The concept of the “Sensitive Period” originated from the research of Hugo De Vries, a Dutch botanist and geneticist who focused on animal development. De Vries discovered that various species have a heightened capacity to acquire certain skills during specific stages of their lives. One of his notable studies involved observing the lifecycle of the Prosthesis Butterfly, in which he explored the initial sensitive period during early development.
In accordance with Hugo De Vries, the Prosthesis Butterfly deposits its eggs on tree bark. Subsequently, these eggs undergo hatching and give rise to small caterpillars possessing an inherent desire to consume nourishment. Nevertheless, their minuscule mouths hinder them from feeding on more robust leaf sections. As a result, they naturally gravitate towards light and eventually locate the tender side of the leaf where they can effortlessly devour delicate foliage. Since these caterpillars lack prior knowledge in food selection, their navigation relies solely on innate instincts. This phenomenon prompted Hugo De Vries to question how caterpillars ascertain their direction.
The researcher observed that caterpillars were attracted to light, as they would move towards the tip of a leaf where the light source was located. To further study this behavior, an experiment was conducted in a room with a small window, allowing light to enter. As anticipated, the caterpillars moved towards the window. However, when the experiment was repeated with larger caterpillars, it was noticed that they no longer exhibited this tendency to seek out light in the window. This confirmed that once they reached a size at which they could consume any part of the leaf, their sensitivity to light became unnecessary.
As stated by Maria Montessori, young children also exhibit comparable patterns as observed in extensive studies. Within the initial stage of development, specific periods occur when a child is highly sensitive to particular stimuli present in their surroundings. The child takes advantage of these opportunities and, through repeated experiences, acquires abilities that enhance their overall growth as individuals. Allowing these skills to develop without obstacles empowers individuals to reach their maximum potential.
If a child does not receive necessary stimuli or practice necessary skills within a specific period of time, it would be very difficult or even impossible for them to learn those skills later in life. The absorbent mind assimilates all surrounding information with equal significance. If our mind only functioned by absorbing information, every piece of information we receive would be equally important and create chaos that requires attention from our brain.
The sensitive periods are similar to a flashlight or camera, guiding the mind towards certain stimuli and enabling enthusiastic learning. Nonetheless, once the knowledge is acquired, the sensitive period concludes. This sensitivity enables children to immerse themselves in the outside world with intensity and concentration.
“Everything is easy; all is life and enthusiasm” (Maria Montessori, The secret of Childhood, pg. 40). The characteristics of sensitive periods are universal in every child’s childhood, regardless of their cultural background or place of residence. These periods come and go, becoming active when certain things need to be learned and disappearing once they have been learned. Some sensitive periods gradually disappear, while others emerge slowly, reaching a peak and then gradually fading away.
Once the sensitive period is experienced, it cannot be regained and it is a temporary state. The child is unaware of their sensitive period, similar to the absorbent mind, and is unable to communicate their need for specific stimuli or affect them in any manner. The effects of the sensitive periods can only be observed externally through the child. These periods are vital for the development of a human being and can encompass mental, intellectual, and physical growth.
Refinement of movement encompasses both physical and intellectual aspects. This developmental phase occurs during the first plane of development and is most prominent during this time. It is denoted in red to signify its significance, as it is a period of heightened activity. Although sensitive periods may occur at different times, a child can experience sensitivity to multiple stimuli simultaneously. These periods of sensitivity involve intense and prolonged activity.
They have a profound impact on children, going beyond mere curiosity. Instead, these sensitive periods ignite a passion within children, guiding them towards specific qualities and elements of their surroundings. Remarkably, they do not result in fatigue or boredom; instead, they instill a lasting energy and curiosity. As a result, children can appear lively and engaged afterwards. The sensitive periods hold immense significance for children, as it was through her observations that Maria Montessori uncovered the internal force that steers them. Montessori identified six primary sensitive periods that children experience from birth until the age of six.
For children ages 1-3, order is important for their development. From ages 1.5 to 4, they focus on perfecting movement, while language skills are developed from ages 0 to 6. Sensory abilities are honed from birth to age 5, and social relations become a priority from ages 2.5 to 6. Additionally, the second year is when children develop sensitivity for small objects.
Sensitivity for order begins around 6 months and continues until age 3. This helps children establish inner order and is crucial for their intellectual growth. It also enables them to categorize and organize information effectively. Having a sense of inner order is essential for children, and they benefit from having a predictable routine and a consistent environment.
If the child’s needs for food, sleep, and bodily comfort are consistently met, they will use this satisfaction as a foundation for feeling secure and exploring their world. While adults may associate putting things in order with reducing stress and finding calm and happiness, children have a different understanding of order. For children, having external order is essential to influencing their internal sense of order.
By creating order, the child is forming their personality and organizing all the information they have taken in. This period of creating structure helps the child become an integral part of life. We may not be able to influence the child’s inner order, but we can shape their external order by consistently placing things in the same location. This positively affects their development during this crucial period. The child has a sensitivity to spatial order, meaning that everything has a designated place.
