NeoFreeZone

Today the general understanding of obedience and discipline can be explained with the following definitions:

Obedience – compliance with someone’s wishes or orders, or acknowledgment of his or her authority.

Discipline – The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment or rewards to correct disobedience.

Executing external commands and submitting to oppression is what comes to mind when the two concepts are discussed. I associate these words with control and maintaining power rather than social cohesion. It’s about diminishing the possibility of exercising one’s free will.

“…the usual aim is to curb the will of the child, substituting the teacher’s will for his, and demanding of him obedience.”

On the contrary, Montessori had the exact opposite idea when she talked about discipline:

“…to obtain discipline give freedom.”

Convinced that discipline and obedience’s main purpose is social cohesion and not authoritarian control over a group of people she found that not giving the children an opportunity to exercise their decision-making abilities can be harmful not only for their development but also for society.

“The finesse of discipline is to obtain obedience from developed wills and is based on society by cohesion, the first step to organised society.”

“The more the young are placed in subjection without power to exercise their own wills, the more easily do they fall prey to the perils of which the world is full.”

The definitions from a Montessori perspective can be expressed with her own words:

“Discipline is attained indirectly, that is by developing activity in spontaneous work.”

…”it is not a fact but a way.”

Obedience – …”sublimation of the individual’s own will”.

In the following paragraphs I will elaborate on the teaching method supporting the development of the will and how that relates to the appearance of naturally evolved obedience and discipline.

If the strengthening of the will is what causes obedience and discipline in children the favorable environment is a essential condition for achieving these goals. The key elements aiding the process of acquiring autonomy are: freedom of movement, opportunity to freely choose an activity, consistency, order and no interruption of children’s working process. In other words everything in the Montessori environment is organised in such way that children can peacefully exercise their mental and physical abilities at their own pace and free of adult interference. The importance of feeling independent and in control of one’s surroundings is what fosters the development of the will. The secure environment has provided an infinite number of opportunities for the assertion of one’s character. Even more, one starts to realise that with freedom, comes responsibility. This gradually increases the sense of empathy and helps foster mutual care and respect among the children, which becomes part of their daily routine.

“The child should act together and practise the gymnastics of the will in the daily habits of life.”

The Activities of Everyday Living, the use of materials along with the nursery ground rules are all part of the continuous training of the will. Each and every day a Montessori child makes numerous decisions. For example: selecting an activity, choosing how long he/she will work it for, deciding when and how to rest. The environment allows children to logically understand why certain rules need to be obeyed as the consequences of inconsistency and disorder immediately harm their collective interests. Introducing materials, which provide the children with an opportunity to correct their errors enhances their sense of control over themselves and the materials. These conditions provide solid ground for the development of children’s full potential by realizing the power they posses, the power of their will.

“Obedience can only be obtained through a complex formation of the psychic personality. In order to obey one must not only wish, but also be able to obey. Obedience includes a training of both the intellect and the will.”

During the Absorbent Mind plane of development the Montessori children’s maturational leap can be presented by explaining the three key events happening from birth to six years: the transfer from spiritual to social embryonic stage, the development of the will and the formation of discipline and obedience.

The Spiritual Embryonic stage usually lasts from birth to three years. It marks the beginning of the personality creation when information is absorbed unconsciously and the child is relying on his/her inner drive also known as the “horme”.

Given favourable external conditions the little person gradually learns to walk and talk. Even though at this age children are highly dependent on the care of adults, a constant striving on behalf of the children for minimizing assistance is usually observed. This journey towards human independence is aided by the sensitive periods – certain phases during children’s development when they have a much bigger chance to accommodate different skills and abilities. Some of the sensitive periods take place during the earliest stage of life. For example: language, order and refinement of the senses.

“Men possesses creative sensitivities instead of hereditary models of behavior, and if it is due to these that adaptation occurs to his surroundings, then it is clear that the whole psychic life of the individual stands upon a foundation which is laid down by them in the earliest years.”

The first level of obedience coincides with the spiritual embryonic stage. In this period children are not able to obey adults unless it is something they wish to do anyway. There are a several reasons for the lack of submission to external commands. Firstly children are physically incapable of control their movement, as their motor skills have not been fully developed yet. Secondly, up until three years old most children are guided by the horme (“an inner drive, universal unconscious force of life itself”) and not able to exercise the power of their conscious will. Often adults mistaken this behavior with selfishness and stubbornness when the fact of the matter is, children are not mentally and physically ready to be disciplined and obey adults or other social conventions.

“So, what we call the first level of obedience is that in which the child can obey, but not always. It is a period in which obedience and disobedience seem to be combined!”

“Before three the functions are being created: after three they develop.”

In the spiritual embryonic stage initial attempts for obedience and discipline are starting to emerge silently without any external indication followed by the transitional period between the first and the second level of obedience. It’s also the time when the child moves to the social embryonic stage.

“Thus it happens that at the age of three, life seems to begin again; for now consciousness shines forth in all its fullness and glory”

Supported by the nursery environment and having the opportunity to spontaneously choose activities the child starts to develop his/her will. Everyday she/he makes a set of autonomous decisions and works through practical problems.

“A man must be independent in his powers and character, able to work and assert his mastery over all that depends on him. This was the light in which childhood revealed itself to us, once consciousness had come to birth and begun to take control.”

As being part of a group the child starts to realize the importance of empathy and how it affects the well being of the rest of the children along with the teacher and the materials. This helps him/her reach the second phase of obedience.

“The second level is when the child can always obey, or rather, when there are no longer any obstacles deriving from his lack of control. His powers are now consolidated and can be directed not only by his own will, but by the will of another.”

“The child can absorb another person’s wishes and express them in his own behaviour.”

“That which at first was but a vital impulse (horme) has become a deliberate act.”

In this phase the child reaches a state in which he is able to exercise his/her will and be a master of himself/herself. One is in control not only of his/her movements and desires but also able to take part in complex social dynamics understanding and contributing to the social cohesion within the group.

“Will and obedience then go hand in hand, inasmuch as the will prior foundation in the order of development, and obedience is a later stage resting on this foundation.”

Most mainstream educators are satisfied with accomplishing the second level of obedience. This usually happens through the means of reward, punishment, setting conditions and limiting choices, destroying children’s natural development by breaking their will or limiting their decision making practice. In Montessori teaching method a third level of obedience can be reached where children are so eager to follow the directions of their teacher that the inner motivation for obedience comes naturally as a total acknowledgment and belief in the directress’ potential to guide the child towards a fruitful end. Montessori children’s enthusiasm to obey the teacher and follow the ground rules comes as a response to the trust that their guide has granted by allowing them to operate independently. Equality and freedom has created equilibrium for the both the directress and the children. The lack of coercion and exploitation has created a secure space where mutual respect and appreciation towards the care provider lead to rapid development of the will leading to explosion in creativity, joy of working and willingness to be guided.

During the spiritual embryonic stage children start developing the potential to exercise their will and make decisions. This process is fostered by the favorable environment, supported by the directress and inspired by freedom of movement and activity choice. The stage also coincides with the second level of obedience when children are able to work with adults for the benefit of the group. Following this process discipline emerges in children’s lives naturally not by imposition but by providing assistance, helping children gain control over their actions and movements by supporting the development of their will.

Montessori, M., (Reprinted 2007,2009), The Discovery of the child, The Netherlands: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company

Montessori, M. (1989). Education for a New World, Clio Press, Oxford,

Montessori, M. (2004 reprint). The Advanced Montessori Method I, Oxford: Clio,

Montessori, M, (Reprinted -2007, 2010), The Absorbent Mind, The Netherlands: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company,