Journal of Montessori Research Spring Issue

I hope this issue of the Journal of Montessori Research finds you and yours well, despite the unprecedented
challenges presented by COVID-19. I have been heartened by the passionate efforts of the Montessori
community to continue to serve children, families, and teachers under these difficult circumstances. I look
forward to future articles based on studies that document these Herculean efforts, including a collaboration
between the KU Center for Montessori Research and the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector
(NCMPS).

Since its inception, our publication has benefitted from the wisdom and contributions of NCMPS cofounder
and executive director, Dr. Jackie Cossentino, who served on the advisory board for the Journal of Montessori
Research until her death in December 2019. Dr. Cossentino was a leader in Montessori research, and we all
deeply feel her loss both personally and professionally. A fitting memorial tribute and links to Dr. Cossentino’s
many scholarly publications are available on the NCMPS website.

I hope the articles in this issue provide a welcome reconnection to bigger ideas in Montessori education,
allowing you a respite from the stress surrounding us today. We begin with an inspirational article about a
program that transformed two traditional early childhood classrooms to Montessori settings within a diverse,
Title I school as part of the school’s dedicated commitment to social justice. The second article reports
on a Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) study examining the introduction of six music shelf
materials to address the fact that Montessori classrooms tend to emphasize developing children’s visual
rather than auditory senses. Finally, the third article is an intervention study examining how mathematics
presentations with Montessori materials connect children’s work with teacher direction based on a variation
and embodiment theoretical perspective.

We are already considering manuscripts for the next issue and will be transitioning to the 7th edition of the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association this fall. We ask that all future submissions
adhere to the revised style guide now available in university libraries and for individual purchase. A summary
of changes for the new edition is available at this link.
Sincerely,

Angela K. Murray, PhD
Editor, Journal of Montessori Research
Director, Center for Montessori Research
Chair, Montessori SIG, AERA
akmurray@ku.edu