View source for Adaptation (Montessori)

'''Adaptation''' is a term used in Montessori education, closely related to the concept of the Absorbent Mind. Adaptation refers to the process through which a child integrates with their environment by absorbing cultural and social cues.<ref>Haines, A. (1993). Absorbent Mind and the Sensitive Periods. The NAMTA Journal.</ref> This process allows the child to become a functional part of their society.

== Montessori Quotes ==

*"The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth...from this early age, the child reveals an alert mind...the child absorbs these impressions not with his mind but with his life itself."<ref>Montessori, M. (1949). The Absorbent Mind. Clio Press.</ref>

*"By adapting to the world, they become a link in the connection of the generations, an instrument of society."<ref>Montessori, M. (1949). The Absorbent Mind. Clio Press.</ref>

== Research and Critiques ==

*'''Pros''': Montessori's concept of adaptation underpins the importance of the child's interactions with their environment in shaping their learning and development. It underscores the role of culture and society in forming a child's character and worldview.<ref>Haines, A. (1993). Absorbent Mind and the Sensitive Periods. The NAMTA Journal.</ref>

*'''Cons''': Critics argue that the concept of adaptation may over-emphasize environmental factors and underestimate innate capabilities or genetic factors in a child's development.<ref>Egan, K. (2002). Getting it wrong from the beginning: Our progressivist inheritance from Herbert Spencer, John Dewey, and Jean Piaget. Yale University Press.</ref>

== Comparisons to Other Methods ==

Unlike the behaviorist view of learning, which proposes that learning is a result of conditioning and reinforcement, Montessori's concept of adaptation emphasizes that children actively absorb and adapt to their environments.<ref>Schunk, D. (2012). Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective. Pearson.</ref>

== See Also ==

*[[Absorbent Mind (Montessori)]]
*[[Sensitive Periods (Montessori)]]
*[[Prepared Environment (Montessori)]]

{{Glossary of Montessori Terms}}

== References ==

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