Two by Two: Two Children's Books that Teach Colors Unconventionally

Two by Two is a new exciting children literature project. Its purpose is to bring more or less known children books in the attention of teachers, parents and children around the world, paired on specific themes such as death, communication, self esteem, anger management, friendship, learning about colors or numbers, unconditional love, etc. All of these books are in my personal library, carefully chosen to fulfill some of the criteria described here, and have been used during my teaching classes. The children I work with had wonderful reactions to them, and this has inspired me to write this Two by Two series.



Two Children's Books that Teach Colors Unconventionally


1. Little Blue and Little Yellow, Leo Linonni

Leo Leonni is by far one of the genius illustrators and writers of child literature. His genius lies in the simplicity with which he can talk, both in writing and through his images, about complex things. Little Blue and Little Yellow is not only about colors but about friendship and feeling positive and negative emotions and how these emotions can transform you.

It's the story of two good friends, who enjoyed each-other's company and had many other friends with whom they played hide and seek and other interesting games. One day, Little Blue seemed to have lost little Yellow, as he searched for him all around. When they

finally find each other, they hug so strongly, they both become green! Although happy with this transformation at the beginning, it soon becomes a burden. When their parents see them they don't recognize them anymore. Torn up with emotions Little Blue and Little yellow start to cry,

and their tears are blue and yellow. Released from their emotions they become once again Little Blue and Little Yellow. When they go home to share the story, a hugging revolution begins, and both family and friends experiment with this new thing, while reinventing themselves in lots of different colors!

2. The Great Blueness and Other Predicaments, Arnold Lobel

Lobel isn't so popular nowadays, he was well known in the 70's and 80's, especially in the United States, and today you might recognize his work from the Frog and Toad book series. His illustrations are rather classic but expressive, quite a different style from the minimalist Lionni. His stories may seem traditional, but they always come with a twist.

The Great Blueness and Other Predicaments tells the story of a magician, who would wake up every day and think that there is something missing in the grey world he lived in.

Often he would go down in his gloomy cellar and begin doing all sorts of magic tricks to forget about the world he lived in. In these playful experiments, mixing this with that, one day he created something different. He decided to make good use of it so he went outside and spread it all over his house. It was the color blue, and his neighbors got so excited that they demanded more of it so that they could also paint their houses. In short time everything was blue. 

But soon they all began to loose their smiles and feel very unhappy. So the magician decided to go back in his cellar and try something new. He added bits of this and bits of that and he created yellow.  The people were again enchanted with the new trick and used it plentifully to paint every nook and cranny with it. Until yellow too became too much for everyone. Then our magician turned to more mixing and merging and came up with red, which of course, everyone loved and used to fill the streets, houses, fences and pebbles. Until everyone became so very angry they began throwing stones at the poor magician who was himself red with anger. 
  

Once again, the magician began to blend and merge but all he could come up with was just blue, red and yellow. He kept on making more and more until the barrels overflew with colors which started to mix. With great joy, the magician found the solution he was waiting for. He presented it to all the people in the land who began to paint their world with all the colors the magician had created. 

I loved the story and the association between feelings and colors. I loved his somewhat medieval drawings and the step by step approach to introducing the primary colors. 

There are many other books which aim to teach colors in innovative ways. From simple bed time story telling or reading to a group to complex artistic representations, they can stimulate imagination and creativity! Here is an example of how a school in France was inspired by Lobel's story! 

Hope you enjoyed these two books as much as I did and that this article will inspire you to give the most beautiful colors to childhood! 

Two by Two: Two Children's Books that deal with Loss

Two by Two is a new exciting children literature project. Its purpose is to bring more or less known children books in the attention of teachers, parents and children around the world, paired on specific themes such as death, communication, self esteem, anger management, friendship, learning about colors or numbers, unconditional love, etc. All of these books are in my personal library, carefully chosen to fulfill some of the criteria described here, and have been used during my teaching classes. The children I work with had wonderful reactions to them, and this has inspired me to write this Two by Two series. 

Two Children's Books that deal with Loss

1. Rabbityness, Jo Empson

During one of my trips to Waterstones one book popped into my eyes. Its cover looked like one of Pollock's colorful explosions with the smiling face of a black, rather silly looking rabbit in the middle. I picked it up, then noticed it had a "Waterstones Children's Book Prize" Sticker on it, which I suppose further determined me to poke my nose into it. Then once I opened it, I couldn't stop reading until the end. 

