Mind Over Matter (Paperback)

Interpreting Albert Bandura's term "self-efficacy" as the individual's belief in his own abilities to succeed in spite of the given circumstances, this study seeks to identify the influences which lead to self-efficacy in Montessori teachers.The research indicates that Montessori teachers with high levels of self-efficacy have strong mastery experiences that support their attitudes and desired professional goals. The quantitative results also show that an emotional state associated with past experiences is the second best contributor to self-efficacy. Considering that self-efficacy may be most malleable during the early stages of learning, the results of this study serve to enhance the teacher-training experience though the analysis of early obstacles.