Jenny Luetkemeyer
In Listening to God with Children*, Gianna Gobbi reminds us that Dr. Montessori referred to the specifically designed place of work and prayer as “the Atrium.” As in the days of the early catechumens, the Atrium is intended to be a gateway for us, an invitation to enter into various forms of physical and spiritual preparation, to increasingly participate more fully in the Liturgy, and to look again with wonder at the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.
Whether in an Atrium, a Children’s House, or a home, every aspect of the way we prepare the environment must be intentional in regard to fostering independence, self-mastery, and active participation in developmentally-appropriate work. The Atrium is not only a place for celebration and for the announcement of the Kerygma, but also for purposeful activity and for the child’s construction of his very self. We must look, therefore, to what he is telling us when he makes his needs known.
The young child wants to zip his own coat before he goes outside. He is happy to take care of water when it spills, provided he has the means and the materials to do so. He longs to move about the world with the ease and independence he has witnessed in the adults in his life as they navigate their days. God designed the human person to effortlessly assimilate into the culture of his time (language, movements, traditions, etc.) during his first six years of life. At no other time will he be as well-primed as in the first plane of development to encounter the world with such openness and awe!
As the child under age six is in a sensitive period for order and the Human Tendency for order lasts throughout one’s lifetime, the physical environment should reflect an external, unchanging predictability so as to empower the child to make full use of it with as little adult intervention as possible. We want to provide a path by which the young child can commune with his Creator, choosing his own work, entering into deep concentration, and delighting in silence. The observable result of providing these conditions is self-discipline, as the child “internalizes what has been proclaimed and makes it his or her own.” (pg. 21)
Dr. Montessori marveled at the child who emerges after moments of prolonged concentration, noting that he was often the best version of himself upon re-entering the life of the community. This child, whose needs have been deeply met, can be observed spontaneously looking for opportunities to serve by getting a tissue for a friend, sweeping up a spill, or pushing in chairs. Gobbi notes that, “Learning to master one’s own body is an important step for the young child in gaining confidence as well as the ability to concentrate. Both of these capacities are tied to the capacity for prayer, which involves being peaceful or at rest within oneself in order to focus on and listen to God.” (pg. 23)
In addition to the direct aims of Practical Life activities (independence, control of movement, and concentration), the indirect aims of acquiring skills, adaptation, and transitioning seamlessly from a home setting to the outside world are worth remembering. We should not expect a child to be able to pour wine with measured movements from a larger vessel into a cruet unless we have offered some preliminary exercises before this moment. Again, when we provide folding fabric as a presentation before showing the model altar, we free ourselves and the child up to give full attention to the catechetical beauty of the work, as the practical aspects have already received their due.
Dr. Montessori’s principle of “isolation of difficulty” challenges us to think in advance of what small steps should be taken first to simplify an activity so as to hone in on a particular area of interest. The young child is highly motivated to take care of himself and his environment, to move mindfully, and to engage with the members of his community in meaningful ways. In “The 1946 London Lectures,” Dr. Montessori asserts that, “It is not just the practical life in a house, cleaning rooms, watering plants, etc. that is important, but the fact that everyone in the world must move with a purpose and must work, not only for himself but for others.” (pg. 166)
Imagine the culture we are creating for and with the young child when we prioritize his needs in this way!
*Now available under the title Nurturing the Whole Child
Jenny Luetkemeyer is the executive Director and Founder of the Laetare Center in Warrenton, VA. Jenny has a Masters in Education from Loyola University with a specialization in Montessori and holds an AMI 6-12 diploma and an AMI 3-6 diploma. She worked as a Montessori guide in classrooms for many years, and has over 25 years of experience as a CGS catechist and 13 years as a certified Montessori guide.
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