Development of the will
Development of the will
The development of the will refers to the child's ability to make conscious choices, follow through with tasks, and regulate their actions. Montessori observed that young children develop their will by engaging in purposeful activities that lead to concentration, persistence, and problem-solving. Through repeated experiences of self-directed work, children strengthen their ability to concentrate, resist distractions, and take responsibility for their choices. This process lays the foundation for discipline from within and independence.
Montessori, M. (2007). Education for a new world (pp. 59-64). Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company. (Original work published 1946).
Montessori, M. (2018). The advanced Montessori method (Vol. 1, pp. 127-144). Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company. (Original English work published 1917).
Montessori, M. (2017). The discovery of the child (p. 316). Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company. (Original work published 1909).
Frierson, P. (2025). Maria Montessori. In E. N. Zalta & U. Nodelman (Eds.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2025). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2025/entries/montessori-maria/
Lillard, A. S. (2017). Montessori: The science behind the genius (Third edition) Ch. 3 “Choice and Perceived Control”). Oxford University Press.
Lillard, A. S. (2017). Montessori: The science behind the genius (Third edition) (Ch. 5 “Extrinsic Rewards and Motivation”). Oxford University Press.
Gokkoyun, E., & Kilicarslan, E. (2026). Children’s experiences of willpower and self-regulation: A phenomenological study of emotions, strategies, and metaphorical meanings in school-aged children. BMC Psychology, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-04510-9
Jones, L. B., Rothbart, M. K., & Posner, M. I. (2003). Development of executive attention in preschool children. Developmental Science, 6(5), 498–504. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-7687.00307
Savostyanov, A. N., Stepanova, V. V., & Tolstykh, N. N. (2019). Will and self-regulation: An interdisciplinary research experience. Cultural-Historical Psychology, 15(3), 91–104. https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2019150310
Broader Terms
Related terms
- RT⇆ Discipline from within
- RT⇆ Freedom
- RT⇆ Horme
- RT⇆ Independence
- RT⇆ Obedience
- ERIC Thesaurus Executive Function
- ERIC Thesaurus Goal Orientation
- ERIC Thesaurus Locus of Control
- ERIC Thesaurus Self Control
- ERIC Thesaurus Self Determination
- BroadMatch: https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D014836.html
- CloseMatch: https://archives.montessori-ami.org/help/glossary/will
- NarrowMatch: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85119721
- RelatedMatch: https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D000068356.html
