Silence in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom: Silence in Comparison to Quiet Conversation as it Relates to Concentration.

Abstract

This action research studied the effect of silence on levels of concentration in the early childhood Montessori classroom. The study took place in a private Montessori school located in a small city in central Minnesota. There was a total of 15 children in the study ranging in age from two and a half to five years old. Over a five-week period the concentration of my students was studied during silence for two weeks and durimg cooperative work and conversation for three weeks. Quantitative and Qualitative data were collected and analyzed to determine if silence aids or obstructs a child’s concentration. The results of the study showed that silence does aid in the concentration of children. The consequence of silence on cooperative work and how that effects mastery of work was also studied. Finally, throughout the paper, there is a discussion of the delicate balance between fostering an engaged, silent classroom versus socialization and freedom.