Normalization and False Fatigue

NORMALIZATION AND FALSE FATIGUE
The term normalization in Montessori philosophy does not have anything do with
normalcy or expected standards. Normalization is a gradual process wherein the
child is completely acclimatized to his environment on his own, without any
external force or direction. It can also be summed up as “self discipline self
imbibed”.
From 3 - 6 years the child begins to explore the outer environment through more
purposeful movement and exercise. This period is when the brain begins to
order and classify experiences, bringing order to the innumerable sensations
coming into the brain. The child also begins to refine these experiences and to
utilize them in a more purposeful way. The period from 3 - 6 years is an
absorbent time. Sensations are still being registered effortlessly, but the child is
now beginning to act more consciously towards the world around him.
Most of the time, children have developed mental barriers because of over
protective and passive parenting. These barriers prevent the child from being
active and often develop into extreme timidity, lack of confidence and a fear of
committing errors. In a Montessori environment, the child is exposed to various
platforms where the teacher guides him in such a manner so that he acquires the
courage of his own individuality and begins to be active. Sooner or later urged
by a personal impulse, he begins to act by himself, thus coming into contact, with
an external object. By becoming spontaneously active, each child overcomes the
barriers to his development and returns to normality- his real inquisitive, orderly
nature.
For a new child, when at teacher presents an object for a practical life exercise
with all its details, in all its completeness to the child, the child becomes
acquainted with these actions. So, little by little he begins to work. When the
personality becomes normalized and develops to a point where the child begins
to fix his attention deeply upon something, the material is taken out and
presented to the child. In the case of a child who has already been in the school,
he enters an environment in which the work already exists, where the other kids
are already normalized. When we say a child is normalized we mean that his
interest has been aroused, there is a self urge to do an activity, a need for silence
to facilitate the thought process and accomplish the task to perfection with
utmost concentration.
The signs of normalization are:
 Love for order
 Love of work
 Obedience
 Independence and initiative
 Spontaneous self discipline
 Love for silence and working alone.
In a Montessori environment there are three stages in a child’s typical work day:
1. No-line activity
2. False fatigue and
3. Great work period.

Explanation of the diagram:
1. Enters class.
2. Chooses simple activity
3. False fatigue
4. Settle down with deepest concentration levels
5. Is relaxed and refreshed.
o The “No line activity”, as the name suggests, is the period when
there is very little or no activity. This typically happens when a
child comes in to school in the morning. He is still getting settled
mentally to spend the next few hours at school. During this time he
usually will choose an activity that is not very challenging or which
doesn’t demand his complete concentration, maybe something easy
that he has already done before.
o False fatigue period is the recess when the child winds down after
doing a simple/familiar activity early on in the day. He may feel he
needs a break: this is sometimes snack time for children. This is a
very crucial time for the child because his mind is at work figuring
what he wants to do and how he is going to go about implementing
it. Outwardly it may seem at this time that the child is aimlessly
wandering around and is disinterested but inwardly he is furiously
thinking, contemplating what challenging activity to undertake
next based on previous presentations by teachers or observations
of peers. It has been observed that children are at their maximum
potential after the false fatigue period, they have been known to
concentrate diligently and execute activities of a challenging
nature. Since the child has the freedom to choose what he/she
wants to do, the child chooses an activity based on the order of
difficulty he/she has achieved and thus masters new skills and self
realizes the feeling of ‘a task well done’. It is best not to disturb the
child or ask him to be engaged during this brief period as it would
interrupt his flow of thoughts.
o Great work period is the final period of the day when the child
after carefully thinking over his choice of activity during the false
fatigue period gives his best to that activity. All the thought process
that has occurred in the ‘break’ time is put into action and the child
independently and freely chooses an engaging/challenging activity
and works with diligence and attention to detail. -Usually children
have been observed to be doing complex math or social activities at
this time. When the child has performed his chosen activity to
perfection, he leaves for home, happy , content and confident.
Why do you need a 3 hour period?
Therefore we realize that a 3 hour period as set down by Dr. Montessori is an

ideal frame of time for a child to spend at school. This gives him enough time to
settle down, interact with peers , make silent observations, do a familiar activity,
take a short break and then undertake a greater activity which actually propels
him to think and deliver with perfection. A 3 hour period also does not overly
tire the child or drain him of his energies. At the end of the school day, the child
goes home refreshed and content after exercising his capabilities towards a
challenging activity.
What happens if you shorten the work period?
A shorter work period would amount to shortening any one or all the 3 stages
which would create a sense of rush and thereby interrupt normal flow of
thoughts in the child’s mind. If the child cannot take some time off during the
period, he will not execute himself to the best of his abilities, and will thereby
lower his confidence levels. A constant, natural flow has to be maintained in a
child’s mind for him to deliver his best and this cannot be achieved in a rushed
manner. This will eventually hamper his development.
Moreover, if the time period is shortened, the child will not have enough time to
complete the complex activity he has undertaken after the false fatigue period
and will eventually (over a few days) settle down to either leaving the activity
unfinished or not doing any activity at all. This habit is not good for his
development as it sends him the wrong message that “leaving an activity
unfinished is okay”. That is why a 3 hour period is optimum for Montessori
classrooms, shortening it will lead to the child becoming frustrated, restless and
lazy.

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NORMALIZATION AND FALSE FATIGUE

The signs of normalization are:

 Love for order

 Independence and initiative

 Spontaneous self discipline

 Love for silence and working alone.

2. False fatigue and

3. Great work period.

2. Chooses simple activity

4. Settle down with deepest concentration levels

5. Is relaxed and refreshed.

Why do you need a 3 hour period?

Therefore we realize that a 3 hour period as set down by Dr. Montessori is an

What happens if you shorten the work period?

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