The Implementation of Practical Life Works Targeting School-Specific Skills

Abstract

The purpose of this action research project was to study the implementation of practical life skills targeting school-specific skills. This study took place in a Children’s House classroom at a public Montessori school located in an urban city in the Midwest. The classroom housed a total of 19 students, consisting of pre-k and kindergarten children ranging from the age of four to six. Originally constructed as a traditional school, the building itself often inhibits independence for the school’s youngest learners. In this study, the researcher sought to increase student independence by implementing a serious of “school-specific” Practical Life tasks. The students were asked to practice the tasks as a part of their daily work cycle. Students then documented their work on Seesaw with their district-issued iPad. Over the course of six weeks, quantitative and qualitative data was collected to determine the impact of these activities on student independence levels at school. The results of this study indicate that students were capable of completing more school-specific tasks independently following the six-week study. The final pages of the paper present a thorough analysis of the further research and action steps of this study/paper. The paper concludes with some suggestions pertaining to potential opportunities for family/educator partnerships.