The nature of work and The nature of work and the work of nature: the the work of nature: the power of childhood and power of childhood and Montessori Montessori GeopedagogyGeopedagogy

Prof. Raniero RegniProf. Raniero Regni

Lumsa (Italy)Lumsa (Italy)

““Man builds himself by working. Man builds himself by working. Nothing can substitute the lack Nothing can substitute the lack

of work: neither welfare nor of work: neither welfare nor affection”affection” (The Secret of (The Secret of

Childhood, p. 262)Childhood, p. 262)

““A broken soul becomes whole…A broken soul becomes whole…No teacher could do this. No teacher could do this. This is This is the work of naturethe work of nature when children when children are given possibilities for work in are given possibilities for work in the right environment”the right environment”, The 1946 , The 1946 London Lectures, p.156” London Lectures, p.156”

““The principal enemy of The principal enemy of civilization is generally civilization is generally civilization itselfcivilization itself” (A. Camus)” (A. Camus)

The work of Nature The work of Nature (Evolution) has produced (Evolution) has produced

the manthe man Nature has produced the hand as an Nature has produced the hand as an

organ of the intelligence and as a visible organ of the intelligence and as a visible part of the brain.part of the brain.

““Today we have nearly lost the use of our Today we have nearly lost the use of our hands. We use our hands for writing…hands. We use our hands for writing…The hand is divorced from the drama The hand is divorced from the drama of thoughtof thought” (The 1946 London Lectures, ” (The 1946 London Lectures, p. 152).p. 152).

The child’s handThe child’s hand

A little child thinks with his hands. A little child thinks with his hands. There is a tie between hand and mind, There is a tie between hand and mind,

as the result of the evolutionary as the result of the evolutionary dialogue between hand and braindialogue between hand and brain

Taking and leavingTaking and leaving

The Child craftsman, the The Child craftsman, the child workerchild worker

The child's hand is an expression of The child's hand is an expression of the instinct of work: the child feels the the instinct of work: the child feels the need to work . need to work .

the child worker who can combine the child worker who can combine soul, mind, eye and handsoul, mind, eye and hand..

Play-workPlay-work

We should talk of We should talk of play-workplay-work: the child : the child combines the spontaneity and freedom of combines the spontaneity and freedom of the game with the seriousness and the the game with the seriousness and the concentrated effort of the workconcentrated effort of the work

The Action absorbs the whole attention The Action absorbs the whole attention and Energy of a child ...The use of the and Energy of a child ...The use of the hands brings a profound attention, hands brings a profound attention, The The 1946 London Lectures, p. 1531946 London Lectures, p. 153

The differences between The differences between adult’s and child’s workadult’s and child’s work

The child’s work is free like play but The child’s work is free like play but serious like work. serious like work.

Work as a pain VS Work as a joyWork as a pain VS Work as a joy Conscious VS unconscious Conscious VS unconscious Exterior purposes VS Interior purposes Exterior purposes VS Interior purposes Minimun-max law VS maximum effortMinimun-max law VS maximum effort

The differences between The differences between adult’s and child’s workadult’s and child’s work

Work consumes the adult VS work Work consumes the adult VS work regenerates the childregenerates the child

Fast VS slow Fast VS slow When it achieves its target it stops VS When it achieves its target it stops VS

When it achieves its target it starts again When it achieves its target it starts again

The love of the The love of the environmentenvironment

The child’s work doesn’t aim at a welfare or a The child’s work doesn’t aim at a welfare or a comfort, but at something deeper, invisible comfort, but at something deeper, invisible which is the fruit of a mysterious love, because which is the fruit of a mysterious love, because when you love, you can see things that nobody when you love, you can see things that nobody has seen or can see.has seen or can see.

The love of the environment, when it is diverted The love of the environment, when it is diverted and broken, becomes possession desire. The and broken, becomes possession desire. The instinct of the unsatisfied work can be instinct of the unsatisfied work can be transformed into the idea that not working is a transformed into the idea that not working is a privilege.privilege.

The work instinctThe work instinct

All this is a revelation of energies that come All this is a revelation of energies that come from faraway and have a transcendent aim. from faraway and have a transcendent aim. The adult work is a collective, organized, social The adult work is a collective, organized, social one; the little child’s work is often an individual one; the little child’s work is often an individual activity. If the adults in their work are fast, in activity. If the adults in their work are fast, in order to save time, because time is money, the order to save time, because time is money, the child is slow and only if we respect his being child is slow and only if we respect his being slow, the child will subsequently become fast.slow, the child will subsequently become fast.

The man’s work The man’s work (agricultural and industrial (agricultural and industrial revolution) produced the revolution) produced the Super-NatureSuper-Nature ““The environment is part of life and life cannot The environment is part of life and life cannot

exist without the environment”exist without the environment” (London Lectures, (London Lectures, p. 224)p. 224)

Human work should have a different aim from the Human work should have a different aim from the one which is generally attributed to human affairs. one which is generally attributed to human affairs.

If also plants, animals, and other living beings If also plants, animals, and other living beings normally accomplish tasks and have missions normally accomplish tasks and have missions other than the simple survival, how can human other than the simple survival, how can human work be different? On one hand its aim is the work be different? On one hand its aim is the conservation of the cosmos, on the other hand it is conservation of the cosmos, on the other hand it is the construction of a Super-Nature.the construction of a Super-Nature.

