Essay on The child

Submitted By sandykim
Words: 1778
Pages: 8

The child: Absorent Mind and Sensitive Periods

There is a horizontal black line she called the line of life. She began this line at 0 yrs. We also know this line of life. There is a black line that departs from 0 to 3 we called this side the line of progression and 3 to 6 yrs called line of regression
The sensitive period began at age of 0 to 6 yrs. They reach at the height at 0-6,12-18 yrs. are creative periods. Other two periods of development are 6-12,18-24yrs.It shows an individual series of birth and death.

Each sensitive period is a specific kind of compulsion, motivating young children to seek objects and relationships in their environment with which to fulfill their special and unique inner potentials..
Each sensitive period is:

A period of special sensibility and psychological attitudes. An overpowering force, interest, or impetus directing children to particular qualities and elements in the environment. A period of time during which children center their attention on specific aspects of the environment, to the exclusion of all else. A passion and a commitment. Derived from the unconscious and leads children to conscious and creative activities. Intense and prolonged activity which does not lead to fatigue or boredom, but instead leads to persistent energy and interest. A transitory state once realized, the sensitive period disappears. Sensitive periods are never regained, once they have passed.
Montessori was the first educators who identifies sensitive period in human bein applied them in educational thing.

Age
Sensitivity
Birth to 6 years
The absorbent mind: the mind soaks up information like a sponge.
Sensory learning and experiences: the child uses all five senses - touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing - to understand and absorb information about his or her environment.
1.5 to 3 years
Language explosion: a child builds his or her future foundation for language.
1.5 to 4 years
Development and coordination of fine and large muscle skills, advanced developing grasp and release skill spawns an interest in any small object.
2 to 4 years
Very mobile with greater coordination and refinement of movement, increased interest in language and communication (they enjoy telling stories), aware of spatial relationships, matching, sequence and order of objects.
2.5 to 6 years
Works well incorporating all five senses for learning and adapting to environment.
3 to 6 years
Interest in and admiration of the adult world: they want to copy and mimic adults, such as parents and teachers.
4 to 5 years
Using one’s hands and fingers in cutting, writing and art. Their tactile senses are very developed and acute.
4.5 to 6 years
Reading and math readiness, and, eventually, reading and math skills.

Spiritual Embryo

The child at birth appears almost nothing. He cannot walk, cannot talk and he can’t even eat on his own. The same child within two years learns so much. He can walks, runs, talks continuously, how did it happen within such a short time. For the same work adult takes years. How does it happen with the child?
Dr. Maria Montessori calls the child during this formative period, “a Spiritual Embryo”. The human being is provided with two embryonic periods. One is pre-natal and another one post-natal. The pre-natal period is the period when the physical development takes place. All beings have only pre-natal period. But the human being has another embryonic period which is post-natal. Any animal immediately after birth starts to walk, eats on his own and it will be a complete animal where as the man has a prolonged infancy in order to become independent. Therefore the Spiritual Embryonic period is provided with certain powers. These powers are called non-conscious powers because the child is not conscious of them. The non-conscious powers are Absorbent mind and Sensitive Periods.
The Absorbent Mind could crudely be compared to a sponge. The Absorbent Mind helps the child absorb whatever comes in contact with. Like a sponge