In The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Montessori states, “The child has other powers than ours, and the creation he achieves is no small one; it is everything. Not only does he create his language, but he shapes the organs that enable him to frame the words. He has to make the physical basis of every moment, all the elements of our intellect, everything the human being is blessed with. This wonderful work is not the product of conscious intention.”
During the 0-3 age range, children are in an unconscious phase of the absorbent mind, gathering and storing information from their surroundings. This may occur as they go on walks—first in a stroller, and later on foot—observing and absorbing their environment.
As children transition from ages 3-6, they enter a conscious phase of the absorbent mind. In this stage, they actively choose activities that interest them and begin building schemas from these interactions, drawing upon information gathered in their earlier unconscious phase.
With this shift to conscious exploration, children can now classify and organize what they have stored subconsciously, relating it to the carefully prepared classroom environment. Materials such as the brown stairs, cylinders, pink tower, and long rods can be matched to the shapes and dimensions the child experienced during the earlier, unconscious phase.
Clockwise from left: First year student from counting to addition. Another first-year student is associating sounds with symbols.
This transition often leads to a noticeable explosion in a child’s learning. For example, a two-year-old who previously absorbed everything in the classroom and worked with materials only briefly may now engage with the same materials for extended periods, intensely focused and immersed in completing the work to his satisfaction.
Recently, I observed this with several students. For instance, a first-year student progressed from working with one box of knobless cylinders at a time to using all four boxes of varying dimensions and the most complex control card. He would come into class, take out the work, and maintain focus until he was satisfied.
Similarly, two Kindergarten students, whom I observed this morning, moved from forming words with the movable alphabet to forming sentences. These are two of the glimpses I caught among many that teachers must observe each day.
Clockwise from left: A second-year student began in the practical life area, honing his motor skills and concentration, and is now working independently on addition. A fourth-year Kindergarten student started her first year matching sounds and is now building complex words and writing in journals.
The prepared environment is paramount in supporting this development. Every task the child chooses in this environment nourishes their brain, first helping them gather information and later form connections.
Maria Montessori believed children possess an innate, creative potential and an “absorbent mind” capable of self-directed learning, independence, and profound concentration.
At King’s Wood, we strive to nurture that development and love to hear instances of parents seeing this progress at home as well.