Sensitive periods, also called "sensitive", are such time intervals when especially favorable conditions are created for the formation of certain skills and abilities, types of behavior and psychological properties in a person. Parents of young children should be aware of their onset, prepare for them so that the child in the most convenient conditions for him absorbs the knowledge.
The main periods of development and perception of the world
The well-known Italian educator and teacher Maria Montessori, who had long watched growing children, created an author's methodology for early development. In it, she identified several periods for the effective development of certain aspects of the psyche. The author of the technique concludes that a person has such conditions only once in a lifetime. If he does not have time to master knowledge in certain sensitive periods, then he will never be so susceptible to them. She names the approximate dates for each of them, but each parent must monitor their child, because you can never say for sure how long this period of time will last.
It should be prepared for the training of the baby. Knowing about the existence of such periods and about the individual characteristics of your child will help loving parents optimally draw up a lesson plan. Here are the main sensitive periods highlighted by Montessori:
- speech development - from birth to 6 years;
- perception of order - from birth to 3 years;
- sensory development - from birth to 5.5 years;
- the perception of small objects - from 1.5 to 6.5 years;
- the development of movements and actions - from 1 to 4 years;
- development of social skills - from 2.5 to 6 years.
Sensitive periods of development of physical qualities
As already mentioned, each child is individual in its development. Any sensitive periods can occur imperceptibly, and you need to be prepared for any of them.
It is worth paying special attention to the
development of the physical qualities of the child, because
motor activity is important throughout life. Vigorous movements lead to blood oxygenation. The latter, in turn, nourishes the brain cells responsible for
mental functions. First, the child begins to be interested in individual movements, repeats them after the parents, then he is attracted to the process of several actions when you need to keep balance or express feelings with gestures.
How to use critical and sensitive periods
The end time of any period when the child has mastered certain knowledge and skills, leads to a rethinking of the existing situation, to determine his place in the social world. These moments are called "critical periods" when a person changes in personality traits in a very short period.
Of course, for the smallest children, parents are role models, and mom has a special influence. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor your actions, any reactions to what is happening, because the child copies his mother's behavior. For older children, visiting groups or kindergartens is very important, where training is carried out in accordance with the Montessori author’s program: there, each child is watched by caring teachers, everything in moderation, there are any materials required for effective instruction in any of the sensitive periods.