“Follow the child” is a common theme in Montessori teaching. However, what is the “child” you are following?
In the “personality” type of Montessori teaching, the “child” is a projection of your own thoughts and feeling about yourself from childhood, often projected into some prominent figure of presumed authority in the matter. In the “culture” type, the child reflects popular opinion and expectations of the surrounding culture of region, county or tribe.
In “true natural” Montessori teaching, however, the child is universal being in perfect harmony with infinite and eternal laws of nature. This is the child that Dr. Montessori discovered in 1907, which she described in outward form as “normalized”. Following this child requires following laws of nature, which are beyond all bounds of personality of culture.
Since we can’t follow these laws of nature directly, we must do so in an experimental, scientific manner. Happily IMS offers a unique technology for doing this in practice. So, following this technology ultimately emerges in outward form with such normal qualities as perfect order, self discipline, peace and harmony with the entire environment.