Planes of Development-Elementary Child

"An inner change has taken place, but nature is quite logical in arousing now in the child not only a hunger for knowledge and understanding, but a claim to mental independence, a desire to distinguish good from evil by his own powers, and to resent limitation by arbitrary authority. In the field of morality, the child now stands in need of his own inner light.” —Dr. Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that a child’s development occurs in four planes or stages; each with their own clear and defining characteristics. Each stage of development is marked by “sensitive periods” where the child is suited for specific types of learning. Montessori classrooms are designed to support and appeal to each sensitive period.

The Second Plane of Development takes place between the ages of 6 and 12.

This period of development is full of exciting landmarks in education. Students begin to ask deeper questions and have the ability to seek out the resources needed to answer them. They are able to carry out larger projects over longer periods of time. They also start carving out their place in social groups and express interest in culture and classic social structures.

A child’s social network explodes during this plane of development. Learning is no longer a solitary activity. Students gravitate toward their classmates and form deep friendships with peers from school and extracurricular activities. At this age, children choose activities for themselves that they enjoy and are interested in learning about. They spend time mastering their personal interests and often form friendships with other children with similar interests and goals.

The strong need for physical order is replaced at this stage with a new need for moral order. Children begin to learn and adhere to social norms and form deep rooted ideals of right and wrong. They hold very strong opinions on justice and perceived fairness and place emphasis on following rules, especially during games and play.

This Second Plane of Development is full of physical and mental growth. Children exit the absorbent mind stage, exploring their conscious mind. They are discovering new knowledge about themselves, the world around them, and how they can carve out a place for themselves in it.