Maria Montessori, an Italian doctor, changed how young children were taught with her new ideas and methods.
One of the ideas of the Montessori method is the “absorbent mind,” which says that young children have an amazing ability to learn things quickly and easily by absorbing everything around them.
Understanding the absorbent mind is crucial to understanding the essence of Montessori education and its impact on a child’s learning journey.
In this blog, we’ll learn about the fascinating world of the absorbent mind. We’ll look at its two different stages and see how they affect a child’s learning and growth.
Understanding the Absorbent Mind
“A child can only acquire the words he hears spoken around him. This is not teaching, but absorption. The child is, by nature, hungry for words; he loves strange, long words like the names of dinosaurs and constellations. He takes in all these words without understanding their meaning, as his mind is still taking language in by a process of unconscious absorption.” Maria Montessori (The 1946 London Lectures, p. 148)
The term “absorbent mind” refers to how effortless it is for children, especially in their early years, to learn from what happens around them. Their brains are like sponges, soaking up knowledge from their surroundings and easily acquiring it.
Maria Montessori found that the absorbent mind has two different stages: the unconscious stage, which lasts from birth to about age three, and the conscious stage, which lasts from about age three to six.
The Unconscious Mind (0–3 years)
Maria Montessori noted that the child actively constructs their own self through interactions with the environment throughout the unconscious stage.
The child’s mind in this stage is like a sponge, soaking up everything in their environment and using these experiences to mold their perception of the world and themselves.
The child’s construction of self occurs through various processes, as follows:
First, the child uses their senses to explore their surroundings, eagerly taking in information from what they see, hear, touch, and smell. Each physical experience helps them build their sense of self.
Second, the child moves and acts purposefully, letting them interact with their environment and improve their physical skills. By crawling, reaching, grabbing, and finally walking and moving things around, a child feels like they have control over their body and environment. These physical events help them build their physical selves.
Third, a child builds their conscious self by interacting with the world around them. They watch the people around them and copy what they do. This is how they learn cultural rules, language, and social interactions. Through interactions with adults, siblings, and other children, a child learns about social roles, feelings, and how to communicate, which shapes their social and emotional selves.
The environment plays a crucial role in this process of self-construction. Maria Montessori emphasized the importance of providing a carefully prepared environment that offers a rich variety of materials and activities suited to the child’s developmental stage.
The environment should be orderly, aesthetically pleasing, and inviting, encouraging the child to explore, discover, and construct their understanding of the world.
In a nutshell…
- During the unconscious period, the child builds himself or herself by using the world around them as a canvas.
- Through sensory experiences, purposeful movements, and interactions with others, a child absorbs, assimilates, and integrates information and experiences, shaping their view of the world and their place in it.
- Adults should carefully prepare and facilitate the environment. It becomes a nurturing space for the child’s self-construction, fostering independence, curiosity, and a deep love of learning.
The Conscious Mind (3-6 years)
During the Conscious Mind period, which usually happens between the ages of 3 and 6, a child’s mind becomes more refined and focused.
You will notice that…
- Children become more independent and want to try new things.
- They also become very curious and want to learn as much as possible about the world around them.
- A dramatic change occurs in a child’s thinking.
- Their cognitive skills are becoming more refined.
- Their independence and personality are beginning to emerge.
- Socially, they start to engage and become more aware of their peers.
The child’s increasing sense of independence is one significant characteristic of the conscious period. They strongly desire to take control of their own actions and develop greater independence. Simple activities like dressing by themselves, pouring water, or organizing their stuff represent significant turning points on the road to autonomy. They explore their talents, make decisions, and cultivate a sense of accountability for their own actions thanks to their newly found freedom.
Children have an innate curiosity about the world and a desire to understand it. During this time, curiosity takes on greater importance. The “age of why” is a term Montessori educators frequently use to describe this time since children continuously seek answers for what they experience.
The child’s development of cognitive abilities takes on a new height. They start to develop logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and abstract thought. The thoughtfully designed Montessori environment challenges and engages these cognitive capacities. Children can learn language and mathematics in a hands-on way with materials like the Moveable Alphabet or the Golden Beads. These lay the groundwork for future academic success.
During the Conscious Mind period, the prepared environment in the Montessori classroom supports the child’s learning and growth. Children are given the freedom to select activities that fit their interests. The possibilities and opportunities for inquiry and discovery in the environment encourage their innate curiosity and passion for learning.
It is a time of great development as children set off on a path of self-discovery and education, following their interests and instilling a love for lifelong learning.
