3 Positive Behavior Strategies Used in Montessori Daycare

Your Montessori daycare approaches discipline differently than traditional public schools. Instead of focusing on problem behavior, Montessori uses redirection and discussion to address the behavior of children. The idea is to address behavior before it becomes disruptive, and that is done through positive behavior strategies like these.

1. Appropriate Examples

The teachers and parents of children are their primary role models during the daycare and preschool years. As such, it is the responsibility of these people to provide positive examples of desirable behavior. From taking responsibility for accidents and mistakes to learning social skills such as courtesy and grace, children learn from what they see in others. Our role as adults in their lives is to give them the best examples we are able to provide. Be what you want to see, and acknowledge good behavior when it happens.

2. Consistency

When the desired behavior has been laid out for children to follow, it needs to be consistent. This is especially important when coordinating school activities with the home or community. Maintaining or addressing consistency between the home and the classroom is one of the many reasons that Montessori uses frequent parent-teacher communication. With everyone on the same page, children quickly adapt to behaving in an appropriate manner.

3. The Prepared Environment

The Montessori prepared environment is not a random collection of toys and activities. It is carefully laid out to engage children in their educational activities in a manner that benefits from good social behavior. Children hone grace and courtesy skills regularly because social etiquette is one of the cornerstones of the Montessori environment, and they are frequently given reasons to use it. 

Montessori daycares are known for their quiet, organized activities. That reputation is a direct result of using proactive, positive behavior strategies to minimize disruptions and maximize the focus and concentration of the children. Good behavior is not addressed as an individual issue so much as it is learning an effective method of interacting with others that will yield the desired results.

3 Engaging Ways to Teach About Gratitude in Montessori Preschool

Your child’s Montessori preschool includes good behavior concepts like gratitude in a variety of ways throughout the school day. Whether they are taking turns using a particular activity, participating in group activities, or performing daily routines, gratitude plays a key role in the Montessori environment.

1. Sharing is Caring

Obviously, there are a limited number of activities available in the Montessori preschool classroom. And that creates plenty of opportunities for children to practice social graces and show gratitude when it is due. Simply learning to say thank you after being given permission to do something is a major step toward learning to show gratitude toward the kindness of others. Just as it is customary to say "thank you" after someone passes the peas at the dinner table, showing gratitude for permissions and external assistance keeps the classroom more focused and avoids conflicts.

2. Group Activities

When the class has all sorts of group activities, even sing-alongs, it is a great opportunity for practicing social skills like gratitude. Asking for and receiving permission helps keep everything moving along smoothly, avoiding potential conflicts as it instills the concepts of asking and giving into impressionable young minds. And that point is worth remembering because children come into the world as a blank slate that is absorbent and willing so long as that need is fulfilled and encouraged.

3. Respect and Inclusion

The ability to show gratitude when it is due is vital in developing respect for ones and others. It is an important leadership skill that plays a role in helping children become included more often in more ways. Respect is all about showing gratitude and deferential behavior, and it is important that children develop the skills necessary to both show appreciation and to accept it.

Anywhere your children go, they will have plenty of opportunities to practice displays of honest gratitude. From thanking the clerk for his service to showing gratitude for someone holding the door, life is filled with people interacting, and every interaction involves respectful behavior and appropriate shows of gratitude.