What is Normalisation?

‘Normalisation’ a term which you will hear often in a Montessori environment. This very term at times confuses parents, specially the ones who don’t know much about the method. Normalisation doesn’t imply that a child or set of children aren’t normal, we are no one to say that. Then what does normalisation mean? Normalisation is a very special process in the overall development of a child. When a child is able to concentrate on an activity, when s/he works freely in their Montessori environment. These children are self-deciplined and peaceful. It is a stage where the child's will, intelligence and coordination of movements work together. It is a very important stage of development. A child in this stage of development enjoys his/her work.

In The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Montessori says the following about normalisation “the most important single result of our whole work.”

Children go through 3 stages of normalisation in a Montessori environment:

A child will do activities s/he wants to.
A child will do activities s/he is asked to
A child gets involved in something s/he knows is right.

Children who are normalised, love the harmony and peace in the environment, hence they try to follow the ground rules set in the environment. The process of normalisation comes naturally and it can never be forced. In an authentic Montessori environment, the self-correcting didactic material, the environment and trained adults; help the child in this process.

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