Children rely on a stable environment to establish their bearings, making them sensitive to changes in their surroundings. Moving can cause significant stress for children, leading to behavioral difficulties as they try to make sense of their thoughts. It’s crucial to recognize that children’s need for order is different from adults’, who find external gratification through order.
According to Maria Montessori, in her book The Secret of Childhood (pg 53), for young children, their perception of the world is similar to how animals perceive the land or fish perceive the water. However, this period of perception and understanding does not begin at birth. The baby must first become accustomed to the world and the culture surrounding them before they can start organizing their experiences. Additionally, the child’s brain needs to reach a certain level of development in order to fully utilize this period of perception. Therefore, once the child has enough experiences in their environment, this period of perception will manifest. These periods of perception and understanding are crucial for the child to categorize and classify information.
Order is essential for facilitating the connection between new experiences and previous ones in our brain. When something new is encountered, linking it to prior knowledge becomes easier if we have encountered it before. Hence, having a sense of order is crucial for the brain to make these connections. To maintain consistency and order in the classroom, adults and the environment play a vital role. This involves meeting expected outcomes, which aids in building trust. Additionally, maintaining cleanliness and organization within the environment ensures that objects are easily accessible for children.
Establishing routines and order in the environment helps children discover their inherent order. The sensitive period for refining movement is crucial for fundamental aspects of life, as it aids in coordinating will and movement, contributing to intellectual development. In the first three years, basic movements stabilize with the hand serving as the brain’s instrument. Movement embodies life itself, strengthening and improving health so that children can undertake more tasks. It’s important to note that newborns initially lack control over their movements and are unaware of their hands and feet.
Infants typically begin walking around the age of twelve months, as they unconsciously develop this skill. The desire to walk is so strong that a baby may become upset if prevented from doing so. At one year old, children will start standing and walking while also displaying uncoordinated hand movements. As they continue growing during the first few years, children become more aware of their bodies and use basic movements to coordinate their actions. Ultimately, they progress from complete dependence to gaining control over their bodily movements.
During this sensitive period, the child’s will and movement are closely intertwined, aiding in the development of the intellect. By engaging in movement and following their interests, children can strengthen their willpower. They may resist being carried or held by adults as it hampers their freedom to move and exercise their will. However, if allowed to develop without constraint, the child will gain better control over their movements by the end of this period. Additionally, due to their natural inclination to repeat actions, children will continue practicing these movements until they are mastered.
The hand is the tool of the brain, as it is through movements that children learn and develop. By using their bodies and hands, children imitate the actions of those around them, helping them to gain the coordination necessary for purposeful movement. However, children often encounter a world designed for adults, filled with objects that are off-limits to them. Adults and the environment expose children to new opportunities and experiences.
Provide safe and enjoyable opportunities for children to explore their environment. Encourage their involvement in household tasks such as cleaning, washing, and cooking. Avoid unnecessary assistance and trust their abilities within reasonable expectations. Allocate time for exploration and ensure their surroundings offer a variety of tangible objects, similar to the materials in a Montessori classroom. The sensitive period for language acquisition is the most prominent among all the developmental periods. It assists children in learning one or multiple languages and begins from birth.
At ages 3-4, the significance of written language is discovered. The Sensitive period for Language commences at birth, reaches its highest point at around two years old, and gradually diminishes by age 6. It is through the human voice that the child deeply hears and mimics. As a result of this Sensitive period for language, the child, who initially absorbs all sounds in their environment simultaneously, begins to favor certain sounds over others, such as conversations, languages, and music. By actively listening to and absorbing these sounds in their surroundings, the child’s developmental needs are met.
During the sensitive period, the young child absorbs the necessary languages and sounds for growth. Although there are no obvious manifestations of this period, the child’s contentment during storytime and frustration when needs are unsatisfied demonstrate it. Around six months, the child begins uttering syllables, followed by their first word at one year old. At one year and nine months, they start using a few phrases, and by approximately two years old, language development rapidly increases.
He has incessant chatter. By age three, he has mastered speaking in complete sentences and paragraphs, demonstrating proper syntax and grammar. He is able to effectively communicate his needs. By the time children reach the age of three, they have the capacity to learn multiple languages, even if they are vastly distinct and complicated such as Chinese and English. This stage of language acquisition continues until around the age of six, albeit with diminishing intensity. The role of adults and the surrounding environment are crucial during this development. Young children imitate facial expressions, which helps establish a foundation for communication.
We engage in conversation with children, introducing them to nouns through tangible objects and continuously expanding their vocabulary. We can also read aloud to them, starting with basic books, rhymes, and songs, and making it a daily habit. When speaking to them, we should articulate clearly and use gentle tones, allowing them to experience a variety of sounds. Additionally, we should provide opportunities for activities that involve sequencing and matching. Creating an environment that is filled with a diverse range of words is essential. This includes using long, unusual, rhyming, and melodic words that cater to a child’s inherent curiosity about language.
