The Sensitive Periods

 

The development and growth of human being proceeds not incidentally but according to certain rules commanded by nature. The child has a great sensibility and since his birth, he starts absorbing his environment through this vehicle. But, this absorbance does not happen as a whole at one time; the information is a confusing mass at first, then it loosens in time and becomes clear in the end. This process arises one by one and in a predetermined schedule. While he focuses on contrasting black-white colored objects in a period of time, he directs his attention to bright colors in another time. This focus of attention always changes both the issue to learn and the time to work. This is called as sensitive period. “Thus what we have called "incarnation"  and the sensitive   periods   might   be  compared   to  a spy-hole opening on the inner processes of mind in the making, that we see, as it were internal organs at work, determining the mental growth of the child (The Secret of Childhood, p.51)”. Sensitive periods are very interesting to me but it is a must for such an interesting developing creature at the same time. Because when I try to stand on my daughters' feet, I think that she should be feeling just like an alien :) "What is she saying? Is it eaten? How to hold a box? What is that color..." Any tiny detail that we never think about is of interest for them. Thus, a sensitive period is a great solution that as if regulates the "topics" to be learnt, put them in an order and prepare a curriculum. Because it would be chaotic for the kid if there was not exist such a perception. It focuses on a - sometimes more than one- dimension of the huge environment waiting to be conquered as if a flashlight shines a part for them. “When he is sensible of something, it is as if a light came from him, illuminating that and no other, and of such things his world is made. But it is not a question only of an intense desire to find himself in given situations, or to absorb given elements. The child has a special, unique  capacity for profiting by these in order to grow, for it is during the sensitive period that he acquires certain psychological faculties, like that of orienting himself in his outer environment, and becomes able to bring his motor organs to life in all their intimate and delicate particulars (The Secret of Childhood, p.52)”. The sensitive period comes from the unconscious mind and leads to conscious activities. It is a specific period when the child shows strong attraction in the first plane of development. It is inflexible, purposeful and directed by inner guide. So, do not try to redirect the child towards another activity.

In my family life, our daughter has always been a real guide for us. We definitely followed her in caring and satisfying her needs, even shopping the items accordingly, such as if she starts trying to wear our home slippers, then we say "Ok, it is the right time to have her own a slipper." For example, if she becomes interested in holding spoon during the meal and tries to grab it from me, then it should be eating by spoon by herself and I let her do it. Besides, I immediately start spoon transferring activities in order to improve her ability and satisfy her instinct. It is the same now for my little one nowadays. She heads for lids wherever she sees and even cries if do not understand and give it to her. For the sake of improvement of this, I prepare different types of activities with lids for her because I know all of these predispositions will disappear in time and new ones will arise. So it is now, the right time for supporting him for earning that quality in the fastest way ever and preparing the right conditions for him. “'Then all is  easy,  all  is  eagerness  and  life,  every  effort is an increase  of  power.  But  when  some  of  these psychic  passions  die  away,  other  flames  are  kindled, and   so  infancy  passes  from  conquest   to  conquest,  in a continuous  vital  vibrancy,  which  we  have  called  its joy and simplicity (The Secret of Childhood, p.51)”.  Thus, we should respect this energy that directs our children through learning, and fulfilling their duties, stop ourselves from getting in their way and prepare the required environment for this irreversible unique goal. If the adult tries to prevent him from doing it, he will display tantrum behaviors. “If the baby has not been able to work in accordance with the guidance of its sensitive period, it has lost its chance of a natural conquest, and has lost it forever. When something in its environment hinders its inner working, the existence of a sensitive period shows itself by violent reactions, despair that we believe to be causeless, and therefore set down to "naughtiness" and temper. Naughtiness is the expression of an inner disturbance, an unsatisfied need, a state of tension; the child's soul is crying out for what it needs, seeking to defend itself (The Secret of Childhood, p.55)”. Hence, the child should be allowed to do the trait as much as she wants to do. When he behaves through his inner guide, he gets calm, relaxed after finishing his activity because he is satisfied now.

