Comments on: Sterling Qualities of the ‘Normalized’ Montessori Child http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html High Quality Montessori Materials Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:36:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Lori Bourne http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-7211 Lori Bourne Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:59:49 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-7211 Hi, Jennie! That's perfectly normal for a 3-year-old - even one who has never been encouraged to do a lot of pretend play. Just respond with a calm "Oh, that's nice" and move on. It's completely normal and nothing to worry about. Hi, Jennie! That’s perfectly normal for a 3-year-old – even one who has never been encouraged to do a lot of pretend play. Just respond with a calm “Oh, that’s nice” and move on. It’s completely normal and nothing to worry about.

]]> By: Jennie http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-7210 Jennie Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:35:57 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-7210 Hello, I have a daughter who will be turning 3 soon. I have been a teacher for 11 years (now staying home) and am a product of an early Montessori education myself. I have been doing some research on the montessori pedagogy to try and refresh my memory and have appreciated tremendously, all of your comments. I am hoping you might go into a little more detail about your thoughts on creating that healthy balance between the ingenuity of a good imagination and the fantasy aspect. My daughter just w/in the past several weeks (at most) has started to express creative thoughts that are connected to fantasy and I don't know exactly how to respond. We do not expose her to Walt Disney and even focus more on the Harvest during the fall, rather than on things like Halloween. Two recent examples: (please give me your thoughts on how to respond) She opened up a clothing hamper in our closet not long after we had read a book about plants and their seeds. She said, "Oh mommy, look- I have a plant growing here inside the hamper with a pink flower, see? And there's a bee on top of the flower making honey." and...(and I'm not sure what prompted this one) "Mommy, look there's a little monkey over here by my potty, and I am going to pick him up and put him in his nest." ha! I have never (up to this point) been confused as to how to respond to my daughter...now I am not sure. Please give me some feedback... THANKS! Hello, I have a daughter who will be turning 3 soon. I have been a teacher for 11 years (now staying home) and am a product of an early Montessori education myself. I have been doing some research on the montessori pedagogy to try and refresh my memory and have appreciated tremendously, all of your comments. I am hoping you might go into a little more detail about your thoughts on creating that healthy balance between the ingenuity of a good imagination and the fantasy aspect. My daughter just w/in the past several weeks (at most) has started to express creative thoughts that are connected to fantasy and I don’t know exactly how to respond. We do not expose her to Walt Disney and even focus more on the Harvest during the fall, rather than on things like Halloween. Two recent examples: (please give me your thoughts on how to respond) She opened up a clothing hamper in our closet not long after we had read a book about plants and their seeds. She said, “Oh mommy, look- I have a plant growing here inside the hamper with a pink flower, see? And there’s a bee on top of the flower making honey.” and…(and I’m not sure what prompted this one) “Mommy, look there’s a little monkey over here by my potty, and I am going to pick him up and put him in his nest.” ha!
I have never (up to this point) been confused as to how to respond to my daughter…now I am not sure.
Please give me some feedback… THANKS!

]]> By: Lori Bourne http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-7089 Lori Bourne Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:42:27 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-7089 Hi, Amy! I've seen that happen too - it's a sad illustration of what happens when fantasy is taken to the extreme. I like the balance found in Montessori. I wish more people understood Maria Montessori's position, but hopefully we can spread the word. Hi, Amy! I’ve seen that happen too – it’s a sad illustration of what happens when fantasy is taken to the extreme. I like the balance found in Montessori. I wish more people understood Maria Montessori’s position, but hopefully we can spread the word.

]]> By: Amy Ball http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-7086 Amy Ball Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:33:27 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-7086 To chime in on the fantasy topic, I have seen a few children get so lost in fantasy, they they literally lived in another world. As always, it is important to look at the individual child. Perhaps providing them with reality, real things, was a so very different way of dealing with children 100 years ago...and today! To chime in on the fantasy topic, I have seen a few children get so lost in fantasy, they they literally lived in another world. As always, it is important to look at the individual child. Perhaps providing them with reality, real things, was a so very different way of dealing with children 100 years ago…and today!

]]> By: Shawna http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-828 Shawna Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:05:00 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-828 Great post!<br/><br/>My only concern is with the fantasy element. I find fantasy to be too important a vehicle to exploring various idea, emotions, concepts and in passing down cultural history. But I do not see this as a conflict with Montessori education--I think the overall concept without the emphasis on "reality" still works wonders in developing the child into an adult. Great post!

My only concern is with the fantasy element. I find fantasy to be too important a vehicle to exploring various idea, emotions, concepts and in passing down cultural history. But I do not see this as a conflict with Montessori education–I think the overall concept without the emphasis on “reality” still works wonders in developing the child into an adult.

]]> By: Gypsy http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-693 Gypsy Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:21:00 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-693 Thank you Lori for such a great response, and the link to the forum site. I laughed that many of the books I have seen recommended on Steiner forums, who also caution against books with animals dressed up playing houses for little little children. I will really look forward to more posts from you. I don't understand the idea of holding off on fantasy until the child is firmly rooted in reality though, my understanding of brain development is that the brain develops in those early primary school years to make 'critical reasoning' possible, so then children can really determine real from pretend. While for littlies, their fantasies can be very real, and a very precious part of being children. I suppose its all about balance, letting children enjoy their imaginations while they have brains that can really run wild, without undermining their trust that adults will protect what is real and tell them the truth. Thank you for being one of the most sensible and inspiring blogs on this subject! Thank you Lori for such a great response, and the link to the forum site. I laughed that many of the books I have seen recommended on Steiner forums, who also caution against books with animals dressed up playing houses for little little children. I will really look forward to more posts from you. I don’t understand the idea of holding off on fantasy until the child is firmly rooted in reality though, my understanding of brain development is that the brain develops in those early primary school years to make ‘critical reasoning’ possible, so then children can really determine real from pretend. While for littlies, their fantasies can be very real, and a very precious part of being children. I suppose its all about balance, letting children enjoy their imaginations while they have brains that can really run wild, without undermining their trust that adults will protect what is real and tell them the truth. Thank you for being one of the most sensible and inspiring blogs on this subject!

