The Absorbing Mind According To Montessori

María Montessori introduced the concept “absorbing mind” to refer to the child’s mental state that allows him to acquire knowledge through his experiences and needs at each stage of development.

The absorbing mind is an essential concept in the pedagogical method developed by the doctor and pedagogue María Montessori. His theory tells us how education must always adapt to the stages of childhood development. In the following lines we are going to learn a little more about this term.

María Montessori’s research with children between 0 and 6 years old concluded that these little ones learned almost instantaneously. She compared it to a sponge, since they unconsciously absorb all the information of the different stimuli that come from their environment.

The absorbing mind of children according to Montessori

María Montessori said that the most important thing for children’s learning was that they could experience their own experiences according to their rhythms and needs. These experiences will be those that help the little ones to acquire a mental maturation.

Montessori called absorbing mind to the mental state of the child that helps him assimilate all the experiences he lives and then analyze them and incorporate them into his learning. This he does unconsciously throughout the first three years and becomes conscious in the subsequent three years.

The absorbing mind also helps the little ones to lay the foundations for the development of their psychic and social identity. María Montessori established the infantile period as a decisive stage in people’s development. For this reason, it is important to provide children with a good education that encourages and offers them the necessary resources for their learning and construction of their identity.

How is the development of the absorbing mind? Sensitive periods

Another thing that the pedagogue realized was that the mind did not absorb in the same way in all ages. The child focuses his attention on the stimuli around him, depending on what he needs for his growth and development. For this reason, the little ones focus or show attention for some things and not for others.

In this way, they acquire knowledge almost effortlessly and for pleasure, since they approach those who generate interest. These interests of the child depend on the stage of their development and are usually temporary, which is why he called them “sensitive periods”, although sometimes these can overlap with each other and their intensity and duration can vary. What are the sensitive periods?

The sensitive period of the order (from 0 to 6 years)

In this period, especially in the first 2 years, children show great interest in classifying and categorizing everything around them and this is favored by order.

The sensitive period of movement (from 0 to 5-6 years)

In this phase they show a special interest in movement and moving from one side to another, even more so if they have already learned to walk.

The sensitive period of language (from 0 to 7 years)

Throughout this period, the children are learning a wide vocabulary, without anyone teaching it to them. They acquire it autonomously based on experience with the stimuli in their environment.

The sensitive period of sensations (from 0 to 6 years)

Throughout this stage the senses develop. Since they are born, children have active senses of hearing and sight but, as they grow, they acquire a greater sensitivity that, in addition, is facilitated, to learn through taste, touch and smell.

The sensitive period of small objects (1 to 6-7 years)

During these ages they have a special interest in small objects  and show a greater need to pay attention to detail.

The sensitive period of social life (from life in the womb to 6 years)

This refers to the need that children have to relate to their peers, in addition to the process of acquiring the norms, which are important for a good coexistence in society.

Regarding the absorbing mind …

As you have seen, the absorbing mind is a concept that María Montessori introduced to refer to the special mental capacity of children at certain ages. The little ones, depending on their age, have a different interest towards the stimuli around them. Like their absorption capacity, their mind absorbs depending on the needs they have throughout development.

For this reason, it is important that the educational methods used with children not only promote the development of their intellectual capacities, but also promote learning and are adapted to each sensitive period.