Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 49-59). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART I: 8. Order

“In passing from nothing to that which will be the first principles of one’s future life, a child must make tremendous efforts.  He is so near to the very founts of life that he acts for the sake of acting.  This is the way of creation, of which we have neither knowledge nor remembrances.”

We have to be very careful when projecting our own motivations and perceptions on a child. Maria reminds us that as adults we have had many life experience which has given us in indifference towards order; whereas, as child will look for things to be where they expect them to be based on their limited experiences.

The perfect example is the hiding game. I remember playing with my own children, whom always want to hide in the same place. For the young child, the game is not about the “seeking” it is about “hiding.” The child is testing and gathering information about their environment. They are trying to make sense of the world that surrounds them, working to develop trust and knowledge they can depend on.

In the toddler room at our school, the teachers are very careful to not introduce things into the environment that would disturb their senses. Observers may only peek through the windows. Before school and afterschool exist in the same area. Every day the routine is very established and the children expect what is going to happen.

Everyday the toddler class takes a walk and when they return, I am thrilled when they wave at me.  When I first started working there, I could see the disappointment on their faces as they looked for my predecessor.  Today, I know that I have become part of their expanding world and they are happy to see me!