Montessori Four Planes of Development

 

Four Planes of Development

According to psychological researches it has been accepted that a man does not possess always the same psyche and the same mind at different periods of his life. There are clear distinctions between these periods; indeed, it was applied in educational system all over the world instinctively.  And these periods are accompanied with some remarkable physical development. Human being development starts from birth and continues in several dimensions and planes. A child develops both physically and cognitively from zero to 24 years old. This development does not always go in the same line but focuses on different dimensions as time passes.  As one psychic characteristic domain at a certain period of growth, the other one starts disappearing, or sometimes they can overlap. 

Dr. Maria Montessori defines these features into four developmental stages.  We can say that the first one, which goes from birth to six years old, is the infancy period includes tremendous transformations. It is the most important period of time in all life. The first period is unapproachable by the adult, hence, the child is not open to influence. This is the reason of why there is no school for that age. He has unconscious memory and cannot do reasoning. Therefore, he cannot see logical connections. But he has endowed temporarily with two privileged faculties one is a form of intelligence, called absorbent mind and the other is sensitive periods to create himself.  There is no time conception. The child creates the tools that allow him to speak as he has accumulated all the words and forms of the language spoken in his environment so far. In addition to language skills, math skills, writing and logical thinking, i.e. left hemi-sphere develops. Furthermore, the child develops from head to feet, he grows up physically so fast that he can start walking in this period. This stage is divided into two sub- phases. In the first between 0 and 3 years old, the child is a spiritual embryo owning a conscious memory is absent and unconscious learning occurs, which leads to difficulties in collecting data before the age of three. It is the period in which whole personality created and so does intelligence. The child starts becoming independent by first words and first steps. In the second sub – phase, between 3 and 6 years old, the hand is the most powerful tool of mind. It is time for him to embody all he absorbed from his environment, so he is always busy. Their mind is conscious now and memory appears since three years old. As a result, purposeful activities can be done, which means they become available to be influenced anymore. Meanwhile, the child constructs his character and the adult should stop himself from interfering with the child. Dr. Montessori underlines this as: “The construction of character is accompanied by work so that at six years of age the construction of mental qualities and character has been fundamentally accomplished. If we take this into consideration it becomes clear, not only that we cannot teach the virtues of character, but that we must not disturb the normalized child of three to six years when he is building his character. If we intervene unnecessarily we interrupt this construction.”

 

The childhood period starts at 6 and continues till 12 years old. There is a very obvious mark that shows the border between these first two periods; it is the loss of first teeth and growth of the second set. This stage is more stable when compared with the one before. There are no transformations here and the child is physically healthy and strong; they grow rapidly, their skeleton and muscle length increases. They are psychologically calm, and now, they can make logical connections and reasoning. Time concept is recognized. Besides, since they show patience to listen, understand what is told, and constant in their work, they can start formal education anymore. “So the new way is to provide motives of activity with objects built suitably to the child's strength and size, and as men usually work at home and on the land, the children must have their own home and their own land.                  Not toys for  children,  but  houses for them; not toys for them, but land on which they can work with small tools; not dolls for children, but real other children and a  social  life  in which they can act for themselves. These things are our substitutes today for the toys of the past.”  They have a strong power of imagination, which helps them understand the world. They are interested in culture; thus, it is the most profitable period for imparting culture. They need a group at these ages, they like learning in a group.

 

The next period goes between 12 and 18. This adolescence period is similar to the infancy period in that it consists of transformations and is divided into two sub- groups, also. The first is between 12- 15 and the other is 15- 18. There is psychic transformation so the child is not psychologically steady and calm in this period. Character is not stable also; some sort of indiscipline and rebellion exists. Correspondingly, physical health is not so strong and static. Physical transformations reach its highest level when he is 18 and no more development is observed. All these fluctuations are not taken into account by the authorities, and thus, they are expected to sit and listen and obey the rules incisively.

 Then they attain to maturity phase. This embraces the ages of 18 and 24. There is no transformation in this level and he has accomplished his physical development, i.e. he just grows up by age. They are strong, healthy and feel secure in this stage again. At university, they are not treated differently from the preceding stage. They still have to sit and listen, obey the rules, are dependent to their parents and professors, etc. And then, they are expected to govern the country, teach the kids, and build houses when they are graduated from university. But, they suffer from inexperience when it is their turn, because of the lack of practice in real life situations. Therefore, adults should admit not to interfere with the child and the education system should acknowledge that there are different types of intelligence and each possesses different features and thus, requires different approach to the child.