Public Montessori Early Childhood Educators’ Perceptions of Psychological Needs Fulfillment

Abstract

As attrition rates of teachers remain a concern and the establishment of Montessori public schools increases in the United States, studying the needs satisfaction of Montessori public school teachers is a way to address issues of retainment. This qualitative methods study used the Self-Determination Theory framework to guide an analysis of factors that impact the levels of autonomy, relatedness, and competence within a public Montessori school teacher’s work environment. This study gave public Montessori teachers an opportunity to share their stories and provide context to the issue of work satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Findings indicated that there are several factors and experiences that impact a public Montessori school teacher’s experience with autonomy, relatedness, and competence in their daily work. Additional findings are that these factors impact Montessori teachers on different levels: personal, school, and external. In analyzing these factors and level of impact, administrators and school districts can make sure that the work environments of public Montessori teachers are conducive.