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In Montessori education, the '''Planes of Development''' refer to specific stages of human development, spanning from birth to maturity. These stages, proposed by Maria Montessori, are fundamental to her theories of developmental psychology, and provide insight into the developmental milestones of a child. The framework is comprised of four distinct stages<ref>Montessori, M. (1948). To Educate the Human Potential. ADEPS.</ref>:

The First Plane: Birth to Age 6 (Early Childhood/Infancy) – "The Absorbent Mind"
The Second Plane: Ages 6–12 (Childhood) – "Conscious Imagination"
The Third Plane: Ages 12–18 (Adolescence) – "New Identity"
The Fourth Plane: Ages 18–24 (Maturity) – "Maturity"
== Montessori Quotes ==

*"The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six."<ref>Montessori, M. (1989). The Absorbent Mind. Clio Press.</ref>

*"The child has a different relation to his environment from ours... the child absorbs it. The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul."<ref>Montessori, M. (1995). The Absorbent Mind. Henry Holt and Co.</ref>

== Characteristics and Sensitivities ==

Each plane of development is characterized by specific sensitivities – periods where the child exhibits an innate interest or sensitivity to certain aspects of their environment. These sensitivities guide the child’s experiences and provide golden opportunities for learning and development. Key sensitivities in each plane include language and movement (first plane), abstraction and imagination (second plane), social justice and role models (third plane), and social independence and personal responsibility (fourth plane).<ref>Lillard, A. S. (2005). Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. Oxford University Press.</ref>

== Research and Critiques ==

*'''Pros''': The notion of planes of development provides a comprehensive framework for understanding human development from birth to adulthood. This approach respects individual variations in development, acknowledges the importance of sensitive periods, and emphasises that education should correspond to the child's developmental needs.<ref>Lillard, A. S. (2005). Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. Oxford University Press.</ref>

*'''Cons''': Critics argue that the division of human development into distinct stages might overlook the continuous and overlapping nature of development. They caution that rigid adherence to the notion of planes of development could lead to a disregard for individual variations in pace and timing of development.<ref>Piaget, J. (1972). The Psychology of the Child. Basic Books.</ref>

== Comparisons to Other Methods ==

Unlike other approaches that view development as a continuous process, Montessori’s planes of development present a stage-based perspective. This is somewhat similar to Erikson's and Piaget's stage theories, though Montessori's stages are characterized by unique attributes and sensitivities.<ref>Mooney, C. G. (2000). Theories of Childhood: An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky. Redleaf Press.</ref>

== See Also ==

*[[Montessori Method]]
*[[Prepared Environment (Montessori)]]
*[[Absorbent Mind (Montessori)]]

{{Glossary of Montessori Terms}}

== References ==

<references/>

Planes of Development (Montessori)/en - Revision history

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