Rabbityness tells the story of a rather unusual rabbit, who, beside being a normal rabbit with normal rabbit habits, also had some unrabbity artistic passions: painting and making music. His passions made him so happy that he became an inspiration for all the other rabbits, who joined him in filling the woods with color and music. 

One day, Rabbit disappears and the other rabbits were very sad. The woods were quiet and grey and all that was left of Rabbit was a deep dark hole. But in that hole, rabbit left some gifts for them: things to make colors and music! And once again, with the gifts from rabbit, the forest was filled with wonderful joy, with music and drawings and paintings made by very happy rabbits, who discovered that they too loved doing unrabbity things!

I very much loved how the author combined bits of reality with fantasy, how she made it so simple for children to identify themselves with the rabbits. I also loved the metaphors: the big dark hole is the void the loss of someone dear leaves behind, but in it, the author shows, we can always find the gifts those dear ones leave behind, colors and music for our wounded souls. This is an excellent writing about loss, inspiration and creativity! Last but not least, the illustrations are amazing!

2. The heart and the bottle, Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers is one of my favorite authors and illustrators. His work is simple but very meaningful, warm and subtle and his art is often made with a combination of drawings, paintings and real photography collage. 

The Heart and the Bottle teaches us about the beauty of childhood and ways to deal with loss. The story goes like this:

Once there was a little girl whose head was filled with all the curiosities of the world. She loved to read, draw and explore the world together with a special someone, with whom she shared all her findings and her wonders. 

Until a day when all she discovered was an empty chair. She then decided to put her heart away in a safe bottle which she wore around her neck, until she grew bigger and bigger and the heart became heavier and heavier. 

It took meeting a little girl whose head was still filled with all the curiosities of the world to make her want to put her heart back. Once she did, she was again sensitive to all the wonders of the world. And the chair was not so empty anymore.

Dealing with loss is part of life, and I believe it is important to start talking to children about it even before they are faced with such events. Although we may never really be prepared for death, reading and talking about it helps both children and parents deal with some of their most powerful fears in a warm, positive way. These reading moments also strengthen the parent - child relationship, develop the child's vocabulary and reading or listening skills. There are many more children's book on this theme. You can find some of them in LH Johnsons's List. 

Enjoy the readings and the peace they may bring!

With love,

Alexandra

Why Play is so Important!

Although sometimes seen by parents or even educators as a “waste of time”, 21^st century scholars consider that “free-play” (Bruce, T., 2006) has significant short and long term benefits for children, leading to a healthy psychical and emotional development and better understanding of the world (Bjorklung & Pellegrini in Papalia, Olds & Feldman, 2010). This article will cover an explanation of the concept of play, from different perspectives, together with its characteristics and types, taking into account the latest findings in the child development literature on the impact and benefits of play. I will also examine how play facilitates and is impacted by the child’s physical, intellectual, linguistic, emotional and social development during the first six years of life and how adults can support play.

Drawing from the works of Moyles (2005), Bruce (2006), Mcleod-Brudenell and Kay (2008), MCI (undated), Goldschmeid & Jackson (2009) and Wood & Attfield (2005), play is a freely chosen process in which children engage with their already acquired knowledge, values and skills, and which has as end result, although not direct purpose, the development or refinement of further lifelong physical, socio-emotional and cognitive skills. It is a natural inclination (Moyles, 2005), a creative attitude in which the child attains a degree of independence supported by the representations of his inner and outer worlds (Wood & Attfield, 2005).

There are several characteristics of play. First of all, play is child chosen and spontaneous (Wood & Attfield, 2005). It unfolds in a creative manner and it can stop as unexpectedly as it began. Adults may come with ideas of play but a child will only accept what will resonate with his/her inner needs or passions. So another characteristic is that play is an intrinsically motivated process (Bruce, 2006).

During play, children invent and pretend. They use the events and behaviours they have observed to experiment different types of behaviours and outcomes, attitudes and family or social roles (Bruce, 2006). They project themselves in the future, as teacher or doctors, or mothers or fathers, adopting the behaviours of their role models. Play focuses on the process, not the product (Wood & Attfield, 2005), and in this process it is them who have control over their actions and decisions. Children use play to repeat or try–out recent learning, and to create or consolidate friendships (Mcleod-Brudenell and Kay, 2008). When engaged in free-play, children are deeply concentrating and can hardly be distracted from their learning. This is why the best plays are never time-constrained. Ultimately, play is a fun process, it generates positive emotions and it brings balance. This is why play helps children cope with difficult events in their lives (MCI, undated).

