
5 minute read
Montessori, the Second Plane, & Imagination
by Nicole Kavanaugh
There's something interesting that I've learned about children through Montessori, and it's the incredible power of imagination for elementary children, not younger ones. Imagination is something we often attribute to small children. During preschool years we might say, “Look at how much they pretend!” For the elementary years, society expects rote learning of concrete facts; however, as Montessori parents, we recognize that it’s quite the opposite. Young children live in a concrete world and elementary children have boundless imagination.
Montessori Elementary: The Power of Imagination
Maria Montessori observed that small children in the First Plane of development were created to learn and absorb everything around them. From language to their culture, the littlest children are naturally drawn to the basic realities around them. They learn about these realities through their senses. Children in the First Plane manipulate the world around them to learn.
"Touching for the younger child is what imagining is for the older one. On the former age level, we would have worked on the Sensorial plane; as for the latter, we work on the level of the imagination." Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence (p. 20)
But, once the Second Plane of development hits, the world and its possibilities explode. No longer are children limited by the experiences that they can absorb. They move into abstraction because they can imagine. They can understand things that they cannot possibly hold. They crave big, new, and grand impressions. Maria Montessori goes so far as to call this a "sort of sensory period for the imagination." (From Childhood to Adolescence p. 22)
This is the age to give children more. It is the time to set their interests ablaze through supporting their imagination. It's not the time for just facts, just math problems, just history, or just rules. They are more than that. They are people capable of making connections, seeing the big picture, and the abstraction of all sorts of knowledge.
"Human consciousness comes into the world as a flaming ball of imagination. Everything invented by man, physical or mental, is the fruit of someone's imagination. In the study of history and geography, we are helpless without imagination, and when we propose to introduce the universe to the child, what but imagination can be of use to us? I consider it a crime to present such subjects as may be noble and creative aids to the imaginative faculty in such a manner as to deny its use and, on the other hand, to require the child to memorize that which he has not been able to visualize. These subjects must be presented to touch the imagination of the child, make him enthusiastic, and then add fuel to the burning fire that has been lit." Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential (p. 8)
Imagination becomes the driving force of learning. If we can spark an imaginative thought, Second-plane children can run with it. This isn't mere fantasy; it is imagining solutions to real problems, imagining the vastness of the universe, and imagining the past. We touch the imagination, and we open the world.
Harness the Power of Imagination in the Second Plane
So, practically, what does this mean as a Montessori parent? This means you need to tap into the incredible powers of imagination for your elementary-aged child. We can't rely as much on modeling expectations we want to see; we can't hope they are going to observe us and want to follow along. No, we need to harness their imagination and use it to engage our child in their learning of both our family's expectations and academic subjects.
> Introduce more fantasy in media: The second plane of development is the time to introduce fables, myths, and other fantasybased works of fiction. They love it all: big stories, other worlds, and the unreal. It all opens with incredible interest. Find your child's love and go with it.
> Consider the Great Lessons: Even if your child isn't attending a Montessori school, opening the world to elementary-aged children through these incredible stories can help unlock a love of learning. The great lessons can spark the imagination and provide context for what they are learning in school.
> Use stories to teach: Even if you must make them up, there is incredible power in helping your child make connections through a story. For the elementary-aged child, rules, morals, social manners, and values can be taught by engaging their imagination. When you’re able to do this, you spark a real interest and have a lasting impact on your child.
> Imagine with your child: Take time to imagine with your child. Things like, “What could the consequences be if XYZ happens?” or, “What could a solution to that problem look like?” Children can exercise their creative imaginative powers right alongside you.
> Ask for their help with issues: The imaginative power of elementary kids can lead to some very creative solutions and, some much happier participants, when they have a say in the solution to the problems that involve them.
> Give them time to play, imagine, and create: Playtime isn't just for small children. Don't rush your elementary kid away from open-ended toys, from creating, or from imagining. Don’t overschedule elementary children; make sure they still have time to play.
Montessori parenting is, at its core, about reaching, respecting, and responding to the developmental needs of our children and their unique paths. And, for children in the second plane of development, that is reaching them through the imagination.