Every child’s mind needs to be built, much like a physical baby grows in the womb. This is the central, unconscious task for children from birth to age six-a period Montessori called the First Plane of Development. Unlike the adult brain, the child’s mind is not “ready-made.” It must create its own fundamental abilities, which are known as the Psychic Organs. The Psychic Organ is the child’s mental tool they need to live in the world. This powerful construction begins right at birth, fueled by a huge inner drive inside every baby.
What is the Psychic Organ?
The Psychic Organ is the collective term for the mental instruments-including movement, language, intellect, and will- that the child builds from their environment. The child is born with the potential for these tools, but they are not yet complete. Once all these parts are working together, the child achieves “psychic unity,” meaning they become a complete, functioning person in their environment. Montessori called the child during this time a “spiritual embryo” because they are doing psychological construction.
Key Components of the Psychic Organ
The Psychic Organ is the name for all the different mental abilities that link the child to the outside world.
- Movement: This is a purposeful movement, like reaching for a toy or learning to walk. It is important for connecting the mind and body.
- Language: This is the tool for talking, expressing ideas, and satisfying the need to communicate. Its rapid language development in the early years is one of the mind’s great miracles.
- Intellect: This tool is built on what the child already knows. It is expressed through the child’s movement and language.
- Will: This is the child’s ability to make their own choices and act upon them. It develops alongside the movement, as independence builds self-control.
- Emotions: These include feelings like love, sadness, and anger. Learning to understand and share feelings is closely tied to the development of Language.
- Memory: The ability to remember experiences, which works with intelligence to build up cumulative knowledge over time.
The Critical Role of the Adult
The healthy development of the Psychic Organs relies heavily on external conditions, making the adult’s role vital.
- The Prepared Environment: The environment must be prepared to satisfy the needs of the child’s growing mind. This means setting up a safe space where they can move freely and reach things on their own for meaning activity. This allows them to practice making choices and moving with purpose.
- Danger of Substitution: If the adult does things for the child that they could do themselves, it becomes the most powerful obstacle to the child’s self-development.
- Deviation and Normalization: When the child’s creative powers are blocked, their personality can develop a deviation. The return to a healthy, normal state, where all psychic powers function correctly, is called normalization. This happens when the environment offers enough reasons for constructive activity.
Conclusion
The first six years of life is when the child works as the “personal constructor” of their own mind. This natural growth plan is all about putting together the Psychic Organs-the essential tools like Movement, Language, Will, Emotions, and Intellect. These tools are built through the Absorbent Mind as the child interacts with the environment, especially during Sensitive Periods. The adult’s primary mission is to be a supportive guide, not an obstacle. The final reward of this effort is that the child achieves psychic unity when his actions, thoughts, and emotions work together in harmony.