo bolje seznanjeni z montessori pedagogiko, prav tako pa je uporaba montessori elementov pri pouku, ki ga vodijo učitelji s krajšo delovno dobo, večja.Teacher’s autonomy enables him to choose teaching methods, forms and didactic tools for planning the educational process. For additional motivation and better understanding of the student’s knowledge, the teacher should also use various concrete illustrations and didactic tools that give mathematical content a certain meaning (Elementary School Mathematics Program. Curriculum, 2011). One of the supporters of the use of various materials in the past was Maria Montessori. According to her successful learning cannot be achieved simply by listening to words, but a child’s experience is needed. That is why it is so important that the teacher knows how to prepare an appropriate environment for students, which encourages them to educate or to carry out activities (Montessori, 2011). In the master’s thesis, we focused on the use of didactic tools, more specifically on the use of montessori material in mathematics lessons from 1st to 5th grade of public primary school. We presented the basic features of montessori pedagogy, the way of teaching in Montessori schools and the inclusion of various montessori materials in the learning process. In the empirical par, we used a questionnaire to investigate the knowledge of montessori materials among primary teachers who teach mathematics and compared the use of montessori materials and other teaching aids in mathematics teaching in public primary school with their use in Montessori schools. We focused on teachers’ opinions on montessori pedagogy and the possibilities of using montessori materials in mathematics lessons in public primary schools, and identifies factors that affect the frequency of use of teaching aids. We were also interested in the connection between the use of montessori elements and the working life of primary teachers. We came to the conclusion that teachers in public primary schools are in favour of montessori pedagogy and they use some montessori elements in their class. Teachers also use so-called montessori material which helps pupils understand new contents. We found out that the use of teaching aids in primary school and montessori materials in montessori school differ from each other. The biggest difference is that montessori material are the main foundation of teaching and learning in montessori school in contradiction with teaching aids in public primary school that are only helping to achieve the aims. Because of this montessori material in public primary schools and teaching aids have different meaning in mathematical classes. We noticed the difference between teachers with shorter and longer length of service in the working life of primary teacher about knowingness of montessori pedagogy and the use of montessori elements. Teachers with shorter length of service are better introduced to montessori pedagogy as well as in use of montessori elements at class compared to the teachers with longer length of service