Fantasy & the Imagination
Written by Karissa Lightsmith
The imagination is based on our real images of the world and its characteristics. At first concepts, like color, are dependent on a physical object being in front of us. However, the work of the young child is to organize the impressions s/he takes in, so s/he can recall a concept, like blue, solely in the mind. Once these images are organized in our minds, we are able to rearrange them into any creation we can dream up. In essence, the young child is creating the base for his / her imagination through his /her interactions and discoveries in the real world.
The Difference between Fantasy and Imagination
Imagination and fantasy both refer to images held purely in the mind. Imagination is the name for the endless possibilities that humans dream up by mixing the abstractions they have put into their minds. These abstractions are created when we are young children through our experiences with real objects in the world. Fantasy is images that are not connected to the concrete world. Often these images can be confusing to the young child, because the child’s brain does not yet discriminate and takes in all images as true facts. Montessori schools are concerned with providing the child with opportunities to explore the concrete world around him/her and then helping the child classify his/her perceptions of that world. They leave fantasy stories to be the decision of each family, instead of including them in the general classroom.
Children Choosing
Montessori learned from young children that they preferred stories and experiences that were based on the sensorial world around them. She said that she would try reading fairy tales to the younger children, but they would get up and walk away. She saw over and over again that it is the real world that mesmerizes the young child and it is his / her work to discover it and internally organize those discoveries.
Different Developmental Needs
Maria Montessori saw that while young children preferred concrete stories and experiences, this was not true for older children. Older children loved fairy tales and myths, because these stories deal with fairness, justice, and society. It is the developmental work of the older child to mentally wrestle with those abstract concepts. In Montessori schools, fairy tales are used with elementary and adolescent children, where they are found to match the stage of occurring development.
Common Misconceptions
In a Montessori classroom that is following in the tradition of Maria Montessori, the family traditions of each child always are respected. Never will a Montessori guide tell a child that he/she is wrong or discourage him/her from imaginative play. In Montessori, real items are used to support imaginative play. For example, if children want to have a tea party, they may choose a real teapot with real tea from the shelf. The guide may use the child’s interests, fantasy or otherwise, to connect the child to the activities in the environment, ex. “I know you really like talking about dragons, Laura. I have some cards here with animals that all have ‘dragon’ in their names. Would you like me to show them to you?”
