This is a theme that has spilled much ink. There is no doubt that Maria Montessori pedagogy has a realistic understanding develops through sensory development . But Maria Montessori did so far evacuated all possible input of tales for children.? Unlike other teachers, she has completely ignored the public's imagination in the development of the psyche child?
Seeking information about it on the internet for a while, I finally acquired a book of lectures given by Maria Montessori. This book is unfortunately in German: " Spannungsfeld Kind-Gesellschaft- Welt", published by Harder. The works of Maria Montessori conference is remarkable. They condense his thoughts and beautifully illustrated with short sentences and concise hit the corner of his observations.
discussed the theme of imagination and child development, it seems important to return to the writings of educator because, once again, with his thought experiment, it does not fail to surprise us as it is far from any a priori ideological ...
I offer here some excerpts of the lecture given in London in 1946 whose title clearly announces the topic: "On imagination and storytelling .
CHILD LEARNS TO CONTACT THE ENVIRONMENT
First Maria Montessori discusses the psychological characteristics of children under six before addressing the issue later stories and the role of imagination in the development of the child.
" For children under 6 years, it is typical of their age they can hardly teach. They can not really benefit from the teachings of a professor . It why we do not send them to school at this age and they receive no education before the age of six. On the other hand, it is typical of their age can learn a lot and understand. They are thirsty for knowledge. This may seem like a contradiction. But the truth is that children of this age are developing their knowledge of themselves in contact with the environment . (...). Children at this age after an internal law. They can extract a lot of environmental knowledge, but they can do so through their own activity . They derive from the environment a spiritual food. Their sensory organs are able to function properly for this work. So they can grow and build the child standard ".
EXPERIENCE OF MARIA MONTESSORI
Maria Montessori then explains his views on the place that gives its pedagogy tales. It is his experience that led him to conclude that children engaged with their hands do not feel the need to hear stories. "If I cons tales that would not be in the mood for some reason, but because of specific facts that I have observed many times. These facts come from the children themselves and not my own thoughts. I simply observed that children who begin working with their hands are very interested in things outside world. We see in these children changes that surprise us. If they work with their hands they lose insolence without reprimand. Their shyness, mood swings and confusion disappear like magic. This astonishing fact has made our experiences meaningful. This is an important characteristic of the child and was once unknown. With his bad habits have also disappeared from the traits that were rented before: extreme obedience, excessive attachment to the mother, submission, etc.. All this disappeared with bad habits. The great love stories also disappears "...
" I can give many instances where when the teacher was telling stories to children, they went to small small, especially the young, he remained ultimately more than older children who were listening. (...). "The older children stayed out of politeness hoping that the mistress would soon be finished with the story. When the teacher had finished, the older children are also left quickly. In the spirit of the child there no specific interest in these tales. They listen, at least the older ones, but they carry with them impulses larger and more natural. When they are free to choose, they choose something more meaningful to their development . (...).
is the experience I had with the children. Myself I like storytelling. They are very beautiful, fantastic and entertaining. (...) The stories represent a significant literature. If I could, I would be a volume bringing together all the tales of the land so that adults learn more about themselves .
TALES TO TEST THE CONCENTRATION
Maria Montessori then explains that children over six years are able to receive any benefit from a professor. It then explains that the children of this age can benefit from a small tale especially when it concerns a matter of justice or injustice. We know that Maria Montessori, children between six and twelve years developing a high sensitivity for all questions relating to what is good or what is bad. But she immediately adds that tales should not substitute for activities that promote concentration really. "We must seek what are the characteristics that allow this treasure which is the concentration. We can also search for characteristics that the child can take through each story to see how it can help the development of its faculty understanding .
Maria Montessori did not systematically refuses the role of stories especially for children over six years. But she urges the educator to do a real job observation to measure the real contribution some stories. It also gives a decisive criterion for assessing their value: the concentration . A story that does not lead the child to him losing his concentration and psychic energy dynamics of its growth.
FEATURES STORY
Maria Montessori, before giving his analysis on the contribution stories especially for small children, about sums up the characteristics that define the story. This brief analysis is important because after showing the limits of storytelling in child development, however, explain how it the literary characteristics of the tale can be used for children's learning .
" The stories are short and have several characters that are accurate. The characters are typical . Some stories are of poor children, while others depict animals. There is in every story is something that presents characters in an unusual way. The environment is reduced to its simplest expression: this may be a palace, a forest or road. The environment is also presented in a form that challenges the imagination. Imagination only receives a stimulus. This way of presentation often leads to domestic activity whose aim is to reconstruct a situation clearly . "If we follow these characteristics we will see that we can communicate our thoughts in children. If we use the method that the stories are, we can enter into communication with the child. Instead of giving a lesson to any child, we must submit their short stories based on these fundamental characteristics .
We can see that if Maria Montessori course emphasizes the risk that the tales may be pose to children if they are presented too early, we should also note that it takes the structural model of the story to help establish effective communication between the adult and child .
THE STRUCTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REAL STORY STORIES
Thus, Maria Montessori seeks to measure the real impact of storytelling on child development and especially its standardization psychic (ability to work intensively and concentrate). It also appropriates the pedagogical model of the story because it allows the child to absorb information, to connect them by his imagination and reconstruct a story to make it communicable.
" Children can benefit from the environment without any teacher. It is their natural ability. They also have a faculty for the work that stimulates their mind. We need only reach to see how children are able to receive stories that adults tell . We can tell stories that are structured as stories and, by the way, communicates knowledge. The difference between stories and stories is that stories based on real events, while the stories are created . The stories include facts, but these facts are now distant, they appear fantastical. We can not see them, we can only imagine. Stories can be a job that supports the development of the faculty of imagination. You can not connect these stories through the senses, but can communicate through the imagination. Children must reconstruct the details .
IMAGINATION IN THE SERVICE OF INTELLIGENCE
We saw that Maria Montessori observed how the stories could keep children away from their real psychic needs. In same time it accords them the ability to connect children with distant historical realities. The structure of the story can help develop the imagination whose activity is necessary for the functioning of the total intelligence. A close look, Maria Montessori distinguishes the imagination of the imagination. Imagination leads to escape from reality. The imagination can deepen . Well told stories enable children to develop this faculty.
" The stories of the past can be a very boring list of events. They need not be given this way. They should be given as stories. The stories should be short, with little characteristics and the environment should be restricted to the maximum. They must be trained with a lot of imagination. The stories must show an environment that is very different from ours. Then the child does not only reconstructed the story, he develops his intelligence . Without intelligence we can not understand. We live in a particular environment, and if we only receive one, then our minds will remain poor . We must receive knowledge so they can enrich us as .
" The stories of the past can be a very boring list of events. They need not be given this way. They should be given as stories. The stories should be short, with little characteristics and the environment should be restricted to the maximum. They must be trained with a lot of imagination. The stories must show an environment that is very different from ours. Then the child does not only reconstructed the story, he develops his intelligence . Without intelligence we can not understand. We live in a particular environment, and if we only receive one, then our minds will remain poor . We must receive knowledge so they can enrich us as . Then Maria Montessori will seek to demonstrate the role of imagination in the development of intelligence. This will enable emphasize that power is necessary for normal development of human beings, but it does not come primarily from listening to stories.
"We can not make discoveries without which we previously imagined that we seek. We should not however believe that imagination is developed only through stories. It's all the intelligence that is working under mode of imagination . All discoveries of mankind are the fruits of the imagination. Imagination is really the substance of our mind . All the theories and all progress comes from this faculty the spirit that rebuilt. (...). The theories are received as stories in our imagination and are then reconstructed by our intelligence. It why theories can be communicated.
imagination rather than MEMORY
We have seen how fundamental place Montessori gives to the imagination. Far from giving him the place of the poor, she ressitue whole dynamic at the heart of psychic development of the human being. The stories themselves can power a real pedagogical thinking as their constitution and simple feature can help give children the information that the senses can not allow them to apprehend.
" I gave my opinion. I think that's the truth. I think a change of direction is necessary to ensure that knowledge is not absorbed by the memory (surface absorption) but by the imagination (assimilation deep and lasting) . The lessons should reflect this objective. He who learns must suffer and not get bored. It will thus be more enthusiasm and more substantially fed.
" I gave my opinion. I think that's the truth. I think a change of direction is necessary to ensure that knowledge is not absorbed by the memory (surface absorption) but by the imagination (assimilation deep and lasting) . The lessons should reflect this objective. He who learns must suffer and not get bored. It will thus be more enthusiasm and more substantially fed.
6 females and 2 males 
