Navigating the dilemmas of educational reform: A case study of Montessori implementation in a Taiwanese public school.
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| Title: | Navigating the dilemmas of educational reform: A case study of Montessori implementation in a Taiwanese public school. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Chang, Ming‐Wen1,2 (AUTHOR), Chen, Chien‐Chih3 (AUTHOR) chen2020@mail.ntue.edu.tw, Chin, Joseph Meng‐Chun4 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | British Educational Research Journal. Dec2025, Vol. 51 Issue 6, p2758-2776. 19p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Montessori method of education, *Student-centered learning, *Public schools, *Educational change, *Academic motivation, Taiwanese people, Social role, Leadership |
| Geographic Terms: | Taiwan |
| People: | Montessori, Maria, 1870-1952 |
| Abstract: | This case study explores the transformation process and educational outcomes of a small rural public elementary school in Taiwan as it transitioned from a traditional school into a Montessori experimental school. Faced with challenges such as low student motivation and limited resources, the school adopted a bottom‐up trial strategy to introduce child‐centred pedagogy and gradually realised educational innovation within the institutional framework. The principal exhibited visionary leadership, emphasising accompaniment and trust, and fostered a cohesive teaching team. During the reform process, teachers reconstructed their professional identities—shifting from knowledge transmitters to learning facilitators—and established a culture of instructional autonomy. Students improved in learning motivation, concentration and interpersonal interactions, transitioning towards a learning mode characterised by autonomy, collaboration and enquiry. Despite institutional constraints, assessment systems and societal expectations, the school steadily advanced its reform through adaptive policy applications and external collaboration. This case demonstrates that with appropriate leadership, institutional flexibility and cultural support within the teaching team, alternative educational philosophies can yield tangible outcomes in public education systems and provide important insights for developing experimental education in Taiwan. Future research should consider multisite comparative studies across diverse educational and cultural contexts to explore how public Montessori reforms unfold under various systemic conditions. Incorporating student and parent perspectives through participatory methods can offer richer insights into the lived experiences of reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of British Educational Research Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 189830384 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Navigating the dilemmas of educational reform: A case study of Montessori implementation in a Taiwanese public school. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chang%2C+Ming‐Wen%22">Chang, Ming‐Wen</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Chien‐Chih%22">Chen, Chien‐Chih</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> chen2020@mail.ntue.edu.tw</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chin%2C+Joseph+Meng‐Chun%22">Chin, Joseph Meng‐Chun</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22British+Educational+Research+Journal%22">British Educational Research Journal</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 51 Issue 6, p2758-2776. 19p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Montessori+method+of+education%22">Montessori method of education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student-centered+learning%22">Student-centered learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+schools%22">Public schools</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+change%22">Educational change</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+motivation%22">Academic motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taiwanese+people%22">Taiwanese people</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+role%22">Social role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership%22">Leadership</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taiwan%22">Taiwan</searchLink> – Name: SubjectPerson Label: People Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="PE" term="%22Montessori%2C+Maria%2C+1870-1952%22">Montessori, Maria, 1870-1952</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This case study explores the transformation process and educational outcomes of a small rural public elementary school in Taiwan as it transitioned from a traditional school into a Montessori experimental school. Faced with challenges such as low student motivation and limited resources, the school adopted a bottom‐up trial strategy to introduce child‐centred pedagogy and gradually realised educational innovation within the institutional framework. The principal exhibited visionary leadership, emphasising accompaniment and trust, and fostered a cohesive teaching team. During the reform process, teachers reconstructed their professional identities—shifting from knowledge transmitters to learning facilitators—and established a culture of instructional autonomy. Students improved in learning motivation, concentration and interpersonal interactions, transitioning towards a learning mode characterised by autonomy, collaboration and enquiry. Despite institutional constraints, assessment systems and societal expectations, the school steadily advanced its reform through adaptive policy applications and external collaboration. This case demonstrates that with appropriate leadership, institutional flexibility and cultural support within the teaching team, alternative educational philosophies can yield tangible outcomes in public education systems and provide important insights for developing experimental education in Taiwan. Future research should consider multisite comparative studies across diverse educational and cultural contexts to explore how public Montessori reforms unfold under various systemic conditions. Incorporating student and parent perspectives through participatory methods can offer richer insights into the lived experiences of reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of British Educational Research Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=189830384 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/berj.4208 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 2758 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Montessori method of education Type: general – SubjectFull: Student-centered learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Public schools Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational change Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic motivation Type: general – SubjectFull: Taiwanese people Type: general – SubjectFull: Social role Type: general – SubjectFull: Leadership Type: general – SubjectFull: Taiwan Type: general – SubjectFull: Montessori, Maria, 1870-1952 Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Navigating the dilemmas of educational reform: A case study of Montessori implementation in a Taiwanese public school. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chang, Ming‐Wen – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chen, Chien‐Chih – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chin, Joseph Meng‐Chun IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: Dec2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01411926 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 51 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: British Educational Research Journal Type: main |
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