Role of a Directress in a Child's Normalization

“Normalization is the single most important result of our work“(Absorbent Mind-pg:204 ,chapter 19) According to Dr: Maria Montessori normalization (the child’s true nature) is one of her main discoveries. Normalization is a word taken from anthropology meaning “becoming a contributing member of the society”. The young children with short attention span learning to focus and concentrate their work for a given period of time is the process of normalization. It happens at the first stage of development (0-6) and occurs when the child is developing normally. Maria Montessori saw a normalized child as a new level of humanity. Her message was to see that there is much more to childhood than is currently recognized. When Montessori recognized the process of normalization she recognized another process called deviation. According to her view the child have two streams of energy while growing up .They are physical energy of the body and mental energy of intelligence and when the mind and body cannot work in unison there happens deviation. Dr.Montessori felt that the process of deviation and normalization is going on all the time; it is what the children are engaged in. Deviation occurs when the child has the will to act but his movements are restricted, when he has interest but his needs are not met. Deviation is a defense created when the child’s development cannot be in normal way. All children coming into adaptation have some kind of deviations, some grow out of it and some don’t, if this is not corrected out they will become worse in the coming time. Maria Montessori considers the following as the main reasons for deviation in behavior– lack of intellectual nourishment for the mind and lack of spontaneous activity which is prompted by internal impulses. Deviation is categorized in several ways .Deviations which are thought to be normal for children and foster by adults are like, over attachment to some family member, laziness, overeating, inability to

Bibliography: * The Essential Montessori: Elizabeth G * The Discovery of the Child : Maria Montessori * Her life and work : E.M.Standing * Absorbent Mind : Maria Montessori * The Secret of childhood : Maria Montessori * http://pmswebsite.fatcow.com/teacherarticles/Prybylska,Normalization.pdf ) * www.michaelolaf.net/lecture_secret.html)