Introduction

The child in the first plane of development is born into a new environment that is from the
womb to a new environment. The child in order to adjust with this new environment uses
one's senses to explore and become familiar to one’s immediate environment and this is done
through the process of adaptation.

The sensitive period which occurs in the first plane of development is the period in which the
child can be seen as a sensorial explorer that uses the senses to gather information about the
world. This information is later organized by the child to make sense of the world around
oneself. The senses work as gateways between the outer world and inner spirit of the child.
The child is seen to be familiar with the world around oneself. The senses eventually are
refined and help the child to observe the minute things in objects like seeing the shape, size
and feeling the temperature of the object. In the beginning, they are not able to sort out things
but absorb every impression from the environment with the help of the absorbent mind. Later
they are able to make classifications out of impressions and organize information to make a
connection to the world. The classifications and organization of information out of the
impressions from the world may or may not be accurate depending upon the experience and
opportunities given to the child to explore one’s environment. It is observed that this
opportunity to explore one’s environment if not given may result in the child gathering and
organizing information in an inaccurate manner.

Perception is part of our brain and helps us to understand things in the world. Each of us sees
the world through our senses. There are ​various types of senses that help us to perceive
things in the world. They are as follows:

The ​visual sense is seen to help the child with sight which refers to the sight of objects. The
eyes help the child to see and understand the shape, size and colour of objects. For example,
being able to see the various colours in colour tablets and the colour pink in the pink tower.

The ​auditory sense is related to sound which occurs with the help of the ears. The auditory
sense helps the child to identify various sounds. For instance, being able to identify whether a
sound is either soft or loud in the activity with sound cylinders.

The ​olfactory sense helps us to smell things around us. This is done with the help of the nose
which helps the child to identify the differences in the objects.

The ​gustatory sense helps with regard to taste. The sense of taste occurs with the help of the
tongue and helps us in understanding the taste of various things we consume. For instance,
understanding whether a particular dish is sweet, spicy, bitter etc.

The ​tactile sense of touch helps us to feel various objects. For example, understand the
texture of objects like feeling the grainy texture of a tablet made of cork wood or the soft
texture of a cotton ball.
The ​thermic sense is the sense that helps us to identify the temperature of a particular object
which is done with the help of the hands. For instance, being able to understand if a particular
object is hot and cold through touch.

The ​baric sense helps us to identify the weight of a particular object. For instance, the child
using the tablets to feel the weight make a decision whether an object is heavy or light.

The ​stereo gnostic sense to see something in complete form. It helps the child to move one's
muscles around the object and see things in complete form even in the absence of light.For
instance, a person is able to see things and pick them up even in darkness.

These senses together help in giving information to the child and help us in the way we
perceive things and develop our perceptions about things which becomes a benchmark to
understand things in the environment.

Th​e perception o​ f an individual is ​exact​, ​precise and ​accurate only if the information
provided is exact, precise and accurate and the end result is good. Thus, incorrect information
results in one’s perception not being good when we gather information and make
generalizations. When the child takes in impressions through various senses through repeated
sensations, the child is able to make predictions. These predictions are based on
generalizations made by the individual. For instance, when the sky is grey and we hear
thunder, one person walks out with an umbrella and is happy to not get wet when it starts
raining . However, another individual does not perceive the need to carry an umbrella and
gets wet. Thus, we observe that each one of us perceives differently because of the different
generalizations one makes and predicts. The repeated experiences help us to make
generalizations which help us to respond faster than before. Another example is when the cup
of coffee is given to a child, one child may not be interested while touching the cup while
another child may be interested in the coffee because of the smell, temperature of the coffee
etc.

Intelligence is crucial to human life; it helps us to ​abstract things which is a human

The senses of humans differ from animals. Animals can use senses but have a particular sense
under control unlike humans. For instance, a dog has an heightened sense of smell while an
eagle has a heightened sense of sight. This allows animals to adapt and survive in their
environment. Allow the species to survive. In animals, a particular sense is acutely refined
but this is not so in humans unless it is practiced. Humans are not limited to one sense but
have all senses. Thus, the education of senses is needed for the first plane child because of the
sensitive period which helps in the refinement of senses. The adult must give the child
adequate opportunities to get rich experiences to build on accurate information and organize
it to use and sharpen one’s sense and develop one’s intelligence. This intelligence is built on
accurate information which aids in the child to ​extract what is essential and have an accurate
perception and have to make adequate predictions and abstractions. This means that the child
is able to focus one’s attention on something that is relevant. This also helps the child to
know the world and understand it. It helps us to enjoy and appreciate the world around us and
function in it.

For example, when a child is introduced to an apple, he or she is able to understand only the
shape of the object and later the colour of the object as red after multiple experiences of the
colour red. It is important to provide the child opportunities to systematically make
abstractions by giving the abstractions accurately. Abstractions also help the child to develop
creative imagination b​ y creation of something new. For instance, creating a particular
drawing of an apple etc.

The ​sensorial materials are provided to the child as a means to help the children at this age.
Maria Montessori states, “This material aids the ​education of the senses” T ​ his helps us to
refine sensations in the child.

(Maria Montessori, Creative Development in the Child, Volume I, Chp. 15, p.89, Kalashetra
Press, 1999)

It is a means of development. The aim of refinement of perception is made to be able to

The ​aim of refinement of perception is to be able to perceive the size, shape of an object
which is attained through the use of materials in the sensorial area in a Montessori classroom.
The key to the world is auto education to oneself which is exploring shape, size, texture of an
object. The senses are a key to use towards one’s own education. The child knows what he
needs and will go to what he needs. It leads the children to use it for their own development
to answer nature dictate or human tendencies.

The ​history of the materials in the sensorial area can be traced to ​Itard ​and ​Seguin who
designed the materials for children with deficiencies. However, Maria Montessori used some
of these materials but modified them for their use by normal children. These materials were
carefully chosen and are scientific in nature and therefore, are referred to as a didactic
apparatus. The materials have accuracy and are exact and were developed after years of
observation by Maria Montessori. They are universal as they are not culturally adapted.

There are various qualities in the material. ​Materialized Abstractions a​ re taken from an
abstract idea in nature and are given a concrete form. These abstractions include a series of
objects that have a certain abstract quality which is embedded within them. This includes a
series of objects with certain abstract qualities which is embedded within them. These
qualities are held in the piece of material and help the child to understand an abstract idea.
For instance, use of long rods in isolation. There are two important aspects with regard to
materialized abstraction which include ​isolation ​and ​limitation.​
Isolation changes the quality of a particular material to help a child to focus on a particular
quality of the material. This is seen for instance, in the colour tablets. The colour tablets
include the same size, shape, texture, temperature and weight. The change in colour is the
only quality that stands out which helps to materialize abstractions. These tablets are
materialized abstractions as they isolate colour in order for it to stand out. Another example is
of sound cylinders that help to create sets that highlight the quality of sound by isolating it
which helps the child to focus on sound. The only feedback the child receives is sound. Thus,
isolation in simple terms is isolation of one quality of the material while other qualities of the
material are the same.

The Principle of Limitation is the principle in which the material has particular limitations
in terms of quantity. For instance, the cylinder blocks are only ten in number. Although, there
are variations in dimensions they are uniform and precise. There is a particular limit with the
number of cylinder blocks. This action of limiting the number of materials helps the child to
focus on the activity and gain clarity of their experiences working with the activity. There
should not be too many or too few materials of a particular activity. If there are too many, the
child experiences excessive sensations and if there are too few, then the child is unable to
perform abstraction while working with the materials. Therefore, there is a particular range
and limits between a range of material to help the child to gain clarity of their experiences
with working with the material. The range is set according to the child’s needs and the
limitations in it helps the child to develop discipline. It is exact and sequential for example,
the pink tower ranging from one centimeter cube to ten centimeter cube. Language is also
limiting in nature as the language used to communicate to the child is limited. The materials
are limited to also help the child to retrieve information about a particular activity and to be
able to make classifications as well.

There are ​various characteristics​ seen in the sensorial materials found in the Sensorial area.

Order is seen in any activity and in the environment in the classroom. There is an internal
order that exists in the material. This brings about a particular discipline in the child to follow
a particular order while handling materials. For example, the weight changes in order and has
consistency in materials. For instance, the brown stairs increase in weight as the shape
increases in height. This is also seen in regard to the pink tower as well. The order starts from
the extremes as seen in the cylinder blocks and the range of quality that differs
mathematically. The colour, shapes and dimensions are put together in a sequential manner.
For instance, the dimensions change sequentially from big to small in the cylinder blocks.

The materials are mathematically significant a​ s there is accuracy seen in the materials. The
functions of mathematics like sequencing, pairing etc. are rooted in the materials. This also
supports order. The material is mathematically significant. For instance, the number rods
varies from length and breath as seen. The use of the geometric cabinets are seen to help the
child to understand the differences in various shapes, dimensions etc.
The materials are generally said to be kept as ​natural as possible. For instance, the use of
wood is seen with regard to brown stairs, the pink tower, colour tablets etc. They are rooted
in the natural sense of the world. The temperature is not highlighted and is not camouflaged.

They are beautiful a​ nd are designed keeping aesthetics in mind. They are made of natural
materials and have a particular structure. There is exactness and precision in it. The sets are
complete and are similar in nature but yet different and thus, this makes them beautiful and
unique.

Sensorial Materials a​ re ​universal ​in nature. This is because these materials are designed
keeping in mind basic concepts in mind which are universal to any culture. The various
aspects like shape, size, colour, weight, height, length, breadth, numbers are universal to all
cultures. The use of music is also seen in all cultures and therefore, using sound cylinders is
universal in nature.

The materials are also ​manipulative i​ n nature. The child uses their hands to work with the
material and the material also has the possibility of manipulating the work. Through working
with the material in hand, the child is able to perceive the quality in the material and also gain
an understanding of the material. The possibility for action is something that attracts the
child. For example, by working with sound cylinders, the child is able to understand the
difference in the sound in the various cylinders.

The indirect aims are embedded ​in the material and allow the child to understand what is
happening at the moment when they are working. For instance, sensorial tablets like colour
tablets help the child to perceive various colours in a painting and in art.

There are ​various types of activities ​in the Sensorial Area in a Montessori classroom. The
first type includes ​Comparing and Discriminating. T ​ he activities in the sensorial area help
the child to compare and contrast between different materials with the help of their senses.
The use of perception along with the use of the senses helps the child to become aware of the
differences in objects. For instance, The use of rough and smooth tablets to compare the
texture of the tablets and be able to understand the difference in the texture of the tablets.
This is seen in various other tactile activities in the sensorial area like fabrics, thermic tablets
etc.

There ​exists an interplay between ​Identities, Similarities and Contrasts in the materials of
the sensorial area. The use of visual sense helps the child to find identities and to contrast a
particular quality in material. This is executed from the body but received from the visual
sense. For example, in terms of colour tablets we are able to identify the colour in the tablets
and also find similarity in the shape and size of the tablets. We see that each colour is
different from another. For instance, the colour differs from the colour red in the colour
tablets in terms of its intensity.

The ​differences ​in the materials with regard to various sets are categorized into ​four areas
namely:
 ● Pairing
● Grading
● Sorting
● Exploration and Application

The ​first three differences​ are ​predominantly found​ in the​ m

Pairing ​for ​instance is seen in the cylinder blocks. Here, the child pairs the knobs of the
cylinder according to the size of the socket and places the cylinder into the socket. The same
is seen with regard to cylinder sockets. This is also seen in the smooth and rough tablets
where the rough tablets are paired to each other based on their texture. This is also done with
sound boxes as well.

Grading ​refers to the small differences seen by the visual sense. The materials are not
identical in nature but similar. There exists an order with regard to the material where the
materials are graded and arranged in a sequential manner. For instance, the Cylinder blocks
start with grading the size of the cylinders started by pulling out the first two extremes of the
cylinders and later the other cylinders are removed and then later placed back starting from
the extremes again and progressed to the other cylinders blocks. Through grading of materials
the visual sense of the child is challenged and refined.

Sorting is done in various sets to help the child to make classifications in objects with the
help of materials. For instance, sorting out of sound boxes based on their sound. Sorting of
objects based on their size and shape is also done with regard to red rods, brown stairs etc.

Exploration and Application a​ re ​done by the child to not isolate a quality and strike
imagination and exploration in the child. The child is given the opportunities to do the
activity independently and explore various difficulties one faces. The child is made to use
their senses through visual sense and also apply various skills like sensitization of fingers
which prepare them to use their tips and the moving of one’s fingers over the touch tablets as
well which serves as a preparation for writing smoothly over a piece of paper.

The Direct Aims ​in the sensorial area are as follows.

