The child is uniquely retentive in his or her capacity. It is the duty of the educator to create such favorable conditions for learning, and expanding the child's capacity for abstract thinking, while still respecting the child's self-directed role in the process. The child must be treated like an integrated being, and attention must be paid to the child's developing body and sensory perceptions, as well as to the more conventional aspects of academic learning (Montessori, 1995, p. 136).

The third phase of adolescence is often a turbulent phase because of its transitional nature. It spans from ages twelve to eighteen. The adolescent demands personal independence and control over his or her education. This quest must be respected by the educator. Positive gestures towards autonomy should be supported, rather than thwarted, so the individual can successfully enter the fourth phase, that of maturity, which involves spiritual and personal self-awareness and...
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