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Philosophy-Sensitive Periods

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Submitted By umarani
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This Essay explains child's sensitive periods to support child's normal development, All six sensitive periods are analysed here, child's stages of growth is also discussed briefly. The adverse effect in children if not supported sensitive period are also mentioned here, Adult support to facilitate child's normal development are discussed in detail.

According to Montessori, there are three stages of growth, Phase one – birth to six years (Absorbent Mind), Phase two - six to twelve years(Childhood) , Phase three - twelve to eighteen years (Adolescence). Each plane describes a unique developmental stage and highlights the particular characteristics of the child at that stage and explains the conditions which Montessori thought were most conducive to the child's development at each stage.

Phase one - birth to six years (Absorbent Mind) is subdivided into two sub-stages, the spiritual (Montessori, 1966 and 2007a) and social embryonic (Montessori, 2007a) stage. from birth to three years child learns unconsciously from his/her environment of which immediate family, primary and secondary are an essential component. The unconscious absorbent mind enables children to acquire information and develop essential skills such as walking and talking. In the early stages of this sub-phase the infant is seen to be a spiritual embryo. ’"we are not dealing with something that develops, but with a fact of formation; something non- existent has to be produced, starting from nothing " (Montessori, 2007a, p.21). The child in the next sub-phase is referred to as conscious absorbent mind, the three to six year old begins to be able to exist independently of the prime carer. Montessori refers to the child at this stage of his/her development as the social embryo. She/he is aware of other people and is becoming socialised, ready to leave the family for short periods of

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