Positive behavior intervention in Montessori early childhood : A look into normalization

Author / Creator

Anderson, Alyssa K. author

Available as

Physical

Summary

When walking into the Montessori early childhood classroom, one will notice the peaceful, happy buzz of children engaged in works of their choice. This is the normalized classroom. "Normalization" ...

When walking into the Montessori early childhood classroom, one will notice the peaceful, happy buzz of children engaged in works of their choice. This is the normalized classroom. "Normalization" refers to the process of the child achieving inner peace and harmony through concentration and self-discipline. The "normalization" of the child is a key concept in Montessori education. Montessori teachers cite social and emotional behavioral difficulties presented by children as a barrier to classroom normalization (Epstein, 1998). Positive behavior intervention addresses concerns around social and emotional behavioral barriers to normalization. The purpose of this action research project is to study the effects of adding opportunities to practice self-regulation, presented as positive behavior interventions, which will lead to normalization. In this action research project, the researcher ask, "How do positive behavior interventions complement structures of peace, grace, and courtesy already established in Children's house classrooms and Montessori early childhood curriculum? How will the enactment of positive behavior interventions prompt normalization in my own classroom?" The researcher collected data through teacher interview, two structured observations, and daily semi-structured observations. Positive behavior interventions were developed after an initial teacher interview and structured observation. The research showed that while establishing positive behavior norms is a significant factor of normalization, there are many additional factors that contribute to the normalized classroom, such as a child's enrollment schedule and classroom set-up. It is a balanced interplay of many parts that drive a Montessori early childhood classroom towards an ideal of normalization. For the future, the research suggests that normalization is achieved though a constant feedback loop between the teachers, the children, and the environment.

Show More