‘THE Four PLANES OF DEVELOPMENT by Camillo Grazzini Camilo Grazint presents to charts designed by Maria Montes to ituctate the four planes of development. His meticulously researched cemmenny signals aimestpropicHenly an emerging argenivistonof the ‘developmental continuum from birth to adulthood o eleva tothe ca onal neds of our time -Montessont's Hottsric View TheFour Planes (or Phases) of evelopmentisnothing othesthan ‘an overil vision of Montesson’s developmental psychology. and therelote constitutes « grand framework or structore in which aay more detailed study or examination finds its appropriate place (Montessori, Maria. “The Fou Planesof Education”). Ths altntve have heurd duing the last few days about the child frombirth tothree years of age, the child from three to six years, the child from sx to twelve, concems a much more detailed look at individual plares or ‘sub-planes f development, but all ofitfits within this great fame ‘work. ‘TheFour Planes then, is only a framework, and yet, at thesame time, itis extremely important precisely because it fs Montesion’s ‘overall view ofdovelopment: the developmentef theindividualfeam birth (oreven before birth) right through omaturity.Thisvision.fthe ‘hole of development provides, we could say, a listc view of the Reprints from TheChild,theFamily,theFuture, proceedings he AMI International Study Conference, july 19-24, 1994, Washington, DC, kind permission of Camillo Grazziniand the copyright holders, AMI AME-ISA, ld the Fondazione Centr Internazionale Stu Montesiorian.Coparigh {©1995, Alright reser. Thisartile an any portion tereomay ao be reproduc foray purpose, whether private or publi without theexpssed ‘wrtten permission ofthe copyright holders This apticle also appened it ‘The NAMTA Journal 21:2 (Spring, 1996), The NAMTA Jounal 2developing human being,*and it explains and justifies the constant ‘Montessol idea of the importance of edcationas a “help to fe." Most AMI teachers and trainers are specislized in relation to children of particular ages; AMI courses and the related diplomas tpecify the ages concemed. All of the courses, however, include lectuces.on the Four Planes in order to provide the students withthe background necessary for understanding the particular age with ‘which theiecourte isconceened. Moreover, although theFou Planes ‘fDevelapmentconstitutes a single item of anycours, iis actually ‘greater than any single Montessori course. Thusitlends perspective land depth to our understanding, and atthe same time, itconstrains ‘ourpoint of view tooue particular age ange.(Forexample, we know that ove cannot, and should not, ey to use a Children's House af ‘proach in elementary, or the elementary approach inthe Children’s House) Surely itisthis very grand view ofdevelopmentthis understand- ing of the eyeical and non-repeatable nature of “the seasons of ‘developing life"™that constitutes one of the geeat distinguishing featuresof Montessoi's work \ihat propose todo today isnot to repeat orevento summarize, what has already been said by Montessorians preceding me, or per- haps will by said by those who follow me. What T intend todo i to present Montessor's concept of the full process and structure of evelopment by meansofher two charts for thefour planes ofdevel- ‘opment Since Maria Montessori presented these two charts in Italy ‘hartly before her death neither one of them isall that well Laown ‘outside of aly. However, he fist chart the one wit thetriangles, the ‘one that recall "the constructive rhythm of if” is more familiar, f "Monto view of aan development sever wii bu way shots intwo nsx Fy, Mottesno comer ape of develope rt no ea, ey rey E/Stapnent Seen sends whan ah whl [Ua pau ge of developmen onacered wate he Whole conte sr atvcopmen: ‘thi she time —we might cl t Ye san fife wrtn ling compe ike fr (Montsaet The Fema of Mo) " 28 The NAMTA Journal» Vol 28, No.» Wine 2004‘only because is presentedin the Bergamocourses. The second chart, the second pictorial representation devised by Maria Montessoriasa mictaphorical image of the four planes of development, is hardly. novnatall and, at fist sight, itseemsrather strange because I ooks soveryplantlke tie very interesting to realize that Maria Mentossoe virtually at teen offerfeand inthe space ofonly one year preparedtwocharts toillusrate the four planes of development: twe differen charts for ‘oneard thesame theme, The ro chartscould:no-bemore dfferentin their mode of zepresenting these stages of grew, in thoi visual Impact and therefore, tasomeextent, inthe underlying message that Isbeingconveyed. Cuanr L:Penucia, 1950 Letus examine the frstchare(Montessor, Fistleture), shovnin| Figure 1 Inceality,iteonsistsof two parts: The part above illustrates Montessors view of human development, while the part below rep- resents the system of education that is actually being offered by our socket, “cst E Funitin © sr 3 # Fs 8 PE TheNAMTA oun! 291. The Triangles: Montessori’s Geometric image of the Rhythm of Development Ina manuscript written by Montessori about this chart she says that scientific stucies and meticulous testing casied out inal parts ‘ofthe world, with cildeen of different races and different socioeco ‘nomic conditions, have shown scientists that evelopment does not ‘Proceed inalinear or constant fashion, On thecostazy, iproceedsor ‘occursin periods orcyclesorplanes, suchas wesee represented here inher deawing. Along the top we find the horizontal fine thats the line of life, tnaicating the chronological age ofthe individual. Along tis same linewe ind distinct periods of development marked out forthe years frombirshtotwenty-four, witha rhythm ofsixyears foreach. Itisthis skip" counting by sixes that gives the rhythm cf development or a8 Montessori calls, “the constructverhy:hm oflife.” Staring at ero, themomentofbirt, we immediately finda greatlameenveloping the ;the flame symbolizes the vital center or the vital chazgeo! psychic ie ‘Coming ut trom the zero, theris an obliqueline which stheline of progression it represent the progeession of purticular sensitivities fand the related characteristics. This line of progeession does aot ‘continue indefinitely; such a continuation would make no sense in termeof Nature, Just maginean adult with he accentuated character- {istics of a hitle child! In fact, the line of progression reaches its ‘maximum around the middle of the six-year period, sthich, i this cate, means at around theee years of age. From tls polnton, te line of progression changes direction and becomes line of regression retrogrestion. This to doesnot continue indefinitely: Ttcomestoan end whenitmeets the line ofife,inthiscase atarsund sx yearsofage. ‘Thetwolines ofprogression and retrogeesion together withthe Line off, determinea tiangular area, which represents plane of development, inthiscase, the first plane of deveopmeat. Montessori calls the left side ofthe triangle the opening of tage of lf; life,in thor words, opens up toa sctof particular experiences and conse- ‘quently tothe elated acquisitions or conquests The ightside the 30 The NAMTA Journal © VoL 29, No.1» Wine 2004triangle represents the closing ofa stage of life, in preparation fr the opening ofanew stage of development withitenew senitvitiesand characteristics. Inthis sameway, four planes ofdevelopmentaredetermined, four planes that Montessor identfiesas infancy childhood, adolescence, sed maturity. Sincethe four planes are epresented by four triangles identicalin shape an size, thisrepzesentation is strictly stylized and geometric Incharacter. The visual impressions always oneof perfectregularity and symmetry. However, whats really being illstrated ond empha Sized by the use of these triangles isthe vital role ofthe sensitive Perlode or sensitivities, which, as they change theirarure from one ‘hase to another, determine the characteristics of each and every phase. The sensitivities pertinent to a particular phase appear, in- ‘reas reacha maximum and then decline; new sensitivities appear, reach amaximum, and decline to give way toyet other, new sensitivi- Ses; and soon. Iis these senstivites, then, that guide development and determineits hythm, [Nonetheless the four triangles, ana thereforethe four planes are distinguished toby twothrough the useof color. The pater ofcolor ‘hat we see—red, blue, ed, biue—simeltencously conveystwo ideas: One plane utterly diferent from another;one plane, insemeessen- alway, resembles another. These das are reinforced inher ways: the use of thick outlines as oppose to thin ones, te factthat some planes are divided into two equal sub-planes while others remain ‘undivided. The divided triangles in red, with thels thick outlines, stand forthe “creative periods” of developing life: infancy and ado- lescence, The undivided triangles in blue stand forthe “calm phases of uniform growth": childhood and maturity Although Montessor’s geometric representation ctx visually convay her fundamental ideas about development, to understand siore one has to fun to what Montessori wrote; and thats what we shall do now, by consulting her published works. ‘The NAMTA Journal 31The “Red Plan” of infancy The plane of infancy, zero to si, is the one of fundamental Importancetorthe formation ofthe individual Interestingly enough, the work that he individual undertakes for hisorherown formation isso different during each half ofthis plane that Montestor clearly divides infancy into two sub-planes. ‘The Spiritual Embryo. The infant fromzeroto thrceisidentfied by ‘Montessori asa spriual embryo, and itis worth our while to under- stand why. Atbleth the infant seems tobe. “nothing,” “in thesense thathe has no psychie qualities nor pre-established powers of movement” (Mtontesson, The Absorbent Mind). “Every baby,” says Montessor, “as theseme appearanceshe s motionless, empty, insignificant.” Yet this infant has within himself “potentialities which determine hie development”; "there exists within this inert being aglobal power, ‘numan creative essence, which drives him to forma manofhis ime, Amanofhiseivilization” (The Adsorbent Mind). (his, ofcourse, fortis eason that wefind that great fame around the zero on Montessor's chart) Montessori goes on: 1 folios that he newborn child has to do piece of ormative work which convesponds inthe psychological sphere tothe one jst done bythe embsye inthe pysial ‘phere. Before him thee Isa period of Ie diferent fom ‘that whieh he led in the womb yet tl alike that ofthe sanheistobecome This post-natal workisaconsractive Seti which carted on in hat tay be called the “iormative period andi makes the baby ints a Kind of “Spintual Embryo.” ‘Man seems tohave two embryonic periods. Oneisprenatal [Mkethato tre aninas theater isposmatal and bs thie (The Abvorber Mi) nother words, the human species, and only thehuman species, has a“double embryonic ife” (The Absorbent bind). 