Montessori_Sensitive_Periods

Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne Define the term sensitive periods, and explain how the teacher’s knowledge and understanding of these periods determines his/her preparation and custodianship of the prepared environment. In this essay I intend to define term sensitive periods and give details and examples of 6 main periods. I also intend to explain why it is important to support these periods during child’s 1st stage of development, outline consequences of not supporting child’s sensitivities, I will give details of how the teacher ensures that each individual period is supported through the prepared environment. 1 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne • Define the term sensitive periods and give full details of the six main periods, together with examples to show your understanding. Many people before Maria Montessori noted that young children go through different periods of development. It took 21 years of observation and collecting information till Maria Montessori was ready to compile her theory on Sensitive Periods. “Sensitive Periods are a specific, limited time when the child shows a strong attraction to a particular activity. The activity child is drawn to aid the child in her physical, mental and emotional development.” www.pcdevelopers.com/montessori-at-home. 2 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne The child is drawn to particular activity only for a certain length of time, when the skill has been acquired this attraction disappears. Sensitive Periods can be long, short, some overlap or run parallel. When a child is gaining new skill or knowledge during a Sensitive Period, he does so with great ease and with deep concentration. Maria Montessori said “the sensitive period refers to a special sensibility which creature acquires in its infantile state, while it is still in a process of evolution. It is a transient disposition and limited to the acquisition of a particular trait. Once this trait, or a characteristic, has been acquired, the special sensibility disappears.” Montessori, M. ,The Secret of Childhood,1972,p38. 3 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne The six main Sensitive Periods (birth-6 years) are: 1. Sensitivity to Order 2. Refinement of the Senses 3. Sensitivity to Language 4. Sensitivity for Walking and Movement 5. Sensitivity for small Objects 6. Sensitivity to the Social Aspects of life Sensitivity to Order (6months-6years) In this period child is making sense of the world. Child need external order to create internal order. Example: child puts ball on the chair and expects to find it when he comes look for it later, if the ball is moved child get frustrated. 4 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne “The sight of something out of place seems to represent a kind of stimulus, a call to activity. But without doubt it is also something more. Order is one of the needs of life which, when it is satisfied, produces a real happiness.” Montessori, M., The Secret of Childhood, 1972,p52. Refinement of the Senses (birth-6years) Children are using their senses well before they are born. They can hear mother’s heart beat, her voice, distinguish between light and dark and can listen to music. Child is beginning to get information about thing around him, about world, through use of his senses. As child’s brain develops it becomes able to choose among appropriate and inappropriate sensory stimuli. 5 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne Example : baby tries to look and grasp shiny objects, loud noise frighten young children, babies don’t like sour and spicy tasting food – they pull faces. Sensitivity to Language (3months-6years) This period runs from before child’s birth till the child is about 6 years old. Babies are showing great interest in the sound of human voice and in watching speakers mouth. They try to imitate words that they can hear, at this stage we should give children meaning of the words, lots of vocabulary, correct words. At the later date introduce to children symbols, letters, writing and reading. 6 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne “Language…develops naturally, like a spontaneous creation. Also it’s development follows fixed laws which are the same for al children…All children pass through a period in which they can only pronounce syllables; then they can pronounce whole words, and finally, they use to perfection all the rules of syntax and grammar.” Montessori, M., The Absorbent Mind, 2007, p100. Sensitivity for Walking and Movement (18mth-4years) Movement is the most important element of learning. Child is learning through repetition of the movement. We must offer activities that provide challenge to co-ordination of hands and whole body and stimulate child’s mind. 7 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne Example: Practical Life Exercises in the nurseries are ideal for development of the hand-eye co-ordination, fine motor skills, concentration…E.I.: opening/closing bottles, transferring beads with tongs… Sensitivity for small Objects (18mth.-4years) Children in this period are conscious of every detail and can notice differences in between two objects. Children at this stage are drawn to very small objects which they observe and manipulate. “From the beginning of the second year a child is no longer carried away by gaudy objects and brilliant colours with that transport of joy so characteristic of the sensitive periods, but becomes interested in tiny objects that escape our notice.” Montessori, M., The Secret of Childhood, 1972, p64. 8 Assignment1 Gabriela Payne Sensitivity to the social aspects of life (2 ½-6years) At this period the child is beginning to attend different social settings. He is observing his social environment and behaviour of individuals in his group, starting to co-operate with others and is developing his manners and social skills. Example: Small child saying “Thank you” to others, or children encouraged to take turns whilst playing. 9 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne • Explain why it is important to support and facilitate these periods during the child’s first stage of development. “ Man’s intelligence does not come from nothing; rather it is build upon the foundations laid by the child during his sensitive periods.” Montessori, M., The Secret of Childhood, 1972, p55. The periods of child’s first stage of development are important because the child gains knowledge which become basis for further learning. The research has shown, that babies and toddler’s brain are more flexible with regards to learning, understanding and use of language than older children. 10 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne Montessori M. said that young children have ability to educate themselves and that their brain is able to absorb vast amounts of knowledge. Montessori, M., The Absorbent Mind, 2007. “By the age of three, the child has already laid down the foundation of his personality as a human being, and only then does he need the help of special scholastic influences. So great are the conquests he has made that one may well say: the child who goes to school at three is already a little man.” Montessori, M., The Absorbent Mind, 2007,p.6 11 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne • Outline any adverse consequences of not recognising and supporting the child’s sensitivities. Not recognising child’s sensitive period can have unwanted effect on the child, for example : • child in the deprived surrounding which lacks stimulation often shows change in his character, • child get upset and agitated by lack of order in his surroundings, • If child is not exposed to language during his sensitive period child will sustain shortcomings in his intellectual development, which can’t be fully repaired. • If child is not exposed to different experiences to awaken his sensual stimuli child won’t be able to develop his sense discrimination. 12 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne • If movement is restricted during child’s learning, child gets bored and start displaying unwanted behaviour. • If child is not introduced to different social groups he will have shortcomings in social skills, manners and would not be able to co-operate and integrate with others. • Give details of how the teacher ensures that each individual period is supported through the prepared environment, so that the child can reach his/her optimum development. Teacher must prepare calm, positive and suitable environment for the children with small tables and chairs, movable furniture, low cupboards, pictures on the wall, softly playing music, classroom should feel like real home, children 13 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne should be encouraged to use outdoor area and garden, mats available for work if child doesn’t want to sit in a chair, materials adapted to child’s needs and reality based, encourage independence and self-help skills, assist the child but don’t interrupt when he is engrossed in an activity, keep things in order not just to keep classroom tidy but to help child to organise his mental development. Encourage children to move freely in the classroom and get activities without having to ask for them. 14 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne In this essay I have defined term Sensitive Periods and Have given examples of the six main periods. Also I have explained supporting these periods during the child’s first stage of development. I have outlined consequences of not supporting the child’s Sensitivities. Also I have given details of how the teacher ensures that each period is supported through the prepared environment. During my study for this essay I have learned a lot of new and interesting facts about Sensitive periods, Maria Montessori’s Life and Absorbent Mind. Also I did found Interesting the whole Maria Montessori philosophy. 15 Assignment 1 Gabriela Payne BIBLIOGRAPHY Montessori, M., (2007). The Absorbent Mind, Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company, Amsterdam Montessori, M., (1972). The Secret of Childhood, Ballantine, New York Montessori Centre International (2000). Philosophy Module 1 Hainstock, E.G., (1997). Teaching Montessori in the home. The Pre-school years, Plume, New York Guttman, D., (1987). Basic Montessori, ABC Clio, Oxford www.pcdevelopers.com/montessori-at-home/sensitiveperiods.