Montessori Education Sensorial Theory

Sensorial Theory Paper
Introduction
Sensorial work aims to enhance a child’s acquisition of information that is not only conscious, but also clear in a way that enables the child to make sense of the environment and create or fashion classifications. It is important to note that Maria Montessori was of the opinion that a child’s sensorial experiences commenced at birth and that a child’s study of the environment takes place through these senses. This text concerns itself with sensory education. Amongst other things, it will highlight sensory education mechanisms and define the role of teachers in sensory education. Further, the text will also restate the relevance of sensory education and how it leads a child to abstraction.
Sensory Education: Background
Sensory education does not have an assigned definition. This is to say that no standard definition for sensory education exists. In that regard, therefore, it would be prudent to rely on Maria Montessori’s theories on education in an attempt to note only make sense of education, but also develop a definitive definition of sensory education. It should be noted, from the onset, that some of the theories Maria Montessori developed on education are largely founded on the thoughts and ideas of other scholars such as Froebel and Sequin. As she points out in the text titled, Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook, Sequin was successful in attempts to teach idiots, amongst other things, “….to feel, beginning the education of the muscular sensations by touching, and reading the difference of temperature, and ending with the education of the senses” (Montessori 41). According to Maria Montessori, one of the key assets in relation to the learning of a child has got do with the utilization of a child’s five senses to experience the world. As Maria Montessori further pointed out, knowledge acquisition, as well as problem solving and critical thinking skills in children begin with the movement as well as manipulation of their senses. Towards this end, Maria Montessori proposed a model of sensory education that would permit children to engage in practical hands-on engagements that required children to further enhance their intellectual abilities by way of tuning their five senses (Montessori 175). This approach to learning is logical largely because it permits and encourages the active participation of children in knowledge acquisition. As a matter of fact, when children are encouraged to interact with the environment via the utilization of their senses, they effectively become active (as opposed to passive) participants in the knowledge acquisition process.
Maria Montessori observed that at specific stages during their development, children tend to have a heightened predisposition to the acquisition of some specified skills. Maria Montessori refereed to the said phases as ‘sensitive periods’ (Montessori 203). It should be noted that whereas sensitive periods happen to be transitory in nature, the amount of time each stage takes is largely dependent upon how long the child takes in a specific developmental stage. In basic terms, these periods ought to be viewed as ‘learning readiness’ phases as the child may engage in repetitive actions until he or she develops or learns a new skill. Towards this end, there were several (six to be specific) sensitive periods that were highlighted by Maria Montessori. These include; sensitivity to order, sensitivity to language, sensitivity to walking, sensitivity to the social aspects of life, sensitivity to small objects, and finally sensitivity to learning through the senses (Povell 211).
Children ought to have the necessary skills as well as knowledge so as to play a meaningful role in the society. Maria Montessori was of the opinion that sensory education was the key towards this end. This is more so the case given that sensory education permits children to develop independence as well as self-discipline. According to Maria Montessori, skills and knowledge acquired this way at a young age meant that children would grow to be responsible individuals who would engage in a process of lifelong learning, without necessarily requiring or being in need of the intervention of a teacher. In Maria Montessori’s own words, given that the child in this case “learns to move rather than to sit still, he prepares himself not for the school, but for life; for he becomes able, through habit and through practice, to perform easily and correctly the simple acts of social or community life” (Montessori 87).
According to Maria Montessori, the relevance of practical knowledge in knowledge acquisition cannot be overstated. Towards this end, Maria Montessori advanced the need to lay down strategies meant to enable children experience the satisfaction that emanated from being active participants in their own education. In Maria Montessori’s words, the goal of education ought to be making “it possible for children to achieve the satisfaction of their own individual aims and desires” (Montessori, 97). The acquisition of knowledge, and thus education (as per Maria Montessori’s theories) is life. Towards this end, education (in general) results from our interactions with the environment and the experiences that we gather from such interactions. This is, in essence, what develops our perception of the world and forms the basis for meaningful and informed interaction with the society. In that regard, therefore, the more an individual interacts with the environment around him via the utilization of various tools availed to him, the more prepared he becomes for future interactions with the society.
In the final analysis, it should be noted that Maria Montessori’s version of knowledge acquisition involved sensory education, environmental manipulation, enhanced self-discipline, as well as the development of meaningful and practical life skills. In this framework, these factors ought to be viewed as being of great relevance in seeking to promote not only active learning, but also lifelong knowledge acquisition.
