Sensorial Area in the Montessori Classroom

Dr. Maria Montessori highly regarded the works of two men- Jean Itard and Edward Seguin. Both, were known for their works with the mentally inept and the introduction to sensory education. Montessori incorporated a lot of their research into the development of the materials used in the Sensorial area.

Itard was best known for his work with Vittorio, who was more famously known as the "Wild Boy of Aveyron". Vittorio was a young feral child who was found living amongst wolves. He was admitted into an asylum for the deaf and dumb and instantly became the interest of many physicians throughout Europe including Itard. Itard worked with the boy for 5 years determined to "cure" the boy of his insanity. Although Itard did not recieve the results he expected, he did see some minor improvments in the boy and his hard effort did pay off to a degree. When working with Vittorio, Itard discovered that the boy was able to concentrate and focus more when his senses were isolated one by one. He realized that not only did the isolation of the senses contribute to a better refining of the senses, introducing strong contrasts also aided as well. Little did Itard know that his works would eventually spark a revolution in special education!

Many people took interest in Itards work including his own student and sucessor- Edward Seguin. Seguin decided to conduct his own experiements using Itard's research as a foundation. Seguin was known for his work with learning disabled children. Not only did he concentrate on the senses, but he introduced a new concept of educating the child's muscular and nervous system. He went on to set up classes to train teachers on how to work with handicapped children. Eventually his methods made their way to the United States.

1. It helps the natural development of the child. Because Montessori thoroughly studied the sensitive periods of children, she knew that the refining of the senses was best refined during the ages of 2 ½ to 6 years old. Therefore she created scientifically made materials that worked in harmony with children's natural development.

2. Provides a basis for learning in an orderly manner which is needed for neurological and psychological development. It helps children develop concentration and attention.

3. Sensory refinement is developed in children through isolation of the senses that is highlighted in each material.

4. It strengthens a child's motor skills which later on will be useful when they move on to writing

1.The materials teach abstract concepts through tangible exercises.

2. Because the materials are beautiful, they attract children to repeat the activities they are working on which in turn will lead them to mastery of the work.

3. There are endless possibilities of exploration which gives the child endless ways of learning new things.

4. Sensorial prepares a child for math by refining the idea of relationships. Most of the works have ten parts, which gives the child the concept of base ten.

5. Sensorial also prepares a child for language development by training the child to work from left to right.

In traditional schools, we are taught that there are five basic senses: smell, touch, sight, hear, and touch. Montessori broke these senses down even further:

Visual-the ability for the eye to determine color.

Chromatic-the ability for the eye to determine color.

Tactile-the ability for the eye to discriminate texture.

Auditory-the ability to determine sound.

Baric-the ability to determine weight and pressure.

Thermic-the ability to determine temperature.

Steriognostic-the ability to determine 3-dimensional shapes with muscle memory of the eye.

Kinesthetic-the ability for the eye to recognize 2-D shapes.

Olfactory-the ability to determine smell.

Gustatory-the ability to determine taste.

Equilibrium-the ability to determine perception of balance within the body.

Using these 11 categories, Montessori developed rich materials that gave the child an opportunity to work and master each of these senses.

Montessori used her knowledge of sense education and incorporated her research and philosophy into the development of the Sensorial materials. She put a lot of thought into the design of her materials, and all of them share the same basic characteristics. First off, all of the materials found in Sensorial contain a control of error. They are self correcting elements that are inherited to the material which are mechanical or visual. Second, all the materials are aesthetically beautiful. Their simplicity and completeness attract children. Third, all materials have specific language that corresponds with the concept being taught. Fourth, the materials are self-teaching. The auto-education aspect of each "work" allows children to work independently. Lastly, the materials have a finer degree of discrimination. Each work becomes progressively challenging and helps the child refine their senses in a logical sequence.

The education of senses is a very important part in a child's life. Since young children learn about their environment through their senses, it is important to present materials that will capture the children's interest. The more these children are interested and do the work, the better their senses will become. When a child has mastered certain works in the sensorial area, they will be open to more abstract thinking and be prepared for more intellectual activities. A child will never be able to truly appreciate his environment until he has learned to master his senses. When this happens, a new world will arise in the child's eye, and more exploration and learning will come their way. Most importantly, we must never neglect the senses, because they are the keys to unlocking the beauty of the universe and the growth of a child's spirit.