The Absorbent Mind Essay Example

power a child is born with, a power to learn from nothing. All this is not done consciously but with what is called the ‘unconscious mind’. This type of mind is also called the ‘absorbent mind’.

It is a psychic force which makes it possible for the child to absorb and to understand the environment to which he or she has come into. The absorbent mind is active in a child from birth to 6 years. Within this time the newborn baby with such limited abilities and so dependant for his mother’s love and care begins a journey to independence. At the end of the 6th year he is able to walk, talk, socialize and concentrate. Although, if observed very carefully, a child gains most of his skills in the first 3 years of his life and then he continues to refine and develop the skills in the following 3 years.

At the end of the 6th year he has developed into a child ready for compulsory education. Seeing the importance of the first 3 years of life Montessori named it ‘The Psychic Embryo’ and the latter part of the absorbent mind she called the ‘The Social Embryo’. The Absorbent Mind is at the highest level of its strength from birth -3 years and from 3 years-6 years it gradually fades away with the arrival of ‘The Conscious Mind’. Characteristics of the Absorbent mind and how it works The Absorbent Mind helps a child to adapt to the new environment.

The foundation for the continuous development till he reaches puberty and adulthood is laid in the first 3 years of a child’s life. Therefore The

Absorbent Mind is a complex post. To understand it we need to look at the characteristics it possesses. It is a powerful psychic post or mental energy Although we see a great development in the physical aspect of a child’s development we cannot see any psychological development in a child. But research shows that there is a lot going on in a child’s mind. Speaking of one such energy Dr. Montessori writes, To us, the mental organism is a dynamic whole, which transforms its structure by active experience obtained from its surroundings [the environment]; it is guided thereto by an energy [horme? ] of which the nebulae are differentiated and specialized kinds or stages. ’(The Absorbent Mind, Pg 74) Horme? is the vital force or energy which is present and active in the Absorbent Mind which guides a child’s efforts, according to the natural order of development, and according to each child’s readiness. For example the horme? guides a child of 9 months, who is very confident in crawling, to stand up holding onto furniture.

Because the horme? knows the next step in his development is leaning to walk. When the horme? directs a child in the direction of standing the child will be absorbed in the activity of holding to furniture, standing up and letting go. This he will repeat with great pleasure till he fulfils his need, which is standing unaided. Montessori explains, ‘Nebulous urges without form, yet charged with potential energy; and these will have the duty of directing, and incarnating in him, the form of human conduct which he finds in his surroundings. We have called these formless urges, ‘nebulae’’. (The

Absorbent Mind, Pg 65)

Absorbent mind gains its knowledge through the five senses The first organs to function in a child after birth are his senses. Scientists have proved that a child’s senses (other than the sense of sight) are already at use before birth! The instruments a child uses for learning and absorbing his environment is his senses. He uses his senses to understand and adapt to his environment. It is for this reason Montessori always emphasised the importance of being a role model to children at all times. It absorbs anything the senses get aroused (impressed) at Every adult admires their environment and fondly remembers their homeland.

But, a child in his Absorbent mind does not remember, but absorbs. The things he sees are not a memory; it becomes a part of his soul. Dr. Montessori says, ‘He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear’ (Absorbent mind pg56). It is important to note that this absorption is not done consciously and children are transformed by the things they absorb from the environment. The ability to incarnate is called the ‘Mneme’. For example a child leans his mother tongue within the first two years of life and he is able to speak the language with reat skill. The Absorbent Mind does not have long term memory power. The child does not have the capability yet to memorise or study the language and remember it but, he has this ability to absorb the language unconsciously and then speak using correct grammar and sentences. This power of incarnation/memory in a child is called the ‘Mneme’. ‘Mneme’

helps a child to form his personality at a young age. It cannot select what is good or bad It is important to understand as adults who work with children that ‘The Absorbent Mind’ does not select what is bad or good.

Every impression forms an impression which cannot be erased. It absorbs every image that he sees and it does this without reasoning. Therefore as adults, it is our responsibility to protect children from violence and also to be a role modal at all times. It absorbs all that which makes the character of an individual person Every human being is different in personality. Yet, we do not bring a personality at birth. Our personalities are formed after birth. If a baby is given a positive environment he will grow up with a good character.

A child brought up in a deprived environment, exposed to violence and abuse, no matter who his parents are, will carry physical and mental scars for life. This will show in the personality of the child in his adolescence and his adult life. Montessori explaining this wrote, ‘The behaviour of every individual is a product of his environmental experience’. (Absorbent mind, pg81). It is a self starter for human life to gain knowledge It is important to remember that the Absorbent mind is a vital stage in a child’s development and it’s a crucial time in his development.

Also, no human being is able to control it, not even the child. It begins from birth and slowly begins to fade away after his 3rd year. Most importantly it helps the child learn most of the skills during this stage.

If a window of opportunity is missed, it is lost forever! Acquisition of adaptation and cultural traits Immediately after being born the process of adaptation begins. This begins from the second he is born. He is born with points of reference from the womb such as, the mother’s voice, heart beat and touch together with the father’s voice and touch. Now he begins to connect his memories to people.

He begins to recognise his mother and father by putting a face to the voice and touch, he begins to understand his extended family, his culture and language. By the age of 3 years a child is well grounded and adapted to his society. This is clear if you compare a child from England to a child from Japan. They will speak their own language proficiently and understand their culture well. They are well adapted to their environment. If you now take these children out of their countries and take them to India will they adapt? Or if they were born in India will they know that this is not their original country?

They would have grown up loving their environment, adapting and enjoying the culture. They will always call India their mother land, the place they feel most at home! Acquisition of movement ‘The most important side of human development is the mental development. ‘For man’s movements have to be organised according to the guidance and dictation of his mental life’. (Absorbent mind, pg 66) As the Absorbent mind develops it creates windows of opportunities (Sensitive periods) for development. Development of language and movement stand out from the rest.

When a child is born he

is not able to walk or talk. No other animal is so helpless at birth. For example, A child has the potential for movement, he has limbs: hand and legs, but is not able to walk since he is not able to coordinate his body yet. At around the 6th month the child’s cerebellum begins to grow rapidly and around the 14-15 months slows down. This is his sensitive period for movement. Within this time the child begins to sit up, crawl, stand and walk respectively and gains his independence. The ability for movement is solely reliant on the developing brain.

If the brain did not develop at the right time the child will not walk even though he had the potential. Acquisition of language A new born has no language abilities but, within 2 years he is able to speak simple sentences and understand his mother tongue well. By 3 years he is able to speak fluently and have a conversation and socialise with others. How does he do that? Can an adult learn a new language from nothing to such efficiency within 2-3 years? Yet again this is another extra ordinary power the Absorbent minds possess is the ability to teach language/s from nothing. Dr. Montessori explaining this writes, The nebula of language does not contain the special kind of language which the child is destined to develop, but from it every language which he finds surrounding him at birth can be constructed, and each will develop itself in the same length of time, and following the same procedure, in all children in all the countries of the world’. (Absorbent mind pg. 73)

Within the period of the ‘Spiritual embryo’ the child develops the sensitivity to language. He begins to recognise human language apart from other sounds and begins to practice sounds. Around the age of 12 months the first words begin and develop rapidly to sentences and conversations.

The unconscious mind absorbs language around him and incarnates it in his mind. Then he begins to construct language unconsciously. How can we, as teachers or parents help develop ‘The Absorbent Mind’? ‘So the first this his education demands is the provision of an environment in which he can develop the powers given him by nature’ (Montessori, Absorbent mind pg. 81) According to Dr. Montessori it is clear that the environment is the only factor we have control of in the development of a child’s potentials during the Absorbent mind. Therefore we need to provide the best environment for his development.

To achieve this, the child’s home has to be orderly. His environment should be tidy and stable. Things should not be re-arranged since this makes the child confused and disoriented. His home has to be rich in language. The adults in the environment should speak clearly using simple language. He should be read to, sung to, and encouraged his every attempt towards speech. He should always be in the social group and involved in the group. He should feel he belongs to his society and environment. He should have the freedom of movement and choice. Adults much never restrict him but prepare the environment to meet his needs.

Always encourage and help the child do things for himself. Children at this age love to ‘work’. Adults should involve

him in dressing up, cooking, cleaning and washing activities and adults need to be patient, letting him take time on the activity. Repetition helps a child perfect his capabilities. The child should always be respected and treated not as a helpless child. Adults must look at the potential of a child and the capabilities, not at what he cannot do yet. Most importantly the adults in the environment have to be role-modals. Always keeping in mind the ‘unconscious mind’ and how it absorbs.