Integrating Montessori Education into Kindergarten Curriculum: Strategies and Challenges

Abstract. This study examined the integration of Montessori Education into the Kindergarten Curriculum in South District 2, Schools Division of Cebu City, Philippines, during School Year 2025- 2026. Specifically, it determined the profiles of school heads and Kindergarten teachers; their awareness of Montessori Education and the Kindergarten Curriculum; the perceived status of integration in terms of teachers' qualifications, instructional materials, and budget allocation; and their perceptions of effectiveness, benefits, and relevance, as well as the implementation strategies and challenges encountered. The study used a descriptive-correlational survey design with 32 respondents: five school heads and 27 Kindergarten teachers from five public schools. The researcher collected data through a researcher-made questionnaire and summarized them using frequencies, percentages, and weighted means. Respondents were aware of Montessori Education (weighted mean = 3.22) and highly aware of the Kindergarten Curriculum (3.32), yielding an overall awareness mean of 3.27. Teachers rated Montessori integration as evident (2.81), with teachers' qualifications (2.99), instructional materials (2.93), and budget allocation (2.52) as the measured dimensions. Despite positive perceptions of Montessori integration, respondents identified weak areas, particularly Montessori-specific teacher training (2.36), availability of Montessori-aligned materials, and the sufficiency of financial resources (2.22). The findings indicate that participating schools perceived Montessori integration as present, but implementation requires additional technical preparation and sustained institutional support. Accordingly, the study proposed an enhancement program to strengthen professional development, instructional material development, budget and resource mobilization, learner assessment practices, curriculum alignment, and stakeholder engagement. These findings reflect the self-reported perceptions of school heads and teachers and do not independently establish effects on Kindergarten learner outcomes.

Keywords: Curriculum Integration; Enhancement Program; Kindergarten Curriculum; Montessori Education; Teacher Preparation