The Change Is in Me. The Transformation of Adults to the Role of the Montessori Guide. Qualitative - biographical Research Study

Abstract

The article presents the results of the qualitative – biographical research study conducted among a group of two Montessori training courses participants. The main aim of the research was to address the question on how the informants thematize and articulate their meanings attributed to the process of change. The research question was formulated as follows: how do the trainee Montessori 6 – 12 guides thematize their process of transformation? The article outlines the notion of educational change in the context of tacit knowledge and personal theories and then focuses on description of the research procedure that included twenty-five in-depth, individual interviews that were later analysed following Kvale’s idea of seven steps. The results show that the educational change is initiated as an overthought decision and may be characterised by two major categories: radical transformation and biographical correction. In the conclusion, the author observes that the educational reforms (in the perspective of the gathered narratives) cannot be imposed and suggests favourable conditions that may enhance changes: giving teachers freedom to decide, create their authorship didactic solutions, democratisation of this sector of public service and supporting teachers’ sense of dignity.

Keywords

• Montessori qualitative research
• adult transformation in the Montessori approach
• Montessori guide
• educational change
• tacit knowledge