From birth until the age of four, it is crucial to introduce written language to a child. This involves recognizing their interest in letters that pertain to their name and family. The focus should be on refining the child’s senses, as these are key to intelligence. In order for children to develop their brains, they must gather sensorial information. Utilizing all of their senses allows them to gather information about the world and become more organized in categorizing their impressions.
The sensitivity towards small objects is connected to the sensitive period for perfecting the senses. These two aspects are interconnected and work together. The senses start developing before birth as they can already taste and feel in the womb. However, most of the sensory development happens after birth because the brain needs external stimuli from the surroundings. As a result, children become curious about sensory experiences and use their senses to learn about their environment.
During this sensitive period for refining the senses, the child experiences a strong desire to physically interact with and explore the objects in their immediate surroundings. It is not the objects themselves that captivate the child’s interest, but rather the sensory stimulation they provide when manipulated. This phase encompasses both physical growth and learning through the five senses. As the child’s senses continue to develop, their focus is directed towards the environment they inhabit and the various objects within it. Unfortunately, there are often instances where certain objects in the environment are off-limits for the child to touch.
During the absorbent period, the child’s brain is actively absorbing impressions from the surrounding environment. In order to better understand the world, the child must use all of their senses to gather information. This allows the child to organize and classify their impressions of the world. The sensitive period for small objects is a specific time when children display a significant level of attention and interest in small details. They are able to appreciate and notice objects with intricate or small details. However, this period is often mistaken for the sensitive period for movement, as children become highly attentive to these intricate details.
The sensitivity to order is often mistaken for sensitivity to small objects. The ability to perceive and appreciate small objects is closely related to the sensitive period for refinement of the senses, and both of these aspects are interconnected. In order to support the child’s development, it is important for the adult and the environment to provide a rich sensory experience. This can be achieved by ensuring that the environment is filled with concrete objects that can be touched and explored, similar to the materials found in a Montessori class. It is also beneficial to expose the child to new sights, sounds, smells, and tastes in order to broaden their experiences. Additionally, the child should be given safe opportunities to taste, touch, and smell things, as well as a variety of textures to feel.
Talk to them sometimes very softly so that they are aware of sounds. Expose them to fine objects and show them how to appreciate them, how to carry them with great care and take of them in their environment. Sensitive Period for Social Relations from aprox 2.5-5 years old. The children learn about the social rules for their culture. This period continues into the second plane but not as a sensitive period, in a different way. This period comes late in the child’s development, it occurs around the age when a child becomes conscious of himself.
Before, the child did not have the opportunity to establish social connections as they were preoccupied with themselves. This is a crucial period when the child develops an interest in playing with peers and performing acts of kindness. Moreover, the child starts exploring different ways to engage with others. It is important to note that conflicts often arise with young children due to their lack of understanding about the impact of their behavior on others. Consequently, continuous supervision and assistance are necessary to prevent conflicts from arising.
Around 2.5 or 3 years old, children start experimenting with relationships and their behavior becomes consistent, allowing us to trust them with friends. By the age of 4.5, they become interested in greeting and social courtesies from their culture, imitating polite and considerate behavior, which becomes internalized into their personality. The role of adults and the environment is crucial in this process. It is important to have positive interactions with colleagues and parents, acting as role models for grace and courtesy. Additionally, providing opportunities for children to collaborate and resolve conflicts helps foster their development.
Significance for Education: During a sensitive period, children have the ability to deeply concentrate on an activity, even if they work for a long time. They feel refreshed at the end of the activity. They engage in goal-directed activities that are meaningful to them, always using their hands. They repeat these activities happily until they master the skill. In this state, we observe joy and harmony in the child. They are generally happy and take care of the environment and others. They are affectionate. However, if hindered during a sensitive period, children experience a lot of frustration.
Negative behavior, such as not listening or disregarding instructions, is indicative of inner turmoil and unhappiness. This meaningless behavior, characterized by agitation and random outbursts of screaming, further exacerbates their unhappiness. To address this, it is important for adults to prepare an environment that caters to the needs of children during these sensitive periods. Additionally, children should be given ample time and freedom to engage in independent and active exploration, allowing them to act on their impulses during these sensitive periods. It is crucial for adults to observe and recognize how these sensitive periods manifest in children, as they can vary from child to child.
They all have them, but they look different depending on the temperament of the child. We will prepare practically and mentally to meet the needs of the children. For example, if a child touches surfaces or other children, we can say that he is prepared for sensorial. We should remove hindrances, ensuring that our environment supports the independence of the child and doesn’t hinder it, and providing help without overdoing it. We should be role models for the children, especially during the social relation and order period. They observe us when we greet and talk to parents. No ‘timetables’ should be imposed on the children (i.e.
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According to Maria Montessori, it is important to provide slots of time for specific activities such as music, art, and foreign language for children. These activities should be separate from adult-oriented groups to avoid disrupting a child’s concentration and spontaneous development. Montessori views a child’s love for their surroundings as a natural joy and vivacity of youth, but also recognizes it as spiritual energy and moral beauty that accompanies creation. (The Secret of Childhood, pg 103)
Reference List:
– The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori, Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company, Reprinted 2007
– The Secret of Childhood, Maria Montessori.