There are different types of play identified by researchers. Moyles (2005) distinguishes between physical play (wrestling, hide and seek), object play (construction or play with cars) and pretence play (mother and father, princess pretend). Piaget (in Moyles, 2005) defined: sensorimotor play (in the first year of life, characterised by repetitive muscle movement and simple object play), symbolic play (focuses on pretend, also with objects or imaginary objects) and games play with rules (such as football). In addition, Smilansky (in Moyles, 2005), includes constructive play defined as object play (construction with geometrical shapes or puzzles). Hutt (in Goldschmeid & Jackson, 2009) describes epistemic play, within which children learn and explore the world and its properties (such as mud play). Parten (in MCI, undated), categorised play as: solitary play (such as riding a tricycle), parallel play (when a child plays alongside other children, each absorbed in his/her own activity), associative play (together with other children, following his/her own play agenda, for example a pretend riders play, where each child invents what his/her character would say) and co-operative play (children establish the rules and roles together). Goldschmeid & Jackson, (2009) researched on heuristic play, a type of exploratory play with objects without the direct intervention of the adult. Fantasy play is a highly imaginative play during which children act on their own, using real or imaginative objects (Bruner in Moyles, 2005). It develops creativity, language and fine motor skills and can become socio – dramatic play if it is done in cooperation with other children. During socio–dramatic play children consciously act out social interactions by means of symbolic representations; It counts among its benefits concentration, development of cooperative skills, creativity, projection of social or family roles, development of abstract thought and self-esteem (Kitson in Moyles, 2005).

Physical activity play involves a large body activity, such as running, climbing and other large body or large muscle activity. This type of play includes: “rhythmic stereotypes” (Smith in Moyles, 2005), gross motor movement during the child’s first months without any apparent function, “exercise play” (Smith in Moyles, 2005), gross locomotor movement, such as running and climbing in the context of play and “rough-and-tumble play”, which involves wrestling, grappling, kicking, tumbling, rolling on the ground or chasing; Physical play has numerous benefits: it helps maintain friendships and develop skills of emotional control, enhances the physical training of muscles, strength and endurance. Studies (Pellegrini & Davies in Moyles, 2005) show that exercise play in break times improves concentration during class activities. Some other types of play are communication play, such as mime, play acting or poetry and deep play, which allows the child to meet risky or potentially life-threatening experiences, to develop survival skills and conquer fear (Macleod-Brudenell & Kay, 2008).

In order to have a clearer picture of how play impacts and is impacted by the holistic development of the child in the first six years of age, we shall first take a closer look at the development processes that occur from birth to three years. Goldschmeid & Jackson (2009) describe how a baby’s first toy is the body of the caring adult. Before the age of 6 months, the baby can move his/her hand and grab his/her carer’s fingers, hair or certain surrounding objects. Eye – hand – mouth coordination marks a big step in his/ her development; as s/he is able to sit his/her universe unveils: objects, persons and movements. Before one year of age, the baby can clearly observe differences between different sets of objects and will begin imitating (Papalia, Olds & Feldman, 2010). 

Play at this stage is physical, rhythmic stereotypes occur. Gradually, the development of sucking, mouthing and handling allow epistemic and heuristic play to take place, allowing the baby to find out details about the smell, taste, feel and weight of a certain material. These types of play foster further development, such as decision making, concentration and mobility. The baby will recognize sounds heard in the womb and gradually will start experimenting with uttering sounds of language, not yet producing any recognizable words (Papalia, Olds & Feldman, 2010). During the first year of age, s/he will be able to live the basic emotions: joy, surprise, sadness, disgust and fury (Papalia, Olds & Feldman, 2010). Socially, the baby starts to trust in the main caregiver and develops a certain type of “attachment” (Bowlby in MCI, undated), an enduring emotional bond between him/her and the main caregiver. Parallel play enables babies to communicate with other babies through sounds, movements or facial expressions thus developing inter-personal skills.

During the second and third year, the baby will grow in height, allowing construction play to take place. Two and three year olds are able to build cube towers, climb stairs, run or jump. This opens a window of physical and exercise play opportunities. At this stage cognitive development impacts the intellectual play of the child, as s/he will be able to count, differentiate colours, understand consequences of actions. I have often watched children at this age being engaged in fantasy play: fishing with a stick, eating off leaves which served as plates, pretending to read newspapers or walking babies in carriages. The development of language enables the child to use new words and communicate with adults and children, therefore leaving an open door to simple communication play: songs with gestures, reading of poetry and cards games. In turn, this type of play fosters the development of vocabulary, pronunciation and the construction of sentences. Socially, two to three years old have an increasing need of independence. Solitary and parallel play remain the most preferred types of play.

Now that we have seen how development and play are interconnected during the first three years of the child, let us take a look of how they unfold from the age of three to six years old.

Physically, fine motor skills refine and writing skills develop. Now the child can pour liquids, eat with cutlery or get dressed on his own. S/he can jump or change running or walking directions and engage in rough-and-tumble play. This new degree of physical competence enriches the fantasy play, which becomes socio-dramatic play, as it is often done together with other children. I have seen children pretending to be animals, playing doctors performing precise eye or hand operations, going shopping with the families (composed of friends in the roles of children, husband or wives) and carrying full baskets. Their cognitive development allowed them to create intricate stories, engulfing abstract concepts or to thoroughly plan their play. Two boys were once building a spaceship, and planning what materials to use. They applied knowledge and used specific words such as “mission”, “oxygen” or “engine”. This was possible because of their language development. Between three and six, children know more than 20.000 words and can easily build short stories, and this is clearly reflected in their play (Papalia, Olds & Feldman, 2010). Emotionally, children at this age are able to recognize his/her feelings and the feelings of others (no longer ego-centric). They should be able to recognize when other children are playful or not. “Segregation” (Moyles, 2005) naturally happens as children spend more time in groups of similar sex. Socially, leadership and followership skills are developed, both with equal importance for the later adult (Bruce, 2006).

So what is the role of the adult in this natural development process? One of the most important roles of the adults relate to creating the necessary space, ensuring its safety and allowing independence and freedom for the child to explore it. All outdoor and indoor spaces should reflect the learning and development needs of the child, and the adult must make sure the equipment serves this purpose. Adults should supervise and observe the child and track his/her development, organize the objects and groups if the children are under three and give enough time for proper exploration and for putting the materials back as the session finishes. 

During heuristic play, the only intervention which could aid is to stop a child who will bother others, by suggesting him/her a new object and facilitating his/her interaction with it. Adults involvement in certain types of play such as socio-dramatic play can enhance the child’s learning by focusing his/her attention and challenging the process. The adult should act as a behavioural model and help children differentiate between reality and fiction. An adult can subtly structure the learning in play without significantly reducing the child’s ownership (Moyles, 2005). Lindon (2002, pp. 5) argues that: “children cannot benefit from their play if adults overplan and over-supervise the daily events of any setting or the family home”; therefore, adults should respect the child and his/her play agenda and understand which the right moment to intervene is.

Play is one of the most important processes which need to occur unhindered from infancy for the holistic development of the young child. It comes in different types and contexts and it affects and it is affected by each area of development: physical, cognitive, social, emotional and linguistic. It evolves together with the development of the child and changes according to his/her needs. Adults can facilitate this process by ensuring a safe and stimulating environment and by knowing when to intervene or not. All children should be able to experience play equally, and real alarm signals should be addressed when a child does not engage in play!

Source of the images:

1. http://www.aspenhillclub.com/Portals/252655/images/kids-playing.jpg
2. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv92g6y2klf5jN91mhKTOXzmjNgDt0RfSDQvjuYh1wfMJR6MZKH0McM94eIse1JmU06t_mIbucB0_SL-YahksJxmj93twENE30QafulVXQW3cMxjx87J558vD_vtJK68tX8u5j5QUOk0zz/s1600/AAA_7160.jpg
3. http://theimaginationtree.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Roads-and-construction-site-in-play-dough.jpg
4. http://www.myantelopevalley.com/media/2013080681807boyswrestling.jpg
5. http://www.chilboltonpreschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/role-play.jpg
6. http://studio3music.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/fantasy-play.jpg
7. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9cK8Oq8HdgDaH_TnE9c_s0OYczqsKNJdK6T9p7V1loxKyax2tAFN-69xJEokguk010u5FeB_7IvPWCIyCVXf5quMhFQsSQ1E-Xv0v2B_6esk2KTnkfrh2KyCLa04VzCHvWD9fAKSSFLR/s1600/IMG_6433.JPG

