Saturday 26 June 2021

The Development Planes in 150 Years in Montessori

I have found that in his development, the child passes through certain phases, each of which has its own particular needs. The characteristics of each are so different that the passages from one phase to another have been described by certain psychologists as ‘rebirths’.

— Dr. Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori recognised certain irrefutable patterns in children's development over the course of her years of observation in a range of settings. She acknowledged that there are numerous differences between people, but she asserted that certain characteristics could be depended on as children grew older. She believed that these features and features may be utilised not only to define a child's developmental stage, but also as a guide for the adults who care for him or her.

We still apply her scientific results in our work as professional Montessori educators today. Childhood development is organised into four basic phases, or planes, according to Dr. Montessori. Each level builds on the knowledge gained in the preceding ones, and each has an active and passive phase. We can better support a child's subsequent development by properly comprehending their developmental needs, regardless of where they are on this continuum.

There is a lot to say about Montessori's developmental planes, so we'll keep it short and to the point. We encourage parents to think about how their child's developmental features could impact their own decisions at home, just as we do in our learning environments.


The First Plane of Development


NEWBORN-AGE 6

Children learn mostly from their experiences with their surroundings during the first plane of development. The personal growth we experience during this time is unlike anything we will ever witness again in our lives. This is a period of significant physical growth as well as personality development. The Montessori teacher education center will teach you to be mindful of the following:

  • The desire to feel protected and safe
  • A desire for physical independence
  • The senses are being explored and refined.
  • Gross and fine motor skills development
  • Desire to work on your own or with others (as opposed to with them)
  • Thinking in concrete terms
  • a proclivity for neatness and order

The Second Plane of Development


AGES 6-12

There is a noticeable change in the child at the age of six. There are several physical growth surges as well as an unquenchable desire to learn more about the world and universe. The child's world begins to extend beyond their own restricted confines. This means they are more social, but also more interested about things they don't already know. Keep in mind the following characteristics:

  • This is a moment for huge dreams!
  • The mind of a youngster shifts from concrete to abstract.
  • Science, geography, and history are all popular cultural subjects.
  • At this age, children frequently favour big projects.
  • They desire social contacts, but they're still figuring out how to handle them properly.
  • They aren't always mindful of their expanding limbs and frequently trip or knock objects down.
  • Cleanliness and order are unimportant, yet they are frequently overlooked.
  • Justice and fairness have become crucial.

The Third Plane of Development


AGES 12-18

The time on the third level is amazing. Adolescents are in the stage of growth where they are discovering who they are as individuals. Despite the fact that we change throughout our lives, who we are at our core and what drives us are largely rooted in the discoveries we make throughout our adolescent years. Puberty brings massive physical and emotional changes, and there is a lot of variation across peers over the first half of this period. Important things to keep in mind:

  • Teenagers are considering their future plans.
  • They, like first-time flyers, require caring and emotional support.
  • Having knowledge of puberty will aid them as they go through it.
  • They rely greatly on their classmates, but they still require adult assistance (even as they seem to reject it)
  • Emotions will be quite volatile.
  • Adolescents must be treated with respect.
  • Physical labour is frequently prioritised over intellectual pursuits.

The Fourth Plane of Development


AGES 18-24

Yes, Montessori viewed the ages of 18-24 to be the pinnacle of a child's growth. Maybe you're still on this plane, or at least not too far away. Maybe you're bringing your kids on this plane. The transition from late adolescence to early adulthood is the link between our childhood selves and the remainder of our adult lives. The tremendous growth and learning that takes place during this time is crucial to our future selves.

People on the fourth level of development aspire to be completely self-sufficient. Moral independence, financial independence, and emotional independence are all examples of this. We tend to analyse our own particular standing in society at this age. We consider how we will contribute to the larger good and how we will proceed in the future. We develop personal hobbies, launch employment, and occasionally even start families.

At the fourth plane, Dr. Maria Montessori stopped writing on human development. One has to wonder what would have happened if she had persisted.

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Saturday 12 June 2021

Creating a Prepared Environment for Montessori

 The viewpoint we take as educators is one of the main differences between conventional methods and the Montessori process (whether we are parents, teachers, family members or the myriad of other roles in which adults act as educators to children). The demand for Montessori training online is rising as more and more millennial parents are looking for imparting wholesome education to their children; and the Montessori pedagogy reflects on a comprehensive approach during the developmental years of the kids.


Trying to guide or regulate the process of human development occurs naturally and predictably through the interaction between the infant and the environment; as a result, attempting to do so is at best futile and at worst actively harmful. the importance of studying a child's natural potentials and allowing them to guide their own experiences This does not, however, imply that teachers and parents are inactive and would just sit around to make the kids learn everything on their own.

If development takes place at the point where a child and their environment collide, and the child is perfectly suited on their side, the environment remains the other half of the equation. As educators, the main job is to develop, curate, and sustain an atmosphere in which the child can find all they need, and then to relate the child to that environment. Reputed online Montessori training institute provides a complete idea on the Montessori curriculum and how it helps aids children to grow at their own pace.


Key Aspects of the Prepared Environment


A prepared environment encourages the child to participate in it in a constructive and beneficial way while allowing the adult to observe without intervening. It must therefore be healthy for the child first and foremost, so that they can engage with it individually without an adult jumping in to “rescue” them from possible damage.

It must, of course, provide opportunities for activity and work that are suitable to the child's level: demanding but doable, in order to keep the child's attention and develop them. It must also be pleasing to the child – appealing, even stunning. Finally, it should always have both order and peace, which is what the child needs at all stages of development.

The educator, according to Dr. Montessori, serves as a link between the child and the world, facilitating initial interaction by drawing the child's attention and interest to the environment's interactions and opportunities.

Since the goal of childhood is to adapt – to become the adult of one's time and place – every child is born with an insatiable desire to learn, understand, and imitate the adult. It is the adult's responsibility to translate this enthusiasm for the world to the setting as a role model for how to deal with it.




Setting up the Environment


The method of designing a child's environment is a delicate balance of functional and aesthetic considerations, none of which should be prioritized over the other. When designing an environment, we start with the architectural and physical aspects, such as light and air quality, protection, and hygiene. Of course, this is not special to Montessori, but there isn't anything to say about it. However, we pay more attention than others to aesthetic elements like color and texture, as well as the dimensions of the space: the size and construction of the furniture, the arrangement of objects, and so on, to ensure that the child can move around and do things comfortably.

When designing an atmosphere, one of the most important things we can do is get down to the height of the child for whom the environment is designed and look at it from their viewpoint: can they see the displays without craning their head?

On many levels, order is a truly necessary component of any child's world. We must provide order in their environments to help children build order in their minds: a graded, systemic, and organised arrangement of every aspect of their world. Order provides a sense of security and familiarity to the child by providing points of reference and known sequences. Rather than being frustrated and confused, a child who is comfortable in the order of the world will explore, enjoy greater independence, and have the ability to choose from what is available.

The environment's activities, materials, and equipment should support rather than guide the child's growth. This means that any developmental resources, toys, or activities we have should not be placed on the infant, but should instead appeal to them and entice them with their beauty and functionality.

Finally, the environment's care, order, and harmony reflect the relationship between the adults and children who share the room. It's important to consider what we're expressing to the child by the way we use our power to preserve and alter the space as we exercise it.