The artificial and The artificial and technological Super-Nature technological Super-Nature

may destroy Nature.may destroy Nature. In the adult society instead, they seem In the adult society instead, they seem

to diverge; the work seems to to diverge; the work seems to separate man from Nature and man separate man from Nature and man from himself and it becomes hideous from himself and it becomes hideous workwork

All the other organisms already do it, All the other organisms already do it, how can the man be the only element how can the man be the only element disturbing the universe?disturbing the universe?

The work of Nature and the The work of Nature and the work of the Child convergework of the Child converge

The child with is The child with is play-workplay-work teaches us teaches us that work, can also be a vocation, an that work, can also be a vocation, an attractive work can exist even in the attractive work can exist even in the adult world. adult world.

Every vocation is the expression of Every vocation is the expression of human beings’ love towards life. human beings’ love towards life.

The child’s work has the task of The child’s work has the task of harmonizing the work of Nature harmonizing the work of Nature with the human workwith the human work

The child’s work has the task of The child’s work has the task of harmonizing the work of Nature with harmonizing the work of Nature with the human work, of finding again a the human work, of finding again a work capable of producing life, of work capable of producing life, of improving nature, of collaborating improving nature, of collaborating with the creation, a cosmic mission with the creation, a cosmic mission assigned to a better humanity, assigned to a better humanity, descendent of a better childhooddescendent of a better childhood

The normalized childThe normalized child

The normalized child, the child who can The normalized child, the child who can find an environment and some materials find an environment and some materials specially prepared for him, will become specially prepared for him, will become calm, serene and concentrate. He will be calm, serene and concentrate. He will be born again he will be a happy child.born again he will be a happy child.

The work of natureThe work of nature

““A broken soul becomes whole…These A broken soul becomes whole…These children became ‘master of themselves’. They children became ‘master of themselves’. They seemed to be newborn personalities. They lost seemed to be newborn personalities. They lost their defects and became happy and calm; their defects and became happy and calm; they were completely transformed. No teacher they were completely transformed. No teacher could do this. This is could do this. This is the work of naturethe work of nature when when children are given possibilities for work in the children are given possibilities for work in the right environment”right environment”, (London Lectures, p.156) , (London Lectures, p.156)

Collaborating with Nature Collaborating with Nature means collaborating with means collaborating with

the Child’s naturethe Child’s nature Teachers should help the natural teachers, the Teachers should help the natural teachers, the

great work of Nature. The Child is the New great work of Nature. The Child is the New Man, no more victim of the events. As Man, no more victim of the events. As everything is connected, we must adopt a everything is connected, we must adopt a new way of thinking. new way of thinking.

We need to develop an eco-friendly We need to develop an eco-friendly intelligence, intelligence, ecological intelligenceecological intelligence (D. (D. Goleman), capable of unifying the Goleman), capable of unifying the naturalistic intelligence with the social naturalistic intelligence with the social intelligence of H. Gardner.intelligence of H. Gardner.

Cosmic Mission and Cosmic Mission and Education at the time of Education at the time of

GlobalizationGlobalization What can we say about the world society and the globalization? What can we say about the world society and the globalization?

When Einstein, flew away from Europe threatened by Nazism and When Einstein, flew away from Europe threatened by Nazism and arrived in the United States, he had to fill out a form at the arrived in the United States, he had to fill out a form at the immigration office; he wrote, under the word "race", "human immigration office; he wrote, under the word "race", "human being". being".

The same Einstein’s perspective was expressed by Maria The same Einstein’s perspective was expressed by Maria Montessori when she returned to England after the Second World Montessori when she returned to England after the Second World War, after her stay in India. When someone asked her what War, after her stay in India. When someone asked her what nationality she was she answered: "my country is a star that turns nationality she was she answered: "my country is a star that turns around the sun and it is called Earth." around the sun and it is called Earth." The children and their education have also the secret to create the The children and their education have also the secret to create the world society. The child is seen as a cosmic agent. Montessori is world society. The child is seen as a cosmic agent. Montessori is able to absorb the best intuitions of Humanities and Science. able to absorb the best intuitions of Humanities and Science.

The Child's gesture and The Child's gesture and human destinyhuman destiny

Starting from the Child's gesture Starting from the Child's gesture Montessori has in her mind the Montessori has in her mind the destiny of the world.destiny of the world.

The world needs cooperationThe world needs cooperation

Cosmic education and the Cosmic education and the civilization of empathycivilization of empathy

Education and politics, beyond the crisis of the futureEducation and politics, beyond the crisis of the futureCosmic Education as the building of the civilization of Cosmic Education as the building of the civilization of

empathy (j. Rifkin)empathy (j. Rifkin)Paradoxical relationship which exists between empathy and Paradoxical relationship which exists between empathy and

entropy, empathic expantion and increasing entropy. entropy, empathic expantion and increasing entropy. Increasing complexity, interdependence, awareness > Increasing complexity, interdependence, awareness > increasing energy consumption > depletion of natural increasing energy consumption > depletion of natural resources.resources.

More energy – communication – consciousness= more empathyMore energy – communication – consciousness= more empathyMore energy= more entropy ( usable, available > not available, More energy= more entropy ( usable, available > not available,

order > disorder)order > disorder)Will empathy or entropy win in the end?Will empathy or entropy win in the end?

The The biophiliabiophilia

the love for everything which is alive, is innate in the love for everything which is alive, is innate in human beings according to E. Wilson; they try to human beings according to E. Wilson; they try to establish relations with the rest of living worldestablish relations with the rest of living world

““Consilience” is making the philosophical idealism Consilience” is making the philosophical idealism converge with the religious universalism and the converge with the religious universalism and the scientific rationality; it is making the scientific field scientific rationality; it is making the scientific field and the humanities meet; it is making the people and the humