Watching a child makes it obvious that the development of his mind comes through his movements.
Interpretation
Children learn and develop their minds through physical activity and exploration.
Maria Montessori emphasizes that children's cognitive development is closely linked to their physical movements and activities. Observing a child reveals that their understanding of the world grows as they engage in various movements, underscoring the importance of hands-on experiences in learning.
In practice
This quote can be used in a preschool teacher's presentation to highlight the importance of active learning.
... the first thing his education demands is the provision of an environment in which he can develop the powers given him by nature. This does not mean just to amuse him and let him do what he likes. But it does mean that we have to adjust our minds to doing a work of collaboration with nature, to being obedient to one of her laws, the law which decrees that development comes from environmental experience.
When we want to infuse new ideas, _x000D_ to modify or better the habits and customs of a people, _x000D_ to breathe new vigor into its national traits, _x000D_ we must use the children as our vehicle; for little can be accomplished with adults.
Noble ideas, great sentiments have always existed and have always been transmitted, but wars have never ceased.
What we need is a world full of miracles, like the miracle of seeing the young child seeking work and independence, and manifesting a wealth of enthusiasm and love.
To aid life, leaving it free, however, that is the basic task of the educator.
It is fortunate, I think, that nature is not bounded by human reason and by laboratory work and experimentation, for by the laws of pure reason and by microscopic investigation, it might easily have been proved, long before this, that children could not be born.
Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image, but thee who destroys a good book, kills reason its self.
Children are excellent observers, and will often perceive your slightest defects. In general, those who govern children, forgive nothing in them, but everything in themselves
How can the oppressed, as divided, unauthentic beings, participate in developing the pedagogy of their liberation?
Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience.
Every book you pick up has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones.
Denying a child even at birth an opportunity for the full expression of its innate genetic potential for physical and mental development is the cruellest form of inequity.
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