This blog is called "Adult's Work, Child's Work." Why?
Adults and children alike come alive through their work. As Montessori guides, our work is to prepare and facilitate an environment designed to support the child's work. But as adult learners, we also need spaces to do our work: To reflect on how we invite and respect the child's work. My intention is for this blog to be a space for the Adult Work of understanding the Child's Work.
What is "Adult work?" or "Child's work?"
Adult’s Work - An adult....
• Works to perfect the environment
• Work is to build an environment super-imposed onto nature.
→ “supra-nature”- the built environment.
• Outward work; external goals: it is productive
work.
• Social, collective activity and highly organized; it is
regulated by norms that are the specific laws of culture and society. Requires
collective discipline.
• Law of Division of Labor – Everyone specializes so humans
don’t have to produce the same products for life and survival
• Law of Least Effort – Adults strive for efficiency;
streamlining and speeding up processes so not to waste energy / resources.
Child’s Work - A child....
• Works to perfect being itself
• Produces nothing for environment; works to build a human
being ⇒
self-construction
• Inward work with an internal purpose.
• Work is done solitarily
• It is regulated by the universal laws of human
development.
• Requires internal self-discipline.
• The child’s work cannot be shared. No one can take on
the child’s work for him or help him to do it. No one can grow for the child.
•
Law of Maximum Effort – Children expend maximum effort to construct themselves;
all energy is channeled to this goal. “Tireless energy in the exact execution
of every detail.”
The Relationship Between Adult's Work & Child's
Work
• The work of the adult and the work of the child cannot be
exchanged. They are separate.
• The child cannot do the adult’s work. And the adult cannot
do the child’s work.
• Each has a mission to fulfill.
• The adult and the child do not understand each other’s
work or mission.
• The work of the adult and the work of the child are both
essential for the life of humanity.
And with that, let the journey begin!
(notes based off of the AMI Adult's Work, Child's Work
lecture by Ginni Sackett)
