In this essay I will explain one of Dr Montessori’s main discoveries with regard to the concept of a normalised child being in complete harmony with his/her environment, and I will look at the deviations that may take place. Montessori discovered that the normalized child would consistently emerge as a result of applying her method with children. I will review the environmental factors that support the natural development of normalisation. I will identify the key roles of the teacher to support a child’s journey towards normalisation and how the unfavourable environment may result in a child’s regression.
During Montessori’s observations on the children she was teaching, she noticed that there was a process that was unfolding. When the children started attending the class most of them were not social, could not concentrate, often bad tempered and destructive. Montessori noticed that once the children started a cycle of repetition, and concentration, a sense of satisfaction would come over the children, they would become calmer and content; they were more compassionate and exhibited increasing responsibility for their environment (Montessori, 2012b). Contentment leads to inner discipline, self-assurance, and preference for purposeful activities. Montessori called this process which took place in the child “normalization” (Montessori, 1966). When children enter the process of normalisation four main characteristics appear. They show a love of work, great concentration, self-discipline and sociability (Montessori, 2012). It appeared to her, in fact to be the normal state of the child, since it developed spontaneously when the environment was prepared (Montessori, 1966). ”All children, if placed in an environment allowing ordered activity, show this new appearance” (Montessori, 2012b). For normalisation to occur the following factors have to be present. The hands have to be involved in an interesting physical activity, the activity must be grounded in reality,...