Bibliography

• Bruce, T. (2006 reprint) Developing Learning in Early Childhood London: Sage
• Elkind, D., (2009), Learning from play Montessori International, (Issue 91, April/June) pp 12 – 13
• Fass, P. S., (2004), Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood In History and Society New York: Macmillan Reference USA
• Goldschmeid, E. & Jackson, S. (2009 reprint) People Under Three London: Routledge
• Lillard, P.P, (1972),  Montessori, a Modern Approach  New York: Schocken Books
• Lindon, J., (2002), Factsheet: What is play [online] National Children’s Bureau: London, available online from: http://www.somerset.gov.uk/irj/go/km/docs/CouncilDocuments/SCC/Documents/CYP/NCB%20What%20is%20Play.pdf, date accessed (2.07.2013)
• Macleod-Brudenell, I, &  Kay, J. (2008, Second Edition) Advanced Early Years for Foundation Degrees & Level   4/5  Harlow: Heinemann  
• Montessori Centre International (undated) Module 2 Child Development London: MCI
• Morris-Coole, S., (2009), The Serious Business of Play Montessori International, (Issue 91, April/June)
• Moyles, J. (2005 2nd Edition) The Excellence of Play Maidenhead: Open University Press
• Nutbrown, C. & Clough, P. (2006) Inclusion in the Early Years London: Sage
• Papalia D. E., Wendkos-Olds S. & Duskin-Feldman, R., Human Development, (2010, 11^th ed.), Bucharest: Editura Trei
• Wood, E. & Attfield, J. (2005 2nd Edition) Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum London: Paul   Chapman Publishing

Four Facts about Language Development

Understanding more about language development can help us teachers and parents have a clearer picture on our role in facilitating it. Sometimes, our expectations are too high or sometimes we neglect some problems in language development children might have. Most of the time, language acquisition is something natural which just unfolds without too much effort from parents. If children are stimulated, however, that can be a different story. The vocabulary could be even richer, the healthy habit of reading might be developed and the child may ultimately learn to express him/herself much easier. All these have major implications for the child's future adulthood, form both career or personal life perspectives.

Here are some of the facts that may make you reconsider your verbal interactions with your children:

1. The first facts is common sensical, but I will write it here anyways :) Positive reactions and encouragement of the first attempts of talking influence the child's language trajectory. Behaviorist theory suggests that language, as other aspects of human development is absorbed by children through operant conditioning, meaning that certain actions and behaviors are enforced by giving a reward. For example a parents reaction to a child babbling may determine the shape of his futures sounds. Parents may reward children with attention, a positive comment, a smile or a touch and the child will be more likely to repeat the sound. "Baby talk" also known as  "motherese" or "parentese" helps babies pay closer attention to speech against background noise and puts emphasis on the important words or structures.
   
2. Children will learn how to talk by themselves with no formal education provided they are a part of society and they get plenty of social interactions. Chomsky's Language Acquisition Device is a theory which refers to the innate and universal ability of children to absorb and process language from his/her environment. This device may explain why children across cultures go through the same stages of language development. For example a child in Spain may invent the Spanish version of "runned". Should the social interaction lack, language development, especially after 5 is more difficult and less successful. The are two theories which seem to support this: Critical Period Hypothesis, which  is based on studies of feral children and suggests that 0-5 is critical to acquiring the language skills a human being needs to properly function in society.  The second one, Social Interactionist theory, explains how language developed focusing on the interactions between the child and adult, as a partnership between a beginner and someone who is more competent. As the child develops and makes new discoveries, so does the need to share these discoveries grows, the child turning towards those close trusted adults around him. This is how the social aspect impacts the development of language. The lack of socialization in the first years of life can severely damage a child's brain and consequently his/her language acquisition.
3. For young children up to five learning to speak two or three languages at once is as easy as learning just one, provided the necessary exposure. Bilingual children have the same milestones in language development and have a deeper understanding of language in comparison to monolingual children. 
4. Most speech delays can recovered until de age of seven. However, they can cause harm to the social or emotional development. Here is a list of signs of language delay put together by the Canadian Hanen Center. Parents and teacher should have in mind that speech delays are not the same as language delays!

I recommend watching this amazing TED Talk by Patricia Kuhl, which will shed more light on the internal mechanisms of language development in babies!

Sources of pictures:

http://0.tqn.com/d/preschoolers/1/0/7/L/-/-/CA15040.jpg

http://cdn1.disneybaby.com/images/2011/10/mom-baby-pattycake-photo-450x400-ts-rbby_591.jpg

