Dr Maria Montessori (1870-1952), an Italian doctor turned educator writes in her book The Absorbent Mind, “The absorbent mind of the child orients itself to the environment so it is necessary to prepare the environment what much care.” The prepared environment that Dr Maria Montessori talks about is multifaceted; it encompasses the layout and arrangement of the room, placement of carefully designed materials, methodology to use the materials and a caring teacher. Each of these elements is important as they influence the learning and development of the child in profound ways.
The Montessori approach looks at classroom learning that fosters independence, self-paced learning and choice-making. It says that children have an innate interest in learning and adults can facilitate that by carefully organising the classroom with a multitude of materials of the child’s interest. How the teachers present the material, show the child different ways to explore, and then ask questions. The child finds it easier to become an independent self-explorer who is confident in his ability to investigate in such a suitable environment. This kind of engagement which is self-paced and free-flowing is called play. In this scenario, books and toys play a big role in bringing various concepts alive while fostering play.
In the context of storytelling or read-aloud to younger children, the prepared environment would include the arrangement of room, seating, choice of books and toys, and a teacher who is keenly aware of and also honours the child’s need for discovery and self-expression through play. It is a well-known fact now that from birth through approximately the age of six, the young child experiences a period of intense mental activity that allows the child to ”absorb” learning from his or her environment naturally and spontaneously without conscious effort. Language development is a tangible example of this process. A child picks up his mother tongue just by exposure.
