Unconscious Powers of Human Development
Two main tasks of human development.
What is...to become and to belong?
The ages and characteristics of the first plane: 0-6 years old
What are...the absorbent mind, need real experiences, work of the hands and movement, lots of language exposure, move from unconscious to conscious. “This is a toaster. We use it to toast bread.” Type of independence: functional
The 4 basic sensitive periods
What are...language, movement, refinement of the senses, order
14 human tendencies
What are: abstraction, activity, communication, exactness, exploration, imagination, manipulation, mathematical mind, order, orientation, repetition, self-perfection, to know/to reason, work.
Link to building of the Taj Mahal.
Freedom looks like this in a Montessori-inspired space. These are the four basic freedoms.
In a Montessori Environment, there is a freedom within a structure, and a structure within a freedom. This means that there are clear, consistent guidelines for these freedoms, and an agreement is made with the children to adhere to them.
What are...to choose, to repeat, to move, to communicate.
Three unconscious powers that facilitate the task of human development
What are...the absorbent mind, the horme, the mneme?
The ages and characteristics of the second plane: 6-12 years old
What are: the reasoning mind, using what was concrete and drawing abstractions/imagination. Cosmic education. They ask big questions. How, why, when? "How does the toaster work? Let’s take it apart and see how it works.” Type of independence: intellectual
The definition and function of sensitive periods
Definition: An optimal period or span of time when the human being is particularly sensitive to certain environmental stimuli essential to human development
Function: To become and belong (self construction and adaptation), to guide the child to actively select and focus on those elements in the environment which are essential to the child’s self-construction
Physical needs
What are...food, water, clothing, defense, shelter, transportation
Children have the freedom to CHOOSE: Activities, Where they want to work, and With whom. This is how we foster that freedom, and this is how inner discipline is developed...
WE FOSTER THIS BY:
Giving presentations
Making materials accessible to children, on low, orderly shelves
The logical layout of the environment
Materials are child sized, easily manageable
Materials are attractive to the child, through beauty and also function, they satisfy an internal need in the child
Encouraging children to share their knowledge with friends
Control of error
Providing independent and parallel tables, floor space for mats
INNER DISCIPLINE IS DEVELOPED BY:
Being able to make a decision
Wanting to choose work that is interesting and available
There are no multiple sets, so if the child wants to use something that is being used, their will becomes developed as they wait their turn.
The definition of the Absorbent Mind
What is...the ability to take all of it in, the all-seeing eye, through all of their senses, quickly and effortlessly, without discrimination. The absorbent mind not only absorbs the positive, but also absorbs prejudices, fears, emotions, unstated feelings, the physical and emotional qualities in the world.
The ages and characteristics of the third plane: 12-18 years old
What are...cosmic ed continues, how to be an active part of humanity, wanting to serve, often considered idealistic, some adults that don’t understand may crush their ideals. “How can this toaster help me to feed people who have no food?” Creative--might turn the toaster into pop art. Type of independence: social
The characteristics of sensitive periods
What are...unconscious, universal, transitory/periodic, overlap/coincide, found only during development, most in number and most obvious during first plane of development
Spiritual needs
What are...art/music/athletics (culture), love, religion/spirituality/sense of wonder, vanitas/aesthetics
Children have the freedom to REPEAT any work that they have been presented, and not necessarily from the guide, depending on the material. We foster this in these ways and inner discipline is developed in these ways....
WE FOSTER THIS BY:
Making the materials accessible, manageable, and with control of error
Giving presentations
Encouraging the children, at the end of presentations, verbally
Preparing the environment thoroughly with an appropriate amount of paper, pencils, etc.
Protecting the three hour work cycle
INNER DISCIPLINE IS DEVELOPED BY:
Uninterrupted concentration
Development of his/her own independent structure of activity, for example, if the child feels he needs to scrub tables all morning, he is free to do so.
The definition of the Horme and the Definition of the Mneme
What is...the natural drive universal to all humans AND what is...the storage of sensory images/events, power to retain them, and makes the impressions incarnated, part of who they are?
Sir Percy Nunn named, Dr. Montessori agreed!
The ages and characteristics of the fourth plane: 18-24 years old
What are...young adults, finalizing development. Some have started careers, families. If previous planes have went well, they have cecome solid, and are consolidating life’s development thus far. If they’ve had a lot of turmoil, interruption, instability, they may need additional support to fix holes in their development. “How can this toaster help support my family while also contributing to society?” Type of independence: financial
We know that sensitive periods are or are not being fulfilled when these behaviors are observed...
Fulfilled: Repetition, Joyful, Concentration, Tremendous activity with their hands, Spontaneous activity leads to concentration, Exactness, Perfect acquisition.