● Discrimination
● Refinement
● Classification

Discrimination plays a very important role in one’s life. Morality is formed on the basis of
the difference of being able to state what is right and wrong. It helps the child to identify
differences in objects. For instance, in the sensorial area the differences are focused through
isolation of a particular quality. For instance, the isolation of sound in the sound boxes, helps
the child to be able to focus on sound and to discriminate between the various sounds of the
boxes, and also identify the extremes of sound, whether the sound is soft or loud respectively.
It helps the child to make comparisons between materials or objects in one’s environment.

Refinement i​ s done with regard to the senses. The senses for instance, the senses are refined
through the various activities being challenging and also the child using their sense of sight,
smell, taste, touch, sound and stereognostic sense to be able to explore the materials and also
refine one’s senses. The refinement in the sense of hearing for instance, helps a doctor to be
able to tell the difference between a regular or an irregular heartbeat. This is also seen in the
activity of the tasting bottles where the child with their sense of taste being refined will be
able to easily differentiate between the different tastes. Another instance is of two people
looking at a shore where one individual sees the shore and appreciates the beauty while
another just walks away. This is a clear example of refinement of senses in daily life.

Classification r​ efers to the ability to classify materials with the help of perception. Unless
one is able to identify and be aware of the differences in a particular object only then will
they be able to tell the difference in the objects. Through abstraction and perception with the
help of the senses the child will be able to classify objects. For instance, the child working on
the activity of Smelling Bottles will be able to tell the differences in the smell of the bottles
with the use of the sense of smell and this abstraction is only possible if the child has an
awareness of the differences that exist between the smell of the bottles. This is also seen with
regard to size where a child is able to perceive the differences in the size and shape of the
cubes of the pink tower and also in the binomial cube. Classification can occur only if the
information is organized efficiently. For instance, if a library is catalogued and organized
efficiently it's only then that we will be able to retrieve the materials. This is true to the child
as well that the classification of materials is possible only if the child is able to organize
information efficiently or else the child would take more time to arrive at making
classifications.

Indirect Aims are

● Human Culture
● ​Art
● Music
● Math
● Language
● Botany
● Geography

Human culture includes all of human work that connects to the human world which is
cultural extensions. We observe that all of human culture includes ​Art, Music, Math,
Language, Botany and Geography which is universal in nature. For instance, we are able to
perceive the primary and tertiary colours through the introduction of art activities in the
practical life area followed by the use of colour tablets. Through ​music activities in bells and
sound cylinders we are able to identify various sounds and also appreciate music in one’s
own culture and also in other cultures as well. The same is true for ​math w ​ here we see that
numbers are part of every culture which is done through activities that help a child to learn
the concept of quantity and dimensions through red rods, pink towers having a fixed number
of materials. The concept of ​language ​is explored through use of comparatives and
superlatives in the objects. For instance, use of soft and loud and softest and loudest in sound
boxes.

In Botany, we observe various shapes and sizes of leafs which helps in development of
perceiving shapes and dimensions of objects. The introduction of Land and Water forms
helps the child to understand the ​shape a​ nd size of a landform and water bodies. Indeed, we
see that all these aims are interconnected and help the child to develop one’s senses,
perception and intelligence.

The Control of Error ​plays a important role in helping the child to be able to perceive
various differences. Perception of these differences helps the child to look at the error. Visual
perception of dimensions is needed to help the child to see the differences in various
materials and control the error by themselves. In many instances, we observe that the control
of error exists in the material itself. For instance, the solid insets have wooden bases with
holes into which only the respective cylinders are able to fit into the solid insets based on the
various dimensions. If the cylinders are fitted wrongly, the child is able to identify the error in
an instant as the cylinder will not fit into the solid inset. The Control of Error leads the child
to use one’s reasoning and encourages critical thinking in the child. In this way, the child is
able to control one’s errors and achieve the final end result. It also helps the child to develop
one’s intelligence and to be alert and identify small differences between various materials.

Thus, the Sensorial Area helps the child in refinement of one’s senses and build a harmony
between body, mind and spirit which is done through the development of will which is a
result of the work done by the child.

References

Maria Montessori, Creative Development in the Child, Volume I, Chp. 15, p.89, Kalakshetra
Press, 1999

Maria Montessori, Discovery of the Child, Chp. VII,p.121, Kalakshetra Publications, 1966