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Brandone, A., Salkind S., Golinkoff R. & Hirsh-Pasek K. (undated) Language Development [online]available from: http://udel.edu/~roberta/pdfs/Bear%20chaptBrandone.pdf (date accessed 5/10/13)
2. Brock, A., & Rankin, C., (2008) Communication, Language and Literacy from Birth to Five [online]available from: http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/21820_C01.pdf (date accessed 5/10/13)
3. De Houwer, A., (2012), Milestones in Bilingual Children's Language Development [online]available from: http://literacyencyclopedia.ca/index.php?fa=items.show&topicId=313, (date accessed 5/10/13)
4. Macleod-Brudenell, I. & Kay, J. (2008, Second Edition) Advanced Early Years for Foundation Degrees & Levels 4/5 Harlow: Heinemann
5. Montessori Centre International (undated a) Module 2 - Child Development London: MCI
6. Montessori Centre International (undated b) Module 3 Observations London: MCI
7. Oesterreich, L. (1995a) Ages & stages - three-year-olds [online] available from: National Network for Child Care(NNCC) [online] www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stages.3y.html (date accessed 5/10/13)
8. Oesterreich, L. (1995b) Ages & stages - two-year-olds [online] available from: National Network for Child Care(NNCC) [online] http://www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stages.2y.html (date accessed 5/10/13)
9. Papalia D. E., Wendkos-Olds S. & Duskin-Feldman, R., (2010, 11^th ed.), Dezvoltarea Umană (Human Development), București (Bucharest): Editura Trei
10. Raising Children Network (2011) Language development: 3-4 years [online] available at: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/language_development_3-4_years.html/context/566 (date accessed 5/10/13)
11. US National Institutes of Health, (2010) Toddler development [online] available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002010.htm (date accessed 5/10/13).

An explanation of some of Maria Montessori's unique child development concepts

Maria Montessori (1966, 2007a, 2007b) brought a change of perspective in child development by creating a child-centred and child-led system which allows the child to grow at his/her own pace.  She theorised the different stages of development of a child and the way s/he learns and brought forward concepts such as “the absorbent mind” (Montessori, 2007a) and “sensitive periods” (Montessori, 1966). These concepts will be explored in this article, together with my understanding of their impact on child education and the role of adults in supporting their development.

In the first chapter of her book “From Childhood to Adolescence”, Montessori (1958) describes the development of the child through comparison to the growth of insects, from egg to butterfly, transforming in all the different stages. These stages have distinct traits and represent the path the evolving child will take from birth to adulthood. Montessori named these successive developments “rebirths” (Montessori 2007a) of the child, and categorised them into three periods: infancy, from birth to six years, childhood: from six to twelve and adolescence: from twelve to eighteen years.

The first and the last stages are periods of intense transformation while the second is calmer. Each of these periods has specific environmental needs and specific preparation of the adults surrounding the child, either teacher or parent, as will be discussed later in this paper. The first period has two sub-phases: “the spiritual embryonic stage” (Montessori, 2007a), from birth to three and “the social embryonic stage” (Montessori, 1966), from three to six. These are periods during which the child’s mind is like a sponge, capable of absorbing and internalising information and sensations from the surrounding environment in a fast and natural way.  This concept was defined by Montessori as “the absorbent mind” (2007a).

The first sub-phase, the spiritual embryonic stage is a period of formation during which the work of the new born child is similar to that of the embryo but in a psychological plan, rather than a physical one (Montessori, 2007a). His/her actions are driven by “the horme” a term developed by Sir Percy Nunn and described by Montessori as an innate force of life which directs the child towards his natural evolution (2007a).  The child’s mind is extremely active and unconsciously assimilates the environment, language, movements, culture and religion of the adults without questioning the information. All these are stored and permanently fixed in the child’s early unconscious memory called “mneme” (Montessori, 2007a) and will influence the child throughout his/her life. In this period it is not the adult who creates these abilities for the child, but the absorbent mind of the child working on its own, at its own pace.

An important process for the child during this period is independence from the adult. S/he learns to speak, walk, gain control of his/her hands and master his/her body. Once these basic skills are acquired s/he moves into the next sub-phase of the absorbent mind, which Montessori called the social embryo (1966). This is a time when the child uses and perfects the skills previously gained and during which the horme is slowly replaced by the will. Much learning and exploration during this period is made with the help of the hands, which facilitate mental development (Montessori, 2007a). The child also becomes more aware of the surrounding children and adults and develops the first inter-personal skills, absorbing the social and cultural norms. During this phase, the conscious stage of development (3 – 6 years) the child can learn new skills through deliberate effort.

Some of the most important behavioural processes observed by Montessori during the first period of development are the “human tendencies” (Montessori, 1966). She believed that all humans have certain genetic predispositions connected to their needs which can be encountered across cultures and countries such as the tendency to work, explore, imitate, socialize, move, concentrate, repeat, maintain order, achieve independence or communicate.