Not fulfilled: frustration, "naughtiness," tantrums
We accommodate, nurture, and activate these tendencies through these ways
What are...the prepared environment and prepared adults. Purposeful work.
Children are given the freedom of MOVEMENT.
The child is in the sensitive period for refinement of movement, so this freedom is very important.
The child is allowed to move freely throughout the environment, whether he needs to get water or go to the bathroom in the middle of an activity, or if he just feels the need to observe others.
We foster this in these ways and inner discipline is developed in these ways...
WE FOSTER THIS BY:
The layout of the room (graceful movement); creating spaces that feel open and airy, but limit running. A room that is too small is better than one that’s too big if you had to choose.
Fine motor skill activities in all areas:
Exercises of practical life: dressing frames, polishing, rolling oil cloths, pouring
Sensorial: how we handle the cubes of the pink tower, the cylinders of the cylinder blocks, the tracing sticks with the botany cabinet, the puzzle map pieces, the little spoons and eyedroppers of tasting bottles
Language: writing with paper materials, metal insets, clasps on the packets, manipulating the materials in reading analysis
Math: beads, stamps, cards and counters, setting up/organizing the decimal cards
Large motor skill activities in all areas:
Exercises of practical life: carrying trays, pitchers, emptying buckets, scrubbing tables, silence activity, walking on the line
Sensorial: red rods, brown stair, pink tower, cylinder blocks, distance games, environment games
Language: acting out reading analysis, using the farm, labeling the environment, sandpaper letters, chalkboards
Math: placing mats at a distance, fetching cards and beads
INNER DISCIPLINE IS DEVELOPED BY:
The physical act of freedom, moving freely in an appropriate way, meaning respect for the environment, the work of others, and the animals and the plants.
Connecting their intelligence with their hands and bodies.
The characteristics of the Absorbent Mind
What are: Incarnation (becoming part of you), Creative, Unconscious and involuntary, Analagous to a camera AND a sponge, Dynamic, Universal, Non-discriminatory, Global, evolves from 0-6: from 0-3, it is completely unconscious, from 3-6, a child slowly comes “into consciousness,” and is more capable in choosing what they want to learn.
The adult and the environment can be prepared in these ways to support the first plane child
The adult: Spiritual preparation (how can we be our best selves--work to remove bias, practice self-love, model kindness, respect, patience, humility, etc). Intellectual preparation (be life-long learners ourselves, this program, continuing education, following our own interests, engage in current affairs, spending time with people that think differently). Technically prepared (know our presentations, understand why we are introducing them and when to introduce them). Physically prepared (basic things for balanced health: diet, sleep, exercise, prioritize mental health).
The environment: Orderly, beautiful, simple, safe. Child-sized, manageable. Color-coded, simple to complex, top to bottom, left to right. Schedule set to support a sense of endless time which encourages concentration. Peaceful environment simply and beautifully decorated--having low artwork, not too busy feeling, low buzz of activity. Reality based, purposeful work. Freedom to move, choose, repeat. Encourage independence. Avoid running tracks, set furniture up to encourage refinement of movement.
Adults have a tendency to get in the way of a sense of order for young children. We are in a rush, we go to the fastest, most efficient way to accomplish a task, we have to change plans, etc. But finding a way to support order is critical for building up human characteristics because
Order is essential to math and language, Order helps organize their world, Orientation, Distinguish and discriminate, See patterns, Explore their world, feel secure and comfortable. This is order physically and also with routines/schedules. Whenever we can support a five day (even half day) schedule, we will be helping the child with their sense of order. There are two common misconceptions of a Montessori environment: too loose, too strict. Neither is true. Guitar string analogy.
Characteristics of Human Needs and Tendencies
What are: universal, observable, timeless, necessary for development. The Montessori method was created and curated based on the scientific observation (quantitative and qualitative) of these, along with the unconscious powers, sensitive periods, and planes of development.
Children are given the freedom to COMMUNICATE when another child or the adult is available. They may do this orally, or through writing--on chalkboards, paper, or with the moveable alphabet or other means such as magnetic letters or words. We foster this freedom in these ways and inner discipline is developed through these ways....
WE FOSTER THIS BY:
Encouraging spoken language through materials, presentations, and creating a language-rich environment with a lot of storytelling, and the question game.
Really listening and respecting the child and other adults as we speak together.
Encouraging written language through materials, presentations, and having a lot of opportunity for written language as communication, whether it be note-writing or creative story writing.
Giving Grace and Courtesy lessons; showing the appropriate ways to respectfully communicate.
Having mixed ages to model appropriate communication.
INNER DISCIPLINE IS DEVELOPED BY:
Waiting for a person’s attention.
Being able to express oneself effectively and appropriately.