Transforming Montessori Classrooms with 3 Effective Inclusive Practices

Montessori classrooms were originally designed to be inclusive and developmentally appropriate for the age groups to which they cater. The appealing characteristics of a Montessori environment are: freedom of movement, accessible and child-friendly furniture, individualized lessons, and cultural/global awareness. However, many Montessori training programs focus on the philosophy, observation, and delivery of lessons and do not include resources or strategies for students with disabilities or cultural differences. This has led to several Montessori teachers lacking the confidence and knowledge to integrate inclusive strategies or practices within the classroom (Long & Ferranti, 2022). Highlighted below are three foundational strategies that I use that can be integrated within the classroom and at home to create a more inclusive and successful environment, with additional commentary on how school leaders can support their teachers and the school community. 

1. Utilize a Strong Social-Emotional Learning Program 

Social emotional learning (SEL) is crucial for young learners, as it encourages positive peer relationships, opportunities to develop emotional awareness, and encompasses skills that are necessary for lifelong learning (Aksoy & Gresham, 2024). Social-emotional learning programs provide curriculum and materials for students to practice these foundational skills and identify various methods to resolve conflicts. Conscious Discipline by Becky Bailey is one such program that is easily integrable within the Montessori community, as it focuses on modeling appropriate behavior, focusing on breathing techniques and body movements to encourage the brain to reach a state of calm, and includes stories, puppets, and visuals for reinforcing positive behaviors. Aksoy & Gresham (2024) find that preschool-aged learners require a social-emotional learning curriculum that provides concrete examples, is repetitive, and encourages relationship building with others outside of their family. One of the most powerful benefits of the Conscious Discipline technique is its ability to help children identify their emotions, verbalize their feelings to peers, and find a solution that resolves the conflict. The following is a scenario that occurred within my classroom where Conscious Discipline methods were applied: 

During the morning work cycle, a student, Carson* (name changed for privacy), had been actively trying to get Alia*'s attention to observe the number writing he had just completed. As Alia was focused on her work, she ignored Carson's continuous requests, and Carson then began coloring on Alia's work. Alia then got very upset and proceeded to yell and stomp her feet at Carson. I observed the encounter, walked over, and got down to their level. I calmly stated, "Alia, I can see that you're upset because your eyebrows are scrunched up and you are raising your voice. Can you tell me what happened?" Alia then confirmed what I observed and shared that she was sad because she had been working hard on her paper. I then turned to Carson and said, "I saw that you were trying to show Alia your work, and she was not paying attention to you. Did that frustrate you?" Carson stated that he was sad that Alia wouldn't look at his work, and that is why he colored on her picture. I told Alia, "Please tell Carson, I did not like it when you colored on my work. Next time, can you put your hand on my shoulder?" Alia repeated the language I modeled/provided for her, and I then said, "Carson, can you tell Alia that next time you want to talk to her or share something that you will put your hand on her shoulder?"  

For Teachers: 

• Refer to school leaders to determine what social-emotional program will work for the school. 

• Use social-emotional stories during circle time or in small group lessons (Problem Solvers Story), and then continue to model appropriate language and skills during moments of conflict amongst students.  

• Provide the language framework to parents during orientation and continuously update as necessary. 

For Parents: 

• If not already communicated to you, ask teachers or school administrators for information on the social-emotional program utilized within the school. 

• Explore Becky Bailey's book, "Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline" for an overview of Conscious Discipline practices within the home environment. 

2. Foster Collaborative and Supportive Relationships  

Collaboration is an integral part of creating an inclusive and positive environment for students with diverse learning needs. Kunwar & Adhikari (2023) emphasize the importance of collaborative relationships amongst educators, families, and the community in supporting students with disabilities. The following details explore the impact of these relationships as identified by Kunwar & Adhikari (2023).  

Partnerships with Educators  

• Create opportunities for sessions in which instructional strategies, interventions and accommodations can be discussed amongst teachers across various disciplines (special education, Montessori guides, support staff). 

