{"id":1235,"date":"2023-12-29T13:54:49","date_gmt":"2023-12-29T18:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/?p=1235"},"modified":"2023-12-29T13:54:49","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T18:54:49","slug":"the-absorbent-mind-supporting-mcas-youngest-learners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2023\/12\/29\/the-absorbent-mind-supporting-mcas-youngest-learners\/","title":{"rendered":"The Absorbent Mind: Supporting MCA\u2019s Youngest Learners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Bernadette Fasolas, Director of Hiring and Montessori Education
and Tori Inkley, Executive Director<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbsorbent Mind\u201d is a term coined by Dr. Maria Montessori to describe the natural absorption of information by a child from birth through the age of 6 years. A child in this age range has been described as being \u201clike a sponge\u201d. Montessori observed many children throughout her lifetime and noted how they gained a significant amount of their knowledge through watching others, not necessarily from being \u201ctaught\u201d. This was found to be particularly true for children under the age of 3 years. During early childhood, children absorb information by observing, by experimenting, and by simply being part of a community. Likewise, they expand their vocabulary and gain language skills from listening to and interacting with other children and adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy (MCA), like most Montessori schools, offers programs for children ages 2 \u00bd through 6 years. Understanding just how valuable the early childhood years are, MCA has also designed a special program for children from 18 to 30 months of age. Montessori, My Child, & Me (MMC&M) was developed so that children in this age range could experience a Montessori Prepared Environment along with their caregivers. In the classroom, these children observe and work at their own pace while developing independence, strengthening concentration skills, and learning to maintain order. Maria Montessori believed these particular qualities were especially important for children to learn and to flourish. In the Prepared Environment, children become engaged in \u201cwork\u201d that allows them to gain pride in self, further motivating their desire to learn. This is in contrast to \u201ctraditional\u201d methods of education, where children are frequently working for rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the MMC&M classroom, children become engaged with specially designed, self-correcting materials that allow them to learn through trial and error. At this young age, it is especially important for children to see how things work and to be allowed to move their growing bodies about the classroom. Dr. Montessori felt strongly that children learn through their senses \u2013 touch, smell, sound, taste, and sight. In our MMC&M program, children have the opportunity to observe their surroundings, experience a Montessori classroom and its materials, and absorb information using all their senses. Self-direction in the classroom and participating at one\u2019s own developmentally appropriate pace were also strong beliefs of Maria Montessori\u2019s, as children hit specific \u201csensitive periods\u201d or \u201cwindows of opportunity\u201d in their own time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MMC&M program at The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy aims to introduce both the children and their caregivers to the Montessori Method of education. The program runs for six weeks and classes are 1 hour and 15 minutes once a week. Sessions are offered in the fall, winter, and spring at our Chatham campus. While children are involved in lessons and working with materials, we also offer information on the Montessori Philosophy, as well as child development and parenting trends, for the caregivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At MCA, we are planting the seeds for a lifelong love of learning and MMC&M\u2019s introduction to Montessori education is one of those seeds. Over the years, MCA has had the good fortune to support the education of many young children and then watch as they blossom into independent thinkers and motivated elementary, middle, high school, and college students. What an honor and pleasure this journey continues to be for all of us at The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was amazing to watch the development of my child over the six week MMC&M session. His first school experience, he started to understand the work, socialize with other children, and engage with the teacher, despite me being in the room. I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone considering a Montessori preschool education, as it familiarizes children with the environment and expectations of a Montessori classroom.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0~ Aly Lopian, MMC&M Parent<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you or anyone you know is interested in learning more about our MMC&M program, or any of our Early Childhood Programs, please contact Bernadette Fasolas at bfasolas@njmca.me<\/a>\u00a0(MMC&M) or Camilla Nichols at\u00a0cnichols@njmca.me<\/a>\u00a0(Early Childhood).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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by Bernadette Fasolas, Director of Hiring and Montessori Educationand Tori Inkley, Executive Director \u201cAbsorbent Mind\u201d is a term coined by Dr. Maria Montessori to describe the natural absorption of information by a child from birth through the age of 6 years. A child in this age range has been described as being \u201clike a sponge\u201d. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1236,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[28,261,3,87,252,1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[16],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/MMCM1.jpg?fit=440%2C650&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7icff-jV","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1287,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/23\/language-development-the-montessori-method-and-the-absorbent-mind\/","url_meta":{"origin":1235,"position":0},"title":"Language Development: The Montessori Method and the Absorbent Mind","author":"Tori Inkley","date":"May 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Fiorella Benson, Early Childhood Head Teacher(edited by Tori Inkley) \u201cSo, the child, it is clear, does not inherit a pre-established model for his language, but he inherits the power of constructing a language by an unconscious activity of absorption.\u201d~ Dr. Maria Montessori (The Absorbent Mind) Maria Montessori explained that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Sandpaper-Letters.jpg?fit=647%2C846&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Sandpaper-Letters.jpg?fit=647%2C846&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Sandpaper-Letters.jpg?fit=647%2C846&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1460,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2025\/05\/08\/the-absorbent-mind-and-the-sensitive-periods\/","url_meta":{"origin":1235,"position":1},"title":"The Absorbent Mind and the Sensitive Periods","author":"Tori Inkley","date":"May 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Vesna Gornik, Early Childhood Head Teacher(edited by Tori Inkley) \u201cJust as a physical embryo needs its mother\u2019s womb in which to grow, so the spiritual embryo needs to be protected by an external environment that is warm with love and rich in nourishment, where everything is disposed to welcome,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care of Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Care of Environment","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/care-of-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Absorbent-Blog.jpg?fit=470%2C537&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":522,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/26\/the-language-of-montessori\/","url_meta":{"origin":1235,"position":2},"title":"The Language of Montessori","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"September 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"By:\u00a0 Alex Chiu If your family is new to Montessori, you might think you hear your child speaking a \u2018new language\u2019 when he or she returns home from school each day. 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He does it by means of a continuous activity.How does he become free? By means of constant effort\u2026Independence is not a static condition; it is a continuous conquest,and in order to reach not only freedom, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care of Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Care of Environment","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/care-of-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Independence6.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":779,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/03\/making-sense-of-it-all-the-montessori-sensorial-area\/","url_meta":{"origin":1235,"position":5},"title":"Making Sense of It All – The Montessori Sensorial Area","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"January 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alex Chiu This month, The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy will host the third in its series of Parent Education Workshops on January 9th from 7-8PM at the Short Hills campus. The topic for this upcoming workshop is the Sensorial area of the Montessori classroom, a hallmark of Montessori education. 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