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Ritsu Dansako, Kyushu University, JapanAbstract
Montessori education is often conceptualized as a form of peace education, with Normalization identified by Montessori as one of the most significant outcomes of her empirical work. Normalization refers to a process through which children, including those with behavioral difficulties, return to a natural path of development. While Montessori described this change as sudden and almost miraculous, the present exploratory study reexamines the timing, processes, and conditions of Normalization and its relationship to peace in the classroom. Using an online survey, data were collected from 48 Montessori preschool teachers across eight countries. The questionnaire focused on teachers’ observations of the onset, duration, and outcomes of Normalization, as well as its perceived impact on children’s behavior and classroom climate, given the exploratory design and sampling constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses were analyzed descriptively to identify common patterns and trends across contexts. Two key findings emerged. First, teachers consistently identified children’s spontaneous choice of work as the primary trigger for Normalization. Second, contrary to Montessori’s original claim, Normalization was most often described as a gradual process, typically unfolding over three to four years during the preschool period rather than occurring suddenly. Most respondents (95%) reported improvements in behavioral problems, and 68% indicated that children maintained a permanent or semi-permanent normalized state.
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Conference: IICE2026Stream: Education & Difference: Gifted Education
This paper is part of the IICE2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Dansako R. (2026) Normalization and Its Relation to Peace Education Using a Sampling of Montessori Preschools From Around the World ISSN: 2189-1036 – The IAFOR International Conference on Education – Hawaii 2026 Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 331-345) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2189-1036.2026.31
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2189-1036.2026.31
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