Through long-term observation, Montessori believes that children are in a continuous and progressive development and change, and this development and change is staged. Montessori believes that children's development basically goes through 4 stages: the first stage: is the 0-6 years infant stage; the second stage: is the 6-12 years childhood stage; the third stage is: the 12-18 years old adolescent stage; the fourth stage: 18-24 years old mature stage. As shown in the following figure:
Classification of The Four Major Development Stages
The cycle is divided into four equal stages, with a period of 6 years.
Infancy (0-6 years old)
Infancy (0-6 years old) is the preschool period.
During this period, the infant's brain nerves, body functions, and control over hands and muscles have been greatly developed. From needing adult care to being able to do things independently, the main task of this stage is to gain "physical independence". As shown in the figure, the 0-6 years old infant stage is divided into two sub-stages: 0-3 years old and 3-6 years old.
3 years old is an important dividing point in the 0-6 years old stage. 0-3 years old, this stage is the fastest and most unstable development of infants from scratch. The terrible twos are in this stage. Infants and young children in this stage are like little devils. After 3 years old, they enter the consolidation period, constantly practicing and consolidating the knowledge and skills acquired at 0-3 years old, laying the foundation for good development in the next stage.
Children in the 3-6 years old stage tend to be stable, and you will feel that they have grown up. Throughout the 0-6 years old stage, infants continue to construct and develop themselves with the help of the absorbent mind, sensitive periods, and human tendencies.
Childhood (6-12 years old)
Childhood (6-12 years old) is the primary school stage.
Children after the age of 6 begin to have a reasoning mind and a strong desire for knowledge. This stage is for children to grow their knowledge and artistic talents. Montessori called it the "independence of the mind". Children's intelligence will explode at this stage. They are exposed to more knowledge.
At this stage, they will want to know how the world works and have more in-depth questions. Childhood is a calm period. Children's emotions and learning attitudes are relatively calm and they focus on group activities.
Adolescence (12-18 years old)
Adolescence (12-18 years old) is a period full of dynamics and changes.
When entering adolescence, children will undergo tremendous changes in physiology and emotions. Adolescence is like a rebirth for children. Due to the development of secondary sexual characteristics, children at this stage face great physical and psychological changes. They are self-centered, sensitive, rebellious, and eager to interact with the opposite sex. Children at this stage want to gain "social independence."
Adulthood (18-24 years old)
Adulthood (18-24 years old) is also called maturity.
It is a calm and stable period. The child's body at this stage has fully developed. It is the last stage of brain development. The frontal lobe of the brain will not be fully developed until the age of 24. The frontal lobe will help us plan for the future, make plans, think systematically, etc. After this stage, he can make choices for himself as an independent adult. At this stage, you want to achieve "financial independence" or "complete independence."
Characteristics of The Four Development Stages
Each stage has developmental tasks and challenges. The first stage is to gain physical independence, the second stage is to gain mental independence, the third stage is to gain social independence, and the fourth stage is to gain economic independence. Each stage has independent challenges to be accomplished.
The four development stages have commonalities and characteristics. The first and third stages are two very unstable stages with many different growth needs, which are marked in red in the figure and require more attention and support from adults. The second and fourth stages are both stable periods.
Continuity and gradualness of development stages The development of the previous stage is the foundation of the next stage, and the unresolved challenges of the previous stage will become obstacles in the next stage. Each stage must be fully developed and prepared before the child can enter the next stage. Do not force the child to enter the next stage too quickly.
The following figure is a bulb diagram of the child's development stage drawn by Montessori herself. Montessori compares the development of life to the growth of a bud.
From the diagram, we can see that the buds of the entire 0-6 years old stage occupy the largest overall area, followed by 12-18 years old.
0-3 years old are represented by black, because they are unconsciously absorbed, but their area is the largest, indicating that they have great potential; 3-6 years old are red, symbolizing the explosion of the fireball, which is the core period of Montessori education. 6-12 years old are relatively gentle. There is a small red core explosion period from 12-18 years old, and it is stable from 18-24 years old. From the bulb diagram, we can see that the 0-6-year-old stage occupies a very important position in the four major development stages, and early education at this stage is particularly important.
The theory of four development stages helps us summarize the laws and characteristics of human development. The first and third stages are two stages of rapid development, with the most unstable factors. The second and fourth stages are stable development periods. Children aged 0-6 are in the first stage of development. The instability and changes in development require more attention and patience from adults.