Closely related to the human tendencies Montessori identified particular periods in a child’s life when the acquisition of a new skill unfolds. The child is more receptive to learn particular skills or concepts and has the intrinsic tendency to repeat and perfect it. Once the ability is gained, the interest in it fades. Montessori named these periods “sensitive periods” (1966), after the Dutch scientist Hugo de Vries, who had previously observed them in animals. The theory of sensitive periods comes out of human tendencies. If humans have tendencies towards specific behaviour then there must be a fool-proof mechanism to make sure that the young are sensitised to the skills needed to fulfil human tendencies, hence sensitive periods.

Montessori (1966, 2007a) identified six of these periods: sensitivity to order, movement, small objects and language, refinement of senses and social aspects of life.

Sensitivity to order (Montessori, 1966) emerges during the child’s first months of life and can be observed during both embryonic stages. It is closely connected to the human tendency to maintain order. As chaos and confusion are unsettling, humans arrange and classify things in order to understand the world and their place in it.  Order helps children feel safe and in control, orientate, explore the environment and understand it: “[it] consists in recognizing the place for each object in relation to its environment and in remembering where each thing should be. This implies that one is able to orient one's self within one's environment and to dominate it in all its details” (Montessori, 1966, pp. 52-53).  If adults change the order of the objects in the room of the child, s/he will be disoriented and troubled, and will have to repeat the steps of internalising the new order. Order also facilitates movement. Once a child knows the place of different objects in the environment, s/he will try to reach and grab the objects. So if a child grows in a disorganised environment, the manipulation of the object will be delayed due to the lack of order in her/his environment and as the intellect of the child is influenced by the movements of the hand his/her cognitive development will also be delayed, consequently order is directly linked to intellectual development. 

The adult plays a crucial part in facilitating this period. S/he has to be extremely attentive to the child’s needs and emphatic. Objects must be carefully arranged so that each will have a place of its own. The decoration on the walls should be simple and not changed regularly, for the child to be able to absorb faster and interact with his/her environment. Eating and bed time routines should be established together with certain ground rules. The adults need to be consistent in following these rules and routines. It is highly beneficial for the child if both parents and all nursery staff align their behaviour according to these principles. If this does not happen the child will be confused and disoriented.

We have seen earlier that order is closely connected to movement (Montessori, 1966), another sensitive period which begins in the womb and continues after the birth of the child, culminating with the child’s ability to walk (Montessori, 1966) at the approximate age of 1 year.  It lasts up to the age of four (sometimes beyond) and facilitates the development of hand/eye coordination, fine motor skills (such as the manipulations of small items) and gross motor skills (such as walking or jumping). Movement relates to the human tendency towards exploration, manipulation and repetition (Montessori, 1966). For example, a two year old might be completely absorbed by climbing the stairs up and down, over and over, until s/he masters the skill.  Having done that, s/he has not only gained this physical skill, but also a sense of achievement and confidence to take on new challenges. Movement is also a key component of learning, the child learns by `doing` rather than through sedentary activities.

During my work, I have noticed adults that tend to be over-protective and impede their child to perform certain activities at a young age.  Once, a little boy in the park wanted to climb the fence. He carefully moved his hands and feet in the right places. When observed by his mother, he was taken down and firmly scolded. After a few minutes, the child clung to the fence again. She did not understand his need to learn repeat and the ability to climb.

Thus, adults can facilitate this period by being calm, supportive and confident in the abilities of the child and by carefully assessing the environment to avoid injuries. The environment should provide opportunities to move freely, crawl, push and pull, to develop muscles and balance, to play. It should be equipped with toys and materials that develop the movements of the hand and the hand/eye coordination such as puzzles, beads and balls, stacking toys and crayons. The child should be able to repeat and refine movements such as hooking, turning or inserting small objects. Safe opportunities for running, climbing and jumping should also be ensured. Parks and playgrounds can also facilitate this kind of movement. Sometimes coping with an element of risk is more important than safety at any cost.

As seen earlier, sensitivity to movement and order are connected to sensitivity to small objects (Montessori, 1966), which starts around the age of six months until the age of three (sometimes beyond). This relates to the human tendency of exploration and manipulation. Child–sized objects and furniture fit better into the child’s visual field, enabling him/her to observe and analyse them faster and benefit from their use (Montessori,1966). This sensitive period facilitates observation and concentration and the development of fine motor skills. Adults should provide enough time for individual exploration without interruption and make sure the environment is simple and attractive. The shelves should not be too crowded and objects clearly differentiated. The room should feel airy, light and inviting. During this sensitive period the child is drawn to small objects, trying to make sense of their world.