]]> By: Tracy http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-692 Tracy Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:42:00 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-692 Thank you so much for your insights, Salvo. And what a poetic description of how "normal" really ought to look! Thank you so much for your insights, Salvo. And what a poetic description of how “normal” really ought to look!

]]> By: montessori_lori http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-691 montessori_lori Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:28:00 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-691 Salvo, what fantastic information! Thank you so much for stopping by. You are the missing piece of the puzzle to understanding exactly what Dr. Montessori meant. <br/><br/>You are absolutely right to bring this back to science, since she was first and foremost a scientist. "Normal" in a scientific context means just what you said, commonly displayed behavior among similar species under similar conditions. <br/><br/>Great insight! Salvo, what fantastic information! Thank you so much for stopping by. You are the missing piece of the puzzle to understanding exactly what Dr. Montessori meant.

You are absolutely right to bring this back to science, since she was first and foremost a scientist. “Normal” in a scientific context means just what you said, commonly displayed behavior among similar species under similar conditions.

Great insight!

]]> By: Salvomenza http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-690 Salvomenza Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:03:00 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-690 Hi, I'm italian and I'm currently reading Maria Montessori in italian (<i> L'autoeducazione </i>).<br/>Well, she writes "bambino normalizzato" ('normalized child') and "normalizzazione". Also in nowadays italian those words might be misunderstood, much as in english, as Lori says in her post (by the way: it's wonderful). Thus the english translation sticks to the original word both morphologically and etymologically.<br/>I would like to underline, howerver, that the link to the word <i>normale/normal</i> seems to be explicitly wanted by M. Montessori. And her perspective was different from ours: she was not worry about misunderstanding. Rather, she even seems to me to be aiming at changing the current meaning of the word alongside with what people feel and think as 'normal': she challenges the common assumption about normality in general (and in children). In her opinion, a child (a man) with the "sterling qualities" cited by Lori are <b>just</b> normal, not special. Those who don't display those qualities are compared to flowers or trees grown up in a place not suited for them, without enough light or water, and the like. Such flowers and trees won't blossom as they would, so they are not <i>normal</i>. In the sense that they did not develop their real self. They are not what they are supposed to be, what they were born to be (a slight catholic flavor could be present in such an idea of normality). For natural sciences (and statistics), instead, normality often is just the most common and widespread actually displayed behavior observed in a certain environment. Unfortunately, common sense still seems to stick to this latter idea of normality, and prejudice overlaps with (and overcomes) objective observation.<br/>In fact, e.g. in my country, a child is considered normal if he is bored by school, if he does not love order, if he does not like concentrating, if he is not curious about science, nature and so on, because the majority of children displays the same behaviors (think of a traditional classroom...)<br/>Normalized children, in turn, would often be considered strange, or special. <br/><br/>Salvo Menza Hi, I’m italian and I’m currently reading Maria Montessori in italian ( L’autoeducazione ).
Well, she writes “bambino normalizzato” (‘normalized child’) and “normalizzazione”. Also in nowadays italian those words might be misunderstood, much as in english, as Lori says in her post (by the way: it’s wonderful). Thus the english translation sticks to the original word both morphologically and etymologically.
I would like to underline, howerver, that the link to the word normale/normal seems to be explicitly wanted by M. Montessori. And her perspective was different from ours: she was not worry about misunderstanding. Rather, she even seems to me to be aiming at changing the current meaning of the word alongside with what people feel and think as ‘normal’: she challenges the common assumption about normality in general (and in children). In her opinion, a child (a man) with the “sterling qualities” cited by Lori are just normal, not special. Those who don’t display those qualities are compared to flowers or trees grown up in a place not suited for them, without enough light or water, and the like. Such flowers and trees won’t blossom as they would, so they are not normal. In the sense that they did not develop their real self. They are not what they are supposed to be, what they were born to be (a slight catholic flavor could be present in such an idea of normality). For natural sciences (and statistics), instead, normality often is just the most common and widespread actually displayed behavior observed in a certain environment. Unfortunately, common sense still seems to stick to this latter idea of normality, and prejudice overlaps with (and overcomes) objective observation.
In fact, e.g. in my country, a child is considered normal if he is bored by school, if he does not love order, if he does not like concentrating, if he is not curious about science, nature and so on, because the majority of children displays the same behaviors (think of a traditional classroom…)
Normalized children, in turn, would often be considered strange, or special.

Salvo Menza

]]> By: montessori_lori http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html/comment-page-1#comment-689 montessori_lori Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:47:00 +0000 http://montessoriforeveryone.dreamhosters.com/sterling-qualities-of-the-normalized-montessori-child.html#comment-689 That's a great question, Tracy! I'll look into it and see what I find. I've always felt that if she had chosen another word without the connotation of "normal", it would have been easier for people to know what she meant. That’s a great question, Tracy! I’ll look into it and see what I find. I’ve always felt that if she had chosen another word without the connotation of “normal”, it would have been easier for people to know what she meant.

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