The Montessori approach to developing behavioral regulation in children aged 3–5 years: a study at daycare X
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22460/ts.v12i2.7698Keywords:
Early Childhood, Daycare, Montessori Approach, Behavioral RegulationAbstract
Behavioral regulation is an important developmental capacity in early childhood as children learn to control impulses, sustain attention, remember activity sequences, and adjust actions to different situations. The Montessori approach provides an orderly and purposeful environment in which these capacities can be practiced through concrete materials. This study describes the implementation of Montessori education to foster behavioral regulation among children aged 3–5 years at Daycare X. Using a qualitative case study design, participants included five children aged 3–5 and a Montessori classroom teacher, with the daycare principal serving as an informant. Data were obtained through observations, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, and analyzed using data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings indicate that a prepared environment, freedom within limits, material use, work cycles, and teacher guidance provided repeated opportunities for children to regulate their behavior during Montessori learning. Observed regulatory behaviors involved inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.
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