| Maria Montessori believed that even though the child is | | | | experience in his environment. Thus, it is crucial for the |
| not able to talk before the age of 1.5 years, it does not | | | | parent to expose the child to different experiences as |
| mean that he is not learning anything. In fact, a young | | | | "the child can only develop fully by means of |
| child's mind is able to absorb knowledge exposed to | | | | experience on his environment" (Absorbent Mind, p.88). |
| him and also has the power to teach himself, despite | | | | Therefore, "the first thing his education demands is the |
| not being able to speak. This is what Dr Montessori | | | | provision of an environment in which he can develop |
| refers to as the child's absorbent mind which is in fact | | | | the powers given him by nature". (Absorbent Mind, |
| 'at work' during the first three years of the child's life. | | | | p.89) In order to teach the child about the world, it is |
| During this time, the child "learns everything without | | | | necessary for the parent, especially the mother, to |
| knowing he is learning it, and in doing so he possess | | | | bring her child out with her so that he can see and |
| little by little from the unconscious to the conscious, | | | | hear what the mother experiences. |
| treading always in the paths of joy and love". | | | | When the adults around the child talk, the young child is |
| (Absorbent Mind, p.26) | | | | actually listening intently and is absorbing everything |
| By this, Montessori means that the child is able to learn | | | | that he hears into his unconscious mind. This piece of |
| simply by absorbing everything that he hears around | | | | information will be stored until the child is ready to |
| him into his unconscious mind. As "there is in the child a | | | | make use of it. For example, if we want the child to |
| special kind of sensitivity which leads him to absorb | | | | learn a specific language, we can immense him in an |
| everything about him, and it is this work of observing | | | | environment whereby the language is frequently is |
| and absorbing that alone enables him to adapt himself | | | | used. Isolating the child will have detrimental effects on |
| to life. He does it in virtue of an unconscious power | | | | the child's language acquisition because "it is when he |
| that only exists in childhood". (Absorbent Mind, p.62) He | | | | hears the full discourse of grown-up people, and can |
| does not just learn the words of the language, he | | | | see their actions which make their meaning clear, that |
| learns the sentence structures as well. This probably | | | | he grasps little by little even the construction of |
| explains why we are able to speak our Mother | | | | sentences". (Absorbent Mind, p.105) As such, the |
| Tongue languages very well since it is a language that | | | | parents must be very careful what is said before the |
| we learn during our infancy. The information absorbed | | | | child because he will learn the language, habits and |
| will be stored in the child's unconscious mind and it will | | | | culture from what he hears and not from what he has |
| be slowly passed to his conscious mind when he | | | | inherited as "the manners, habits and customs of his |
| becomes more aware of the things around him. Only | | | | group can only be derived from mingling with those |
| in the conscious stage does the child start to become | | | | who possess them". (Absorbent Mind, p.102) |
| aware of what he actually learning. This unconscious | | | | This Absorbent Mind will stay with the child until he is |
| mind is present only in the young child as "a mind | | | | about 3 years old. After which, nature will decide on |
| different from ours is needed to take that step (and) | | | | the time when he will be able to make use of the |
| the child has other powers than ours, (as such) the | | | | information in his conscious mind. Slowly, the child will |
| creation he achieves is no small one; it is everything". | | | | establish memory, develop the power to understand |
| (Absorbent Mind, p.23) This absorbent mind is present | | | | and acquire the ability to reason. When these skills are |
| only in a young child, thereby helping him to learn things | | | | fully acquired, which will be about the time when the |
| easily and effortlessly. However, "no sooner do we | | | | child is 3, the conscious mind will take over from the |
| become conscious than every fresh piece of | | | | unconscious mind. Nobody can have any control over |
| knowledge costs us effort and hard work". (Absorbent | | | | when such a transition will take place because "children |
| Mind, p.26) This explains why it is more difficult for us | | | | grow according to natural laws". (Absorbent Mind, p.93) |
| to pick up a second or third language later on in life. | | | | By this time, he will be more conscious of the desire to |
| According to Dr Montessori, before the age of three, a | | | | do work. He will learn to read, write and do many other |
| child learns about his environment by absorbing the | | | | things without feeling exhausted easily. This is the |
| impressions that he sees. The child does so by | | | | period when the child will find work itself to be a |
| "(undergoing) a transformation (whereby) impressions | | | | stimulation for him to want to learn. Just as he had |
| do not merely enter his mind; they form it (and) | | | | always been to keen to learn knowledge about the |
| incarnate) themselves in him. (As such) the child | | | | environment around him, now he has a stronger desire |
| creates his own 'mental muscles' (by) using The | | | | because he is aware of what he is learning. He is no |
| Absorbent Mind". (Absorbent Mind, p.26) As such, the | | | | longer simply absorbing information into his unconscious |
| first three years of a child's life is very important to | | | | mind. He will suddenly find that he can do a lot of things |
| what the child can accomplish in life because should his | | | | like reading and writing without being taught because |
| development be obstructed in any way, it will not be | | | | they had been in their unconscious mind and he can |
| fully developed. | | | | now make use of the information effortlessly. This will |
| By this absorbent mind, the child is not only able to | | | | provide him with a stronger desire to learn more. |
| learn his language(s), he is also able to absorb every | | | | |