The Mechanism of Sensory Education
Maria Montessori was of the opinion that children required human tendencies to advance as well as develop in a fashion that could be deemed natural or real. The said human tendencies include, but they are not limited to, the desire to have order, reflect, and adopt corrective measures (Povell 107). On this basis, Maria Montessori sought to extend the interests of children using various materials which, in her opinion, would come in handy in seeking to satisfy the identified human tendencies in children. The materials she developed in this case sought to appeal or entice each sense. It is for this reason that she ensured that certain attributes of the materials were appropriately isolated so as to make the refinement of the relevant senses possible. The said attributes included, but they were not limited to, shape, size, as well as color.
It is important to note that in an attempt to address all the qualities that the senses could perceive, Maria Montessori proposed materials that were deemed instrumental in the building of the visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, stereo gnostic, baric, thermic, and muscular senses of children. To begin with, the visual sense has got to do with a child’s abilities to use his or her eyes to tell differences between objects. In that regard, therefore, the materials of relevance in this case include pink tower, broad stair, red rods, knobless cylinders, and color tablets (Isaacs 78). For instance, with regard to the red rods, the said rods vary in length and the child learns to make use of his or her eyes to assess length. Next, we have the auditory sense and related sensorial activities. In this case, the target sense happens to that of hearing. The child, therefore, is supposed to develop the ability to discriminate between various sounds using his or her ears. It is important to note that in this case, sound boxes comprise of the Montessori works in this particular category (Isaacs 78). When it comes to the olfactory sense, the focus is on enabling the child to differentiate between various smells. Towards this end, we have such items as smelling bottles and smelling trays (Isaacs 79).
Fourth, the gustatory sense has got to do with taste. In this case, the child ought to learn how to discriminate tastes. For instance, a child should tell that bitter and sweet are different tastes using their tongue as the central organ for tasting. The materials of relevance on this front are tasting trays and tasting bottles (Isaacs 79). Fifth, when it comes to the tactile sense, the focus is on touch. The central body part in this case is the hand, particularly the fingertips. In exploring various surfaces, the child should be able to tell the difference between a rough and a smooth surface. The materials of relevance in this case, therefore, include touch boards, touch tablets, and fabric boxes (Isaacs 78). In basic terms, the stereo gnostic sense is largely founded on the ability of the child to discriminate between 3-dimensional items. On this sense Maria Montessori pointed out that a movement impression is integrated into the movement of an arm or hand around or about a specific object. In her own words, “such an impression is attributed to a special, sixth sense, which is called a muscular sense, and which permits many impressions to be stored in a “muscular memory”, which recalls movements that have been made” (Maria Montessori 104 ). Materials in this case are inclusive of puzzles, sorting trays, transferring trays, geometric solids, mystery bag, and globes (Isaacs 78).
Next, we have the baric sense which in essence has got to do with weights. The child in this case ought to be able to discriminate subtle and significant differences in weight. Materials of relevance in this case include baric tablets and scale activity (Isaacs 78). Thermic sense, on the other hand, and as the name suggests, relates to temperature. On this front, the child ought to be able to tell between hot and cold, and perhaps anything in between. It is important to note that one of the key lessons in this case is that temperatures that are extreme are harmful and thus the child must not expose him or herself to such temperatures. Materials in this case are inclusive of thermic tablets and thermic bottles (Isaacs 78). Lastly, we have muscular sense. The focus in this case is movement, whereby the child’s awareness is created in relation to the said movement. In that regard, therefore, all body muscles are utilized in this endeavor. Works of relevance in this case include linear movement, circular movement, etc. (Isaacs 78).
The Teacher’s Role in Sensory Education
It is important to note that traditional teachers and Montessori teachers differ significantly in relation to their roles. This is more so the case given that the developmental abilities of children are central to Montessori education. In a general sense, therefore, Montessori teachers adopt a ‘follow the child’ stance. Unlike their counterparts in traditional settings, Montessori teachers are not the focal point in a class setting. This is more so the case given that Montessori education is not mainly focused on the teacher’s teaching, but on the child’s learning.
To begin with, the role of the teacher in sensorial education has got to do with the preparation of an environment conducive for such kind of learning to take place. In so doing, the teacher formulates activities focused on the relevant areas of learning, i.e. sensorial activities. Children in this case are empowered to select activities on the basis of their abilities as well as interests and are permitted to spend time engaging in such undertakings – with the teacher’s role being guidance, as opposed to interference. It is important to note that as a consequence of this approach, Montessori education fosters confidence and encourages genuine interest in learning.
Next, it is also important to note that the role of the teacher in sensorial education is mainly that of a mentor or model. Unlike in traditional classroom settings, sensorial education in Montessori education has minimal opportunities for coercion. Children engage in what largely interests them and the learning process is not forced in any way. As a matter a matter of fact, the Montessori approach is rooted in the belief that forcing the process of learning could lead to frustration amongst learners, and thus permitting learners to adopt their own learning pace is more empowering.
