Posts

Third Plane of Development

/in /by

Today we pull from our archives to continue in our series on the Montessori Planes of Development with a look at the third plane, spanning from age twelve to age fifteen – the middle school years. 

As Gretchen Hall, Director of Training at the Montessori Training Center of New England, notes in her 2011 article How Science Fits Into the Whole Montessori Curriculum (The NAMTA Journal, Vol. 36, No. 1, Winter 2011), the third plane child (ages 12-15 years) is focused on society, as the adolescent is searching to find a place in the world. Hall explains that adolescents need to experience the world through work, through purposeful movements, and by using their hands.

Maria Montessori believed the concentration at this plane of development should be centered on economic pursuits so children are equipped to become productive members of society. Hall notes that this economic activity allows adolescents to gradually come to understand the role of work in the greater society. Work becomes an agent for the adolescent’s self-esteem; the objective is to contribute to the world in some meaningful way. By contributing to the community, they are fulfilling a need for themselves and for others.

Hall reports that Montessori saw the third plane as a time of rebirth and referred to adolescents as “social newborns,” and asserts that the questions of the adolescent go beyond the “what” of the very young child and the “why” of the elementary child: The adolescent asks, how I can apply what I know? How does this work relate to my life, my world? How can I save the world with my knowledge of the natural laws and the formulas I studied?

Providing experiences such as internships allows opportunities to answer these reflective questions. Education focus during the third plane includes three categories: the opening up of ways of expression, fulfillment of fundamental needs, and the study of the earth and of living things.

Second Plane of Development

/in /by

Today we pull from our archives to continue our series on Montessori Planes of Development with a look at the second plane, spanning from age six to twelve – the elementary years. 

As a child moves into the second plane of development (ages 6-12 years) the focus is on “why” and “how”. The child seeks intellectual independence. Gretchen Hall, Director of Training at the Montessori Training Center of New England, notes in her 2011 article How Science Fits Into the Whole Montessori Curriculum (The NAMTA Journal, Vol. 36, No. 1, Winter 2011), that the attitude of the child from birth to age six – “let me do it myself” – is replaced in the second plane of development with “let me find out for myself.”

In her book, To Educate the Human Potential, Maria Montessori refers to the child’s mind as a fertile field, ready to receive what will germinate into culture. Reason and imagination are the keys to unlock learning during this phase. Logic and reasoning take hold, and a child is able to perceive complex concepts.

In addition, during this second plane of development, children have a fascination with the extraordinary. Due to this fascination, the subject of the universe appeals to the elementary child since it is vast, mysterious, and irresistible. For this reason, “cosmic education” along with the “great stories” becomes the main staple at the elementary level.

As Hall describes, the goal is to fan the flame of imagination and to inspire the child into new paths of exploration. Cosmic education can best be defined as stressing the interrelatedness of everything. Examples of cosmic tasks include: coral removing calcium from the ocean, plants absorbing poisonous carbon dioxide and using it to produce oxygen, and bees pollenating plats.

As Hall points out, Montessori believed that humans, as a part of the universe, also must have cosmic tasks. The elementary child discovers and understands these cosmic tasks through research.

First Plane of Development

/in /by

Today we’re pulling from our archives to continue our series on the Montessori Planes of Development with a look at the first plane, spanning from birth to age six.

The first plane can be best described as a time of exploration. As Gretchen Hall, Director of Training at the Montessori Training Center of New England, points out in her 2011 article How Science Fits Into the Whole Montessori Curriculum (The NAMTA Journal, Vol. 36, No. 1, Winter 2011), development psychologists have called the infant “the scientist in the crib. ” As a child comes closer to the primary level (2.5 – 6 years), the need for psychological clarity and order develops. Children at this age are natural explorers who enjoy learning what. Their primary focus is on developing and testing how the world works.

