Comparison of the math skills of 48-72 month-old children who are attending Montessori preschools and Non-Montessori preschools

The aim of this study is to compare the math skills of children with and without Montessori education. A mixed design method was used in the research. Quantitative data were used to measure children's mathematical skills. Parents' views on early mathematics education were obtained by qualitative data collection method. The study group included 39 children who attended two different kindergartens with and without Montessori education for two years and their parents. Personal information form and the Early Mathematics Test (EMAT) were used to collect data. As a result that the educational institution they attend is effective in children's mathematics skills, it was found that, the mathematics skill scores of the children who received Montessori education were higher than those who did not receive Montessori education. It was determined that the age of the children's parents, education level of the parents and working status of mothers did not cause significant changes on the children's math scores. Parents of children attending both schools stated that they see mathematics as a part of daily life and that early mathematics achievements will affect both their whole life and their future academic achievements. It was observed that the parents mostly focused on counting skills. While some of the parents expressed skills such as sequencing, matching, and patterns, none of them responded to geometry. It has been concluded that the families adopting the Montessori education method see this education method as a tool for learning mathematics and guide their learning at home by interacting more with their teachers.