Third, the role of the teacher in sensorial education is largely observational. In this case, the teacher closely observes children as they work with an aim of seeking to determine whether specific sensory skills have been mastered. It is only when the relevant skills are mastered that children should be moved to the next curriculum. In this endeavor, it is good practice to share progress reports with the children’s caregivers or parents. Still on observation, it should be noted that to effectively execute their roles, Montessori teachers ought to have certain sets of skills. The most important skill in this endeavor is observation skills. This is a critical skill given that it could come in handy as the teacher attempts to assess not only the temperament, but also the learning style and interests of learners. Such an assessment is critical as it is of great relevance in seeking to determine those periods whereby children are most receptive to learning, and when learners have grasped some key skills or competencies so that more complex lessons can be introduced.
To inspire curriculum advancement as well as the learning of certain skillsets, Montessori teachers ought to advance the relevant support and encouragement to learners. Their ability to provide an environment conducive for the nurturing of sensorial education is critical to the development of the skills learners need for not only problem-solving, but also social understanding as well as logical thinking.
The Relevance of Sensorial Education
Sensorial education, according to Maria Montessori, commences at birth (Povell 108). It is through their senses that children are able to assign meaning to their environment and thus derive critical learning lessons. It therefore follows that thanks to sensorial work, it becomes possible for children to gain access to the relevant information needed for them to understand their environment. It is this understanding that comes in handy in not only the development, but also the advancement of organized intelligence - and thus the ability to institute meaningful changes. In essence, in Montessori learning, sensory activities are formulated in such a way that children can be able to discriminate diverse aspects in an attempt to not only further, but also broaden their senses. Via the utilization of Montessori designed materials, children are firmly set on the path to meaningful perception, awareness, as well as logic.
More specifically, sensorial materials enable children to scan their surroundings and categorize as well as classify sensory data in a way that enables them to develop critical skills involving the assembly of information in a meaningful way so as to arrive at conclusions or assess the nature of relationship that exists between certain things. Further, it should also be noted that as Issacs points out, sensorial education comes in handy in the creation of abstractions via the presentation of clear and well-founded information regarding the world and assigning a name or definite meaning to the same (212). In such a case, reference points are created such that a child is able make confirmations whenever he or she comes across information that is either unfamiliar or unknown. For instance, a person who has never heard of a centaur, or seen a representation of the same, would find it difficult to visualize or understand how the creature looks like without drawing from past information stored in his memory. In essence, a centaur is a folklore creature that has the body of a horse and a human upper body. For an individual who has a touchstone, i.e. how a human looks like and how a horse looks like, forming the image of a centaur would not be a problem. In Montessori education, touchstones come in handy in the reconstruction of new information to make meaning of the world – in what is commonly referred to as ‘keys to the world.’
Next, it should also be noted that sensorial education is the very foundation upon which precision as well as exactness is founded. This is more so the case given that it encourages critical thinking, the use of reason, and analysis. It is, therefore, obvious that in the end, sensorial education has quite a number of desirable consequences. Children in this case end up being well-adjusted socially, competent, as well as more self-disciplined. While social adjustment is as a result of a classroom setup that could be related to a lively social community that promotes meaningful and deliberate interactions, competency is brought about by the development of skills in diverse areas while at the same time focusing on the child’s core competencies. When it comes to self-discipline, it is important to note that as has been highlighted elsewhere in this text, the class environment is set up in such a way that it limits coercion in the learning process. This is to say that children eventually learn to be self-reliant and to motivate themselves to action, while at the same time treating those they interact with in the course of learning as equals.
Conclusion
The traditional setting of a class places the teacher at the center of activities. In this case, the teacher dictates material and dispatches knowledge as learners listen attentively and attempt to absorb whatever it is that is being taught – regardless of their interest or pace. This is the approach to education that Maria Montessori sought to challenge, despite this method having been applied for centuries. According to Maria Montessori, learning ought to actively involve not only the teacher, but also the learner – while at the same time incorporating the environment to complete the learning equation. At the core of Montessori education is the child’s active participation in knowledge acquisition. The focus ought not to be on the teacher’s teaching, but on the child’s learning. It is clear from the assessment presented herein that Montessori education is superior to the traditional approach when it comes to not only the reinforcement of the learning and knowledge acquisition process, but also the promotion of lifelong learning and development of meaningful and practical life skills.


















Works Cited
Issacs, Barbara. Understanding the Montessori Approach: Early Years Education in Practice. New York, NY: Routledge, 2013.
Montessori, Maria. The Discovery of the Child (Vol. II). Amsterdam: Montessori-Pearson Publishing Company, 1965.
Montessori, Maria. Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook. New York: Schocken Books, 1965.
Povell, Phyllis. “Maria Montessori: Portrait of a Young Woman.” American Montessori Society. 19.1 (2007): 22-24.