According To Maria Montessori, There Are 3 Key Periods In A Child’s Development

The most important experience Maria Montessori gained from her work was the normalization of the child.

The term she introduced to pedagogy refers to a phenomenon that arises in a child when he or she concentrates deeply, with his or her whole personality, on a chosen activity.

Maria Montessori believed that willpower and obedience are part of the same phenomenon, and that children have an innate motivation for their own development.

There are three stages in the natural development of obedience.

In the first stage, the child listens only occasionally, not always.

The child’s obedience in this development depends mainly on the development of his or her abilities.

Obedience and disobedience go hand in hand.

The child reaches the second stage when he succeeds every time in complying with demands.

His abilities have strengthened, so he can control them at will, but also influence another child.

The third stage of obedience is when the child obeys eagerly, as if eager to do something.

The will to obey is directed towards a certain personality, usually the teacher.

The child becomes impatient to obey, which makes him happy.

The three periods of character formation are defined as follows:

Up to age 6: infancy

The moment of creation, when the child doesn’t know the difference between right and wrong; it has its own nature, and the foundations of character are created.

This is a period of unbalanced energy and intense effort.

It’s only from the age of six onwards that he’s adapted to the times and environment to which he belongs, capable of understanding and reasoning.

The human brain undergoes significant development in the first six years of life, and this period is often referred to as the critical period of brain development.

• Neuronal development

The brain’s neurons begin to form soon after conception, but their development accelerates during the first years of life.

By the age of 6, a child’s brain contains around 100,000 billion synapses, the connections between neurons that enable communication between different parts of the brain.

• Language development

Language skills develop rapidly over the first six years of life, with most children acquiring basic language skills by the age of three.

By the age of six, most children have a vocabulary of several thousand words and can form complex sentences.

• Motor development

During the first six years of life, children learn to control their bodies and develop fine and gross motor skills.

This includes the ability to walk, run, jump, climb and manipulate objects with the hands.

• Emotional development

The brain’s limbic system, which controls emotions, develops rapidly in the first years of life.

Children begin to recognize and regulate their own emotions, and learn to understand and respond to the emotions of others.

• Cognitive development

The brain’s prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making, problem-solving and self-control, continues to develop in the first years of life.

Children begin to develop basic cognitive skills such as attention, memory and reasoning.

• Social development

They acquire social skills in the first years of life, including the ability to interact with others, share, take turns and cooperate.

They begin to form attachments to their caregivers and develop a sense of personal identity.

Ages 6 to 12: middle childhood

Children become aware of right and wrong (with themselves, but also with others) and form a moral conscience that later leads to the development of social awareness.

• Brain growth slows down

The brain develops more slowly in middle childhood than in the first years of life.

However, it continues to develop in terms of efficiency and connectivity.

• Improved cognitive abilities

Children’s cognitive abilities continue to improve during middle childhood, including attention, memory and problem-solving.

Children become better able to plan, organize and think abstractly.

• Continued language development

Children’s language skills continue to develop during middle childhood, as they become more able to understand and use complex linguistic structures.

• Greater self-awareness

Children become more aware of their own thoughts and feelings during middle childhood, and develop a greater sense of personal identity.

• Greater social awareness

They become more aware of social norms and expectations during middle childhood, and are better able to regulate their own behavior in social situations.

• Improved emotional regulation

Children continue to develop their emotional regulation skills during middle childhood.

They become better able to manage their emotions and respond appropriately to the emotions of others.

• Greater independence

Children become more independent in middle childhood.

They develop the skills and confidence to take on new challenges.

This helps them to make decisions for themselves.

Ages 12 to 18: adolescence

The feeling of love for the country, of belonging to the nation, is born.

The foundations are laid for the period of maturity of an adult with a special character, quite ready to be correlated with other characters.

In relation to this division, Maria Montessori built a system of behavior, intelligence, advancement and character formation.

The child doesn’t need to be threatened or flattered, he just needs to enjoy normal living conditions.

Character disorders then disappear of their own accord.

• Increased myelination

During adolescence, the brain undergoes a process called myelination, which involves the growth of a layer of fat around neurons.

This process increases the speed and efficiency of neuronal communication, helping to improve cognitive functioning.

• Improved executive functions

Adolescents’ executive functioning abilities, including attention, memory and decision-making, continue to improve during this period.

Adolescents become better able to think critically and make decisions based on abstract thinking and reasoning.

• Increased risk-taking behaviour

They may adopt riskier behaviors, such as experimenting with drugs and alcohol.

This is due to the increased activity of the brain’s reward system.

• Changes in social and emotional development

Adolescents may experience changes in their social and emotional development.

They have greater self-awareness and a greater emphasis on peer relationships.

• Continued language development

They continue to develop their language skills.

Many are becoming very adept at using complex linguistic structures.

• Changes in sleep patterns

Adolescents may experience changes in their sleep patterns.

This involves a tendency to stay up later at night and sleep later in the morning.

This is partly due to changes in the brain’s circadian rhythms.

How can you stimulate your child’s development?

During these three periods, you can stimulate your child’s development.

Children need a safe, stimulating environment to feel secure and explore their world.

This includes providing them with adequate food, shelter and protection from danger.

Play is also an important way for children to learn and develop.

Engage in interactive play with your child, for example by playing games, reading books or doing puzzles.

Encourage your child to explore his environment and be curious about the world around him.

Give them the opportunity to try new things and ask questions.

Talk to your child often, using a variety of words and sentence structures.

Read to him and encourage him to ask questions and make connections between the story and his own experiences.

Encourage your child to interact with other children and adults in different contexts.

This can help develop social skills and emotional intelligence.

Your child should be physically active, developing gross and fine motor skills through activities such as sports, dance and art.

But be careful!

Set developmentally appropriate expectations based on your child’s age and individual abilities.

Avoid comparing your child to others or putting undue pressure on him/her to reach certain milestones.

Today, many schools around the world base their work on the Montessori method.

Maria Montessori’s son founded the Institut Maria Montessori in 1961.

It is a kind of legacy that perpetuates the fine tradition of education and upbringing of the inimitable Maria Montessori.