• During collaborative meeting sessions, educators can share resources and explore alternative methods and strategies to support their students and each other.   

Partnerships with Families 

Positive relationships between educators and parents ensure that each student’s individual needs are met, both within the school and at home. To develop trust and form these collaborative partnerships, educators must be consistent in their communication and create opportunities for parents to be involved and informed about the methods, materials, and strategies implemented in the classroom (Adams et al., 2019). The following examples are the methods I have used to garner trust and respect amongst the families within my community. 

• Share information about the methods and strategies used within the classroom, modifications made to the curriculum, and accommodation tools. 

• Create a Google Classroom or other platform for families to be updated frequently on curriculum/lessons with links to specific resources or tools.  

• Discuss goals and identify challenges that impact home life through weekly check-ins. 

• At the beginning of the school year, host individual meetings with new families to identify the best form of communication and provide the details for any apps or platforms that are used to relay information. 

3. Develop an Empowering Classroom through the Implementation of Accommodations  

Classroom tools and accommodations foster an inclusive learning environment and encourage students to develop empathy and an understanding of the unique ways that others can learn (Ravindra Kumar Kushwaha et al., 2024). The following tools can support students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as the general student body.  

Timers: 

• Effective for students with ADHD and general student body 

• Establish an amount of time that student must remain focused on an activity/long work, and offer brain breaks in between. The student can determine what is a desirable, calming activity to engage in after the timer has gone off, and then return to the activity/work for as many rotations as necessary. Example: A student chooses to color and write about the animals of North America, but begins to feel tired or overwhelmed after a short time. Rather than having the student pack away immediately, offer the use of a sand timer and explain that after the sand runs out, they can go to a preferred activity (using the yoga mat, work at a sensory table, or read a book in the library) for the same length of time. Model the behavior by sitting with the student until the timer runs out and then bring the timer with the student to the next activity. This creates accountability and offers respite from tasks that may appear unmanageable or challenging.  

  
  

Visual Activity Schedules 

• Effective for students with ASD, ADHD, and preschool-aged learners. 

• Can be used to visually represent the daily routines of a classroom. 

• Can be individualized for specific students and include visuals of lessons/works that are available to them; helping to limit the choices that are constantly displayed within a Montessori classroom. 

• Parents can create charts at home to establish consistency and reinforce positive behaviors  

• Thomas & Karuppali (2022) find that visual activity schedules "reduce the latency to initiate a new activity, reduce temper tantrums during transitions, and enhance and maintain multiple social skills" (p. 2). 

• Visual Activity Schedule Creator 

Commentary for School Leaders 

Educational administrators, directors, and leaders contribute to the school’s overall functioning. It is their responsibility to set the tone, model their expectations, and ensure that inclusivity extends to every stakeholder within the school community. To establish a high proficiency, inclusive culture, school leaders should exhibit and implement the following (Williams et al., 2020): 

• Support teachers in receiving professional development on disorders that are prevalent in the school community. 

• Align the expectations and evaluations to meet the needs of students with disorders. 

• Allocate resources for materials, training and adequate staffing. 

• Be open and flexible with how the classroom is set up to meet student's needs. 

• Provide assistance and feedback regularly or refer to outside experts. 

• Value the work of the special education instructors and utilize their resources. 

• Look for opportunities to integrate special education within the community. 

• In my future role as an educational leader, I intend to form a partnership with local agencies, hold informative meetings for educators and families, and ensure that I follow the guidelines set above.   

Connection to Commitments in Education 

Within my commitments to education, I express the importance of developing collaborative relationships with the school community, using mixed methods and approaches towards delivering equitable education, and creating an inclusive and harmonious learning environment. The ideas outlined in this plan provide actionable steps towards achieving those goals, and enforcing inclusive policies and practices within the school and home environments. 

Annotated Bibliography