Hall notes that moderns science confirms what Montessori discovered over 100 years ago: the child from birth to six has extraordinary intellectual powers given to help in the task of creation. Montessori believed children have an absorbent mind and go through sensitive periods that are optimal times for learning. During the first plane, children hae a love for the natural world, refining their skills through coordination activities that aid in the development of concentration. Independence becomes a priority, and they develop a keen sense of order.

Montessori Planes of Development

/in /by

Today we’re pulling from our archives to start a short series on Montessori’s Planes of Development. 

Montessori education is based upon three planes of development: birth to age six to twelve, and age twelve to eighteen. As Gretchen Hall, Director of Training at the Montessori Training Center of New England, described in her 2011 article How Science Fits Into the Whole Montessori Curriculum (The NAMT Journal, Vol. 36, No. 1, Winter 2011) each plane is a distinctive psychological learning period characterized by the physical and psychological changes that take place during it’s span, as well as specific environmental needs to support development.

The Montessori Method considers the unique needs of each age group varying focus within each plane of development. In the first plane, the child focuses on the world and facts. In the second plane, the focuses on the universe and reason. In the third place, the adolescent focuses on how to transform society.

Join us over the next several posts as we discuss each Plane of Development and the importance of fostering the joy of learning.

Benefits of Multi-Age Grouping

/in /by

Recently, an FMS parent was kind enough to share a video with us on our Facebook page. You may have seen the viral hit — an older, bigger dog teaches his puppy friend to go down the stairs. That got us thinking about the benefits of multi-age grouping in the classroom. A few teachers share their thoughts:

“Multi-aged classrooms speak to a fundamental tenet of the Montessori philosophy where modeling behavior and ‘showing’ a child how to do a work is desired over ‘telling’ the child the necessary steps. With older and younger children mixed together, the natural teaching moments emerge easily and effectively.  Many times during the course of a week, we witness older students teaching younger students not only the content of the work, but also giving the younger child a pattern of behavior that they can aspire to. Children are eager to relate to each other and find gratification in submitting their attention to another child in a natural and effective way. Multi-aged classrooms support a culture of sharing and encourage children at a young age to respond to older children around them. This interaction strengthens the children’s abilities to relate and communicate their feelings with others and begins the vital process of dealing with their own will power, ego and self perceptions.  It is a safe space to experiment with developing social awareness. Older children are also reminded of the virtue of responsibility and the important role of being an example of positive behavior for younger children. It shows them the strength they have developed personally and the impact they can have on others simply by being a positive role model.” — Ms. Nancy, P1

“When the third levels are asked to teach a concept to the others, they love it! Recently a third grader was absent one day and a first level asked if they could teach them the lesson they missed. They like helping each other and with teacher guidance it can be a wonderful experience for both parties. Children like it when their friends want to help them.” — Ms. April, E4

“Children vary in their academic, social and emotional development. In a multi-age classroom students can have their needs met whether they are above or below the average level of children their age. Students have the opportunity to  develop their leadership skills and confidence through mentoring peers.” — Ms. Nina, E3

“Having children ages three through six together permits the younger children to have role models for imitation, and the older ones  an opportunity to reinforce their knowledge by helping the younger ones.They say you really know a subject when you can teach it.” — Ms. Maryam, P3
[button url=”http://www.uwyo.edu/ecec/_files/documents/multi-age-benefits.pdf” target=”_blank” size=”small” style=”cherry” ]LEARN MORE[/button]

Superwoman Was Already Here

/in /by

Have you seen the popular documentaries Waiting for Superman and Race to Nowhere? Both films address the public school system and its perceived shortcomings — one discusses unions and bureaucracies, while the other takes aim at the high-pressure tests/grades/homework culture.

Of course, every large-scale system has its weak and strong points, and its always good to look at ways to improve. Trevor Eissler, a longtime Montessori parent and advocate, has created a series of videos about how the Montessori approach can help solve some of these endemic issues. In one, he asserts that “Superwoman Was Already Here.” Check it out and see if you agree.