One of the key concepts in Montessori educational philosophy is understanding and guiding a child’s process of normalization.
Normalization can be a confusing term. What it is meant to describe is the normal, natural, and healthy growth and development of children when their physical, emotional, social, and intellectual needs are being met.
When I was a young mom, an older and wiser person told me that when babies cry, it is usually because they are wet, hungry, tired, or bored.
In the beginning, helping a child grow can seem fairly simple. Their needs are relatively easy to identify and meet.
But as children get older, their needs become more diverse—and harder to figure out.
As we watch children along their paths of normalization, when life is going smoothly, we see a happy child. A “normalized” child can engage independently in many activities, enjoys the activities they choose, and can concentrate for 30 to 90 minutes at a time. They experience joy in their work and show a desire to help others and cooperate with them.
Four Major Signs of Normalization
- Love of work
- Concentration
- Self-discipline
- Sociability, seen in joyful work, mutual aid, and cooperation
When development takes a detour, we may see an unhappy child. This can be an initial sign that the child has encountered an obstacle to development.
When a child encounters an obstacle to development, we may observe a variety of behaviors, often accompanied by a lack of independence and concentration.
For the high-energy child, we may see behaviors such as:
- Capriciousness
- Disorderliness
- Violence
- Rage
- Possessiveness
- Disrespect
- Disobedience
For the low-energy child, we may see behaviors such as:
- Timidity
- A need to be entertained
- Passivity
- Fantasy
- Laziness
- Lack of focus
Obstacles to development are unavoidable and frequent. Children depend on the adults in their lives to help remove those obstacles.
From the depths of his nature, the child repeatedly pardons the adult and strives to flourish despite the latter’s repressions. He is engaged in a constant struggle against forces that would submerge his normal development.
—Dr. Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood, p. 148
How do we remove those obstacles to development?
First, we observe the child. Then we ask questions about what the child may need.
Dr. Montessori also spoke about removing deviations:
The most important discovery is that a child returns to a normal state through work.
—Dr. Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood, p. 185
Work, in Montessori terms, refers to a child’s self-selected activity that includes uninterrupted time to complete the activity.
As we observe the younger child—under the age of seven—there are eleven signs of normalization that we should consider.
I invite you to download the handout below, What Does Normalization Look Like?
There you’ll find the eleven signs of normalization, along with questions to help you discern how you might remove obstacles to development.
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