Just to play the "Maria's Advocate," let me also look at this from a traditional Montessori point of view as well just so you do have a balanced idea of this. Many people look at this aspect of Montessori and, without understanding it, say how strange it is.
There are some premises I want to present. If you agree with these, it will be easier. I'll explain them a bit more detailed after I list them.
1) The real world is filled with imagination.
2) Children that are stuck in a fantasy world do have trouble connecting to reality.
3) The difference between fantasy and reality is blurred at a young age.
4) Too often, adults do use fantasy as a form of manipulation.
5) Fantasy does not necessarily mean "imagination" or "creativity."
What we discover with children is a love of the real world. We simply have to spark that interest and they look at it and are able to imagine so much. So it surprises me when a "traditional" teacher might shy away from teaching 3-6 year old children the different parts of the plant, the life cycles of various animals, or other aspects of nature. Right when a time that a child's imagination is at its peak, we tend to shy away from getting them to imagine about real things. We replace them with things that aren't real. So it's no longer a "Imagine what a dog really does and what he might be thinking." It's now "A dog is talking and playing pool while his friends are playing poker and drinking." (Ok...not an age appropriate story by anyone's imagination, but you get the point). Why are we avoiding, almost entirely, the ability for children to imagine about real life? This happens so frequently that the stereotypical image of a preschool teacher is someone that knows several fantasy stories and tries to keep the children entertained all day.
"2) Children that are stuck in a fantasy world do have trouble connecting to reality." I've seen before where children are so wrapped up in a superhero game that they really have a big part of them think they are in a superhero world. I think every child slips into this from time to time, but I have seen that rare child who lives in this. There was no easy way to deal with his aggressive behavior or his inability to NOT be a superhero (such as when playing tag, you can't get tagged...Superman is faster. And when you are tagged, you're frustrated because of this conflict and confusion). So fantasy stories, especially for a younger child, can lead to a lot of stress if the child takes that reality as an alternative to true reality.
"3) The difference between fantasy and reality is blurred at a young age." This is obvious to everyone who has ever heard of Santa Clause. Children do look to adults to help them clarify what's real and what's not. It is a trust they have in us and it is a delicate balance of how to handle that trust. Children tend to be upset once they discover there is no Santa Clause.
"4) Too often, adults do use fantasy as a form of manipulation." Have we ever heard this phrase:
--Santa Clause is watching you.
Unfortunately, we do use fantasy as a form of manipulating children. I am sure there are times when it might be nice for a parent to just say, "Santa Clause is watching you" and have the child stop immediately. There are also times it can be taken too far. Where that line is, I don't think is an easy question to answer. Obviously, an extreme answer like abuse is a given that it's wrong. But what about when a child does something wrong and we do remind them that "Santa is watching." It might be a nice, quick fix, but does it help in long term moral development? How will their behavior change when they finally realize no Santa Clause is watching them? It's more important to focus on a more reflective reason as much as possible. Though I acknowledge parents cannot do that 100% of the time.
"5) Fantasy does not necessarily mean "imagination" or "creativity."" Most toys we see today are not open ended. They are manipulative materials designed to look exactly like something the child has seen in a movie or television show. The child generally acts out what he sees on television. Not necessarily "exactly" what he sees.
I think, if nothing else, Montessori's view on fantasy should call us to at least examine how we use fantasy. If we use it, is there a way we can use it and help the child begin to see the difference between reality and fantasy?
Matt
There are some premises I want to present. If you agree with these, it will be easier. I'll explain them a bit more detailed after I list them.
1) The real world is filled with imagination.
2) Children that are stuck in a fantasy world do have trouble connecting to reality.
3) The difference between fantasy and reality is blurred at a young age.
4) Too often, adults do use fantasy as a form of manipulation.
5) Fantasy does not necessarily mean "imagination" or "creativity."
What we discover with children is a love of the real world. We simply have to spark that interest and they look at it and are able to imagine so much. So it surprises me when a "traditional" teacher might shy away from teaching 3-6 year old children the different parts of the plant, the life cycles of various animals, or other aspects of nature. Right when a time that a child's imagination is at its peak, we tend to shy away from getting them to imagine about real things. We replace them with things that aren't real. So it's no longer a "Imagine what a dog really does and what he might be thinking." It's now "A dog is talking and playing pool while his friends are playing poker and drinking." (Ok...not an age appropriate story by anyone's imagination, but you get the point). Why are we avoiding, almost entirely, the ability for children to imagine about real life? This happens so frequently that the stereotypical image of a preschool teacher is someone that knows several fantasy stories and tries to keep the children entertained all day.
"2) Children that are stuck in a fantasy world do have trouble connecting to reality." I've seen before where children are so wrapped up in a superhero game that they really have a big part of them think they are in a superhero world. I think every child slips into this from time to time, but I have seen that rare child who lives in this. There was no easy way to deal with his aggressive behavior or his inability to NOT be a superhero (such as when playing tag, you can't get tagged...Superman is faster. And when you are tagged, you're frustrated because of this conflict and confusion). So fantasy stories, especially for a younger child, can lead to a lot of stress if the child takes that reality as an alternative to true reality.
"3) The difference between fantasy and reality is blurred at a young age." This is obvious to everyone who has ever heard of Santa Clause. Children do look to adults to help them clarify what's real and what's not. It is a trust they have in us and it is a delicate balance of how to handle that trust. Children tend to be upset once they discover there is no Santa Clause.
"4) Too often, adults do use fantasy as a form of manipulation." Have we ever heard this phrase:
--Santa Clause is watching you.
Unfortunately, we do use fantasy as a form of manipulating children. I am sure there are times when it might be nice for a parent to just say, "Santa Clause is watching you" and have the child stop immediately. There are also times it can be taken too far. Where that line is, I don't think is an easy question to answer. Obviously, an extreme answer like abuse is a given that it's wrong. But what about when a child does something wrong and we do remind them that "Santa is watching." It might be a nice, quick fix, but does it help in long term moral development? How will their behavior change when they finally realize no Santa Clause is watching them? It's more important to focus on a more reflective reason as much as possible. Though I acknowledge parents cannot do that 100% of the time.
"5) Fantasy does not necessarily mean "imagination" or "creativity."" Most toys we see today are not open ended. They are manipulative materials designed to look exactly like something the child has seen in a movie or television show. The child generally acts out what he sees on television. Not necessarily "exactly" what he sees.
I think, if nothing else, Montessori's view on fantasy should call us to at least examine how we use fantasy. If we use it, is there a way we can use it and help the child begin to see the difference between reality and fantasy?
Matt
:
), I loved a book about three toys becoming alive and trying to find their owner, a little boy. But guess what... I also loved receiving a book on migration in the animal world (from butterflies to dolphins), I loved every true story about dogs, horses, and zoo animals. I loved stories about real kids...
.
