How Montessori Helps Children Develop Executive Functioning Skills

Executive functioning skills are a set of brain functions that allows a person to organize and complete tasks. People are not born with them; they are learned. This is why Blossoms Montessori School makes it part of its learning experience for children.
To understand the importance of these cognitive processes, let us go through eight essential ways it affects our daily functioning.

 1. Self-Control
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Self-control refers to a child’s ability to pause and think before doing something. Children who have self-control are more organized with their tasks, which means responsibilities and assignments are done correctly. They are not disruptive in class and teachers do not have to tell them twice to do or stop doing something.

2. Self-Monitoring
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Self-monitoring allows a child to evaluate one’s actions. Through self-monitoring, children can gauge if they need help with an activity. They know their strengths and weaknesses.

3. Flexibility
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Flexibility refers to children’s ability to adapt to changes and thrive despite ambiguity. Children must not be coddled so they can learn how to adjust to different situations on their own.

4. Task Initiation
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Children with this skill can complete their tasks independently and without procrastination. These students are never late with school projects. An inability to initiate tasks can result in anxiety, feelings of being overwhelmed, and leaving chores unfinished.

5. Working Memory
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Working memory is being able to retain necessary information and follow directions. Children with working memory are attentive and not easily distracted. At our Montessori daycare, children are free to select their activities so they can hone their working memory.

6. Emotional Control
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Managing one’s feelings is vital. Children with emotional control can bounce back more quickly when disappointed. They spend less time sulking and enjoy more meaningful and long-lasting relationships.

7. Time Management
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When given assignments, children with time-management skills do not meander. They plan and organize their thoughts and tasks to complete their projects on time.

8. Organization
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Organization refers to the ability to maintain a system that allows a person to keep track of the things he or she needs to achieve a goal. The learning materials and projects at our Montessori childcare encourage students to learn and be organized. Organized students know where things are stored and know how to put items back in their original places.

Find out more about the important skills we teach at our Montessori preschool by exploring our website or booking a tour.