The characteristic of a child is universal, no matter the era, culture, gender, ethnicity or religion. We can gather the sensitive periods of some certain characteristics under six titles:

1- Order: It occurs between the ages of 1 and 4 approximately. It helps to categorize environment and make sense of the world. The sense of sequence arises in this period, i.e. they line the things starting from the beginning to the end. As anything in the world includes patterns, such as in making a sentence, they become aware of these patterns and are interested in them. They need their environment to be stable and they love routines like bed time routines. For instance my fifteen month old daughter always leaves whatever she is doing and closes the cabinet doors or drawers if they are open. It is an obvious sign that she is in the sensitive period of order.

2- Language: Language is a mean of communication used for delivering ideas, emotions, etc. Language development stages are universal, i.e. all children pass the same periods from birth to six years old. The child acquires the language in his environment effortlessly, hence, we should prepare suitable environment in order to expose him to language, and otherwise there will be retardation in his development as in the example of the child left in a jungle in The Absorbent Mind book.

3- Coordination and Control of Movement: As we look at the development of movement, we notice that cerebellum, skeleton and nerves development are the milestones of movement. The child gains independence parallel to the development of movement between the ages of one and four. He explores his environment and learns through movement activities. “In education as a whole movement is sadly neglected and all importance is given to the brain. This is a great mistake (The Absorbent Mind).” “Movement is the last part that completes the cycle of thought, and spiritual uplift is attained through action or work. Mind and movement are two parts of a single cycle, and movement is the superior expression. It is essential for our new education that mental development be connected with movement and dependent on it. Without movement there is no progress and no mental health (Education for a New World).” Therefore, our responsibility here is to provide the child a well-prepared environment to improve his eye-hand coordination, gross and fine motor skills, which are in turn, will lead to mental development.

4- Sensorial development: Refinement of senses encompasses the first period of development. A human being possesses five senses and we should focus on each separately by doing optic, acoustic, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory, weight and temperature based activities. Maria Montessori developed materials for each feature to isolate it from any other detail, such as color box, smelling jars, touch boards, etc. We can use items we have in our houses as well. Instead of smelling jars, I used kinder surprise eggs. I dropped lavender, daphnia, coconut oils and rosewater on cotton buds and put them in each egg. All were the same in appearance. I numbered the same odors with the same numbers at the bottom and asked for my daughter smell and match each odor. Then checked them if they are correct using the numbers.

5- Social Development: The critical period for this sensitivity is between 2, 5 and 6 years old. Social development has a vital importance in the human life and if suitable environment is not provided for the children in this period, many deficiencies may occur when they become adults. Montessori philosophy gives great importance to this development and prepares the classroom environment accordingly. A Montessori class consists of 30-40 children of different age groups, because one or two friends does not meet a child’ s social needs and a child needs to have friends of both the same age and younger or older ages. In such an environment, children have opportunity to observe other groups’ Works and learn from each other. Besides, there is just one for each material so that children learn waiting for something, respect others’ work and to be patient.

6- Small Objects Interest: This period goes from 1 to 2, 5 years old. Actually this is a very funny period because children are aware of so tiny things that you never notice org ive importance to them. for instance, just this morning we were searching for an ant in the balcony with my fifteen month old daughter. She is obviously in this sensitive period and always excited when she encounters with such tiny – especially moving – creatures. Maria Montessori was telling about such an experience with a fifteen month old child in her book, The Absorbent Mind. She says, the child was laughing loudly in the garden because she was watching a hardly noticeable bug on a stone.

All the information given above shows that a child constructs all features that will be needed in his rest of life. This is an exact evidence of why the first plane of development, i.e. the first six years is of vital importance in all life of a human being, and thus, why adults should be so careful in following the child and preparing suitable environment for feeding these sensibilities.