Normalization in the Montessori Environment

The children have explored transformation and change in the classroom these past couple of weeks. I've been reading a classic book called,  " The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle. The hungry caterpillar ate many delicious foods in this story and eventually transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

We are still working hard in all areas of the classroom. In our Practical Life area, we have switched up a few works to keep them fresh and appealing to all our Beetles. We have also been preparing and cutting fruits for snacks, and the children can't wait to get their hands on them. We carefully slice through cheese, apples, etc., and set them in a bowl using tongs, which we can later serve as a tasty mid-morning snack.

Although adding new works is fun, keeping old works in the classroom is also essential because a child can always return to a familiar lesson and quickly complete the task. Repetition is imperative because the young child's work differs significantly from the adult's. When an adult works, he sets out to accomplish some goal and stops working when the objective is achieved. A child, however, does not work to accomplish an external goal but rather an internal one. Consequently, they will repeat an activity until the inner goal is accomplished. The unconscious urge to repeat helps the child to coordinate a movement or acquire some ability.

 There are a lot of terms used in Montessori theory that are not used in other preschool educational theories. It's a whole new language that can take time to digest. But, eventually, the theories connect, everything meshes together, and a new vision of the child can be seen. 

Normalization in the Montessori Environment

 Normalization refers to the children's focus, concentration, and independence by their own choice. It means they have acquired the internal freedom to initiate work, be independent, and adhere (by choice) to the rules of the environment.

A well-prepared Montessori environment facilitates the process of normalization by offering engaging, hands-on materials and minimizing the disruption of concentration.

Normalization is a Process

 The process of normalization is a journey. It begins when the children first enter the classroom and are introduced to the practical life materials. These materials help the child develop their motor skills, acquire a sense of order, and extend their ability and desire for concentrated work.

As the children work through the year, they are introduced to work that requires a more significant order, sequence of steps, refinement of movement, and lengthy concentration.

 Maria Montessori felt that a child's troublesome behaviors disappeared when they experienced concentration on meaningful activities. This is why the youngest children start with Practical Life activities.

 "All we have to do is set the child's developmental energy free. It is as simple as that. This is not giving freedom to children in common sense. What is the use of the freedom to children if it is the freedom to develop their deviations? When we speak of freedom in education, we mean freedom for creative energy, which is the urge of life toward the development of the individual. This is not casual energy like the energy of a bomb that explodes. It has a guiding principle, a very fine but unconscious directive, the aim of which is to develop a normal person. When we speak of free children, we think of this energy which must be free to construct these children well." – Maria Montessori.

 We always want to ensure a suitable, prepared environment for the children. The children will flourish only through the prepared environment, and the normalization process will begin.

 In a normalized classroom, you can observe the following in the children. Please look for these when you come to observe our Beetle class:

 - Love of work

- Concentration

- Self-discipline

- Joy