Maria Montessori Observed That Human

Maria Montessori observed that human development is periodic in nature. Describe the four planes of development and their importance to educators.

Maria Montessori proposed that human development proceeds in a series of phases. The integrity of these stages must be respected, and a child must not be rushed from one phase into the next, as he or she will not have the cognitive capacity to cope with the added demands before he or she is prepared. "Localized states of maturity must first be established" (Montessori, 1985, p.88). Furthermore, incomplete development during one phase will interfere with the child's ability to successfully resolve the next phase in his or her education, leading into incomplete maturity.

The first phase stretches from birth to two years, the period of speech development and functions as a kind of extension of the child's life in the womb. This is why Montessori calls it the psycho-embryonic phase, where the child's abilities to move and communicate can only function independently, not in conjunction with one another, and the child is still dependant upon others for his or her survival and basic needs (Montessori, 1995, p.74). The embryonic stage of toddlerhood, spanning from age three to six, requires these different abilities to begin to operate together in a holistic fashion, so the latent gifts of the child can begin to be revealed.

The second phase, of childhood, stretching from age six to twelve, is when the child becomes hungrier for knowledge. The child is uniquely retentive in his or her capacity. It is the duty of the educator to create such favorable conditions for learning, and expanding the child's capacity for abstract thinking, while still respecting the child's self-directed role in the process. The child must be treated like an integrated being, and attention must be paid to the child's developing body and sensory perceptions, as well as to the more conventional aspects of academic learning (Montessori, 1995, p. 136).

The third phase of adolescence is often a turbulent phase because of its transitional nature. It spans from ages twelve to eighteen. The adolescent demands personal independence and control over his or her education. This quest must be respected by the educator. Positive gestures towards autonomy should be supported, rather than thwarted, so the individual can successfully enter the fourth phase, that of maturity, which involves spiritual and personal self-awareness and actualization.