Montessori Education: A Path to World Peace Through the Child

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The Montessori method of education was founded by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. She discovered that children possess extraordinary inner energies—a divine gift from God— and when properly nurtured, this energy has the potential to transform society. ​Montessori said, “Our words has been torn to pieces and is in need of reconstruction.” To achieve that reconstruction, she identified two main factors, (The Child in the Church, p.100):

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1. A return to religion

2. A transformation of education - not merely imparting knowledge but seeking the release of human potential, is because the child is the constructor of man and society. 

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The Hidden Energies of Peace and War

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According to Montessori, it was no coincidence that two tremendous forces, both unimaginable within something so small, were discovered in the same era:

 

1. The immense energy hidden within the atom 

2. The tremendous energy hidden within the child 

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It was striking that these two great revelations emerged in the same epoch. While the energy contained within the atom was directed toward the Armaments of War, resulting in destruction and death, the mental and spiritual energies locked within the child hold the key to constructing the Armaments of Peace (Maria Montessori Her Life and Work, p. 82-82).    

  

Dr. Montessori saw this as Divine Providence, where war and peace intersect as one era ends and another begins. She expressed this idea in her lecture on The Child and Civilization: 

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“Whereas the Old Testament begins with an adult (Adam), the New Testament begins with a child (Jesus Christ).”

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The Absorbent Mind and Sensitive Periods

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From Dr. Maria Montessori’s perspective, children are born with mysterious, hidden “inner energies (directives),” that guide their growth in alignment with their Biological Timetables. They grow by following the stages of their successive Biological Timetables at their own pace. It is not because an adult teaches them that a young child starts to crawl or begins to walk; rather, they instinctively follow their biological timetables, constructing themselves and growing into adults. In this active process of the child’s growing development, the role of an adult should be neutral and passive, offering guidance when needed. 

 

In her book, Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, Montessori presented John the Baptist’s words about Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” as a guiding principle for Montessori teachers. 

 

During early childhood, children possess a special mental muscle called the “Absorbent Mind,” which allows them to effortlessly, spontaneously, and naturally absorb vast amounts of information from their environment. This phenomenon can be compared to a sponge soaking in everything around it. For instance, a child learns their mother tongue naturally, whereas an adult learns a language deliberately and with conscious effort. 

 

The period of the Absorbent Mind is further broken down into Sensitive Periods, also known today as Critical Periods or Windows of Opportunity. Dr. Montessori beautifully illustrated the nature of these Sensitive Periods by referencing the scene in Chapter 3 of Exodus: 

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“The Sensitive Periods can be compared to a flame that burns brightly but does not consume - the flame that Moses beheld in the burning bush in the Arabian desert.” (Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, p.120). 

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Deviation vs. Normalization

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According to Dr. Montessori, the child’s mental growth is governed by two interconnected energies: 

 

1. Physical energy for voluntary movement

2. Mental energy for intelligence and will 

 

When these energies are misaligned, deviations from normal development can occur, leading to abnormal behaviors. Especially when there is a lack of appropriate opportunities to harmonize their physical and mental energies through meaningful activities. For instance, when a child desires to dress themselves but lack the necessary motor skills, internal conflict may arise, often resulting in frustration or tantrums. 

 

How Do We Solve It? Normalization: The Key to Transformation

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According to Dr. Montessori, there is one sovereign cure for all forms of deviation: Normalization (Transformation) through purposeful work. 

 

For this Normalization (Transformation) process, according to Dr. Montessori, it is important to let the child freely choose the material or activity that they resonates with their developmental needs. Through prolonged concentration on meaningful work, children undergo profound transformations, revealing their true, normalized selves that were hidden under the mask of deviation. Dr. Montessori identified the key characteristics of a Normalized Child, which include: love of order, love of work, profound spontaneous concentration, attachment to reality, love of silence, obedience, independence and initiative, spontaneous self-discipline, joy, harmony with surroundings, etc. (Maria Montessori Her Life and Work, p.175)

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Dr. Montessori viewed “Concentration” as the most essential element leading to Normalization (Transformation). She regarded it not merely as a cognitive phenomenon but as a child’s inner, psychical, or spiritual phenomenon. She believed that when a child concentrates for a prolonged period, they reveal their inner beings or souls. Montessori also calls the Normalization (Transformation) process a conversion process.  

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Montessori profoundly stated: 

 

“Just as modern physical science has taught us how to liberate the physical energy hidden within the atom, Montessori has shown us how to liberate psychic and mental energy hidden within the child.”

 

Montessori Education: A Hope for the Future

 

Dr. Montessori argued that Normalized children are not just symbols of hope but promises for a better future. Montessori education unveils the divine nature within children, cultivating future leaders who will foster world peace in accordance with God’s plan. For this reason, Montessori’s approach can be considered one of the most biblically aligned teaching methods. 

 

She beautifully illustrated this vision: 

 

“The child who has felt a strong love for their surroundings and for all living creatures and who has discovered joy and enthusiasm in work, gives us reason to hope that humanity can develop in a new direction.” 

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“What a splendid hope for the future is the growth of these natural virtues in the child - precious preparation for those supernatural virtues that transform each individual into the likeness of Christ!”

 

“It is along this path that the nations of the world will progress most surely toward that harmony foretold by the prophet, when “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together - and a little child shall lead them. “ (Maria Montessori Her Life and Work, p. 370) 

 

By unlocking the hidden energies within the child, Montessori education paves the way for a world of harmony, love, and true peace.