32 TheNAMTA Journal + Vol 29, No.1» Winer 2004“Thus, during the first three years of life, a part of life which is forgotten bythe very individual who experienced it thebasichuman powers are created. Montessori explains as follows: Inthispsycho-embryone period various powers develop separately and isiependentyofoneancter fo: eagle Tanguage, arm movements leg movement, et. Cerin sensory powersalso ake shape Ard isis what reminds {a of the pronaral pried, when the physical organs ae ‘Seveloping each on town account and cepardens of he ‘ther For in this paycho-embryonie period, he (Ps ‘hie/huran fanctone se developing separately Andie [Bnotaurpraing that wecunnct remeber this period, ot thereissil munity the personality—e unity can aly come when the pars aecompleed, (The Asortent Mind) ecause of thenature ofthe work of development during the first three years of life, and because of how this work is cazied out “Montessori also calls the infant from zero to three the unconscious erator ‘The Conscious Worker. The nature of the work of development changes uringthe second sub-plane infancy dringthe years om, theeetosis Attheage of three, "Life seemsto beginagain;fornow conscious ness appears fully and cleay.” And what this child orinfant wants todois tomasterhis environment finding therein themeans forhis development.” Butwhatisitexactly dhathe has todevelop? All those functions, allthose powers which werebeing created beforethe ageof throe, he now has to develop trough conscious expenences and through the exercsing of Riswill. Montessori pointsoutthat there are ‘bvotendencieeat work within thisolderinfant-"One isthe extension ‘ofconsciousnessby actvitiesperformed onthe environment the other isforthe perfecting and encichmen‘of those powers alread formed.” ‘Thus, "the pecod from three tostcisoneof constrictive perfetionment” bbymeansof activity” (The Absorbent Mind) The NAMTA Jounal 33,The child's hands, guided by his intelligencs, begin to do jobs of definitely human type. This child is alivays busy doing something ‘with ishands and for thiszeason the years fromthrce tosixhavebeen called “theblessed ageo play.” That “play, "however, istealy work, thechild's work for his own development. ThusMentessoricallsthe infant from three tosix the conscious worker Montessori however has more tosay onthenaturcof the workof development during this ub-plane ofinfancy’ ‘The ndividal human beingiea unity butts unity sto bebult and conslideted through active expsienes di ‘ectedattheenvironmentand provokedby Hare Alle feparaeombryonic developments which werureed fom 0 {Sd yenrs austin the End function together an become Integrate soastoserve the individual persralty Ths is ‘whats happening during he period from 3to6 when the ands areworking, guidedbythemind: external circum ‘uncon prevent thi Integration from taking pace th the bam) energles contin to drive the pata form fone which develop in disorganized way and deviate ‘way fom ther preper gos. The hand mores smlesly the mind wanders far fm really languate fakes plex soreiniilthebody movesciumsly- And hese separate fnergies,finaing nothing to saisty them, give rise 10 innumerable combinations of wrong and drvated devel- ‘opment sourenofconfictvand distrbanets Such devia tone cannot be atibatd to the personaly fuel hey have obe understood athe result of fale organize the personaly. (The Absorbent Mind) ‘But then, as Montessori points out, when the enviroament offers motives for constructive activity, all teenerglesconcentratetogother fand the deviations disappear. Only then, when the child has the possibility, the freedom, to develop normally, will we see the true personality ofthe child, Its this proces of trasition from deviated tonormal development that Mantessor calls normalization; and itis ‘ormalization that must be our greatest concer forthe second sub- planeof infancy. During, andasaresultof,therocessof normaliza- tion, the child develope character (inthe good senseaf the word) quite spontaneously. Montessori, in fat, also identifies the period from {A The NAMTA Joural + Vo 29,No I» Winter 2006three tosixyearsofageasthe “embryonic period forthe formation of character” (The Absorbent Mind), ‘The “Blue Plane” of Chihood The planc of childhood, six to twelve, isan altogether diferent stage of Jevelopmeata life, although firmly based on the proceding. plane asis natural and necessary. Montessori desezibes the se:ond plane asa “calm phase of uniform growth,” and as such, this plane rTemainstindivided in Montessor’s drawing (ited ia Gzazzie {curing the first plane the human funetionsand powers wereist created end then integrated, perfected, and enriched, then duringthis plane they can expand both physically and psychologically Indeed, Inschule'= mental powersarenow such that they cannotoniy exvand butalsosoar rising tonew height, for during this period "theabstract plane ofthe human mind is organized (Montessori, Fram Childhood toAdolesence). ‘Consequently, there is a great expansion inthis child's field of action: Thysicaland mental horizons open up and thereisnelinitto What ths child can explore, If the opportunities are there and the