The period of sensitivity to language (Montessori, 2007a) is related to the human tendency to communicate. This sensitive period begins from birth when the infant learns language unconsciously during the spiritual embryonic stage and lasts until the age of five then repeats from the age of seven to nine. New born babies can recognize sounds from the womb. Then, they gradually and unconsciously absorb not only words, but the order of the words and their meaning (Montessori, 2007a).  A child that is not exposed to language is irrevocably damaged: “great many of the defects which remain permanently in the adult are due to functional errors in the development of speech during the time of childhood” (Montessori, 2007b, pp.215).

During the early years all communication from adults to child needs to be clear, concise and articulate. Adults should speak to the child, stimulate conversations, read and offer synonyms and descriptive adjectives (for example a wonderful, sparkly, soft toy). As language is the tool of absorbent mind, the adult’s attitude towards communication can influence the developing child, who must feel comfortable enough to share what s/he knows and what s/he is interested in.

The environment should provide language development materials: illustrated books, picture, word or sound cards, writing tools, alphabet puzzles and sensorial materials such as the “sand paper letters” (2007b) used in the Montessori pedagogy. There are also several activities and games adults can engage children in during this sensitive period, such as the popular "I spy, with my little eye [...]”, singing songs, poems, rhymes and stories. Vertical grouping (mixed age groups) in the Montessori environment meets the child`s needs during this sensitive period as well. Play is of extreme importance.

Sensitivity to the refinement of senses is connected to the human tendency of exploration (Montessori, 1966). Children are naturally curious and love to use their senses to learn about the world. This period is characterized with the child’s fascination with sensorial experiences (smell, sounds, weight, taste and touch sight). It starts at birth and intensifies between two and five. Montessori’s innovative approach to learning also consists in the development of her sensorial materials (2007b). As the first sensorial experiences are stored in the mneme, during the spiritual embryonic stage, the child organises and classifies these experiences, thus forming the base of his/her logical thinking (Montessori, 2007a). To facilitate this period, adults should observe the child, provide and demonstrate the sensorial materials and offer the child the opportunity to work alone. Montessori (2008) suggests that being in contact with nature, through observation and gardening children develop their senses and their understanding of the world. During this sensitive period the child should be given the freedom to manipulate their environment, using their senses, keeping safety in mind.

Sensitivity to the social aspects of life emerges around the age of three, when the child becomes aware that he/she is part of the group, and lasts until the age of six. It relates to the human tendencies of gregariousness and communication. These tendencies direct the child to be among other children as well as adults so that they learn and develop socially.  To facilitate these tendencies Montessori created the “vertical grouping” (2007a) of the classroom. She believed mixed age groups benefit all children (Montessori, 2007a). Adults should therefore provide plenty of play opportunities for social interaction during this period. If they fail to do so, the child will become less socially confident and even uncomfortable around others.  

Montessori’s experience had a major effect on the way we understand and educate children today. Her pioneering work brought forward a deeper understanding of the absorbent mind of the child during the first six years of life and the energies which drive it. It also enabled us to understand the impact of the sensitive periods in the formation of the child and the role of the environment and the adult in this process. For their impact and results her methods will always be a source of inspiration and orientation for both teacher and parents working for the optimal development of the child.

Bibliography

• Lillard, P.P. (1996) Montessori Today New York: Schocken Books
• Montessori Centre International (MCI) (2010) Module 1 Philosophy London: MCI
• Montessori Centre International, (2011) Study Skills, London: MCI
• Montessori, M., (2008, 2^nd edition) The Montessori Method[online], New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, available online from http://www.scribd.com/collections/3064516/Motessori-books (date accessed 3^rd of January 2013)
• Montessori, M., (1958) De L’Enfant a L’Adolescent (From Childhood to Adolescence)[online], Bruges: Desclée De Brouwer et Cie, available online from http://ia700406.us.archive.org/22/items/delenfantladoles00montuoft/delenfantladoles00montuoft.pdf (date accessed 3^rd of January 2013)
• Montessori, M., (1966), The Secret of Childhood  New York: Ballantine Books 
• Montessori, M., (2007a) The Absorbent Mind, Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
• Montessori, M., (2007b) The Discovery of the Child, Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
• Montessori, M., (2010) Education pour un Monde Nouveau (Education for a New World), Paris: Desclee de Brouwer
• Papalia D. E., Wendkos-Olds S. & Duskin-Feldman, R., (2010, 11^th ed.), Dezvoltarea Umană (Human Development), București: Editura Trei
• Stephenson, M.E. (2000) The Human Tendencies NAMTA Journal (Vol.25 (No.3), pp 5 – 22
• Stoll Lillard, A. (2005) Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. 

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