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In Montessori education, '''Sensitive Periods''' refer to specific times during early child development when the child shows strong propensity to specific kinds of learning. These are transient periods of intense sensitivity to particular stimuli in their environment.<ref>Montessori, M. (1949). The Absorbent Mind. Clio Press.</ref> During a sensitive period, a child may exhibit spontaneous concentration when engaged in an activity that aligns with their current sensitivity.

For instance, children in a sensitive period for order will be attracted to activities that involve ordering. They may repetitively engage in such activities, demonstrating deep concentration and requiring no external reward or encouragement. Thus, children are naturally drawn to aspects of their environment that meet their particular developmental needs.

== Montessori Quotes ==

*"It is true that some children...learn to read without having been taught, and that comes about because these children are in a social environment where many people know how to read, and because they come into contact with written language."<ref>Montessori, M. (1949). The Absorbent Mind. Clio Press.</ref>

*"The only outwardly recognizable sign of the sensitive periods is the child's behavior: his intense interest for certain objects, a certain repetition of exercises, a certain type of concentration." <ref>Montessori, M. (1958). The Child in the Family. Avon Books.</ref>

== Research and Critiques ==

*'''Pros''': The concept of sensitive periods underscores the importance of aligning educational activities with the child's natural developmental stages, thereby making learning more effective and enjoyable. This view is consistent with contemporary developmental psychology.<ref>Lillard, A. (2017). Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. Oxford University Press.</ref>

*'''Cons''': Critics argue that the concept of sensitive periods may overemphasize the importance of certain developmental stages and undervalue learning that can occur outside of these periods.<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 ==

While all educational methods recognize developmental stages, the Montessori approach uniquely emphasizes the idea of sensitive periods, during which the child's learning is particularly receptive to certain types of information or activities.<ref>Mooney, C. (2013). Theories of Childhood, Second Edition: An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget & Vygotsky. Redleaf Press.</ref>

== See Also ==

*[[Montessori Method]]
*[[Prepared Environment (Montessori)]]
*[[Absorbent Mind (Montessori)]]

{{Glossary of Montessori Terms}}

== References ==

<references/>

Sensorial Materials (Montessori)/en - Revision history

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