Assignment One - "If a child can imagine a fairy and a fairyland, it will not be difficult for him to imagine America.. We often forget that imagination is a force for the discovery of truth" (Absorbent mind, PG 177)
Using the quote above, explain how cultural materials help the child to discover the truth through imagination.
Dr. Maria Montessori, the revolutionary explorer in early childhood education in the 20th century discovered a world within the child. Her observations of the child, at Casa Dei Bmbini (Meaning "The Children's House)- The first Montessori classroom- led her to discover the secrets of childhood. And the framework of Montessori Philosophy is based on three important discoveries; Tendencies, Absorbent Mind and Sensitive Periods.
Maria Montessori believed that the imagination be encourage through real experiences and not fantasy. She felt very strong that this powerful force was not wasted on fantasy. It was important to allow a child to develop their imagination from real information and real experiences. Montessori believed that young children were attracted to reality; they learn to enjoy it and use their own imaginations to create new situations in their own lives.
As Dr. Montessori said, the child has his own potential for life to develop. it is important for the adult to understand and allow the child build himself by his own experiences without the adult trying to fill their knowledge onto the child. From birth and throughout the childhood, a child's absorbent mind allows him to absorb impressions from his surrounding environment and directly store it into his psychic life. As an infant these impressions are absorbed unconsciously but gradually when the child has a conscious mind, he absorbs impressions consciously and make language connections.
There are blocks of time in early years of child's life which he absorbs certain characteristics of his environment to the exclusion of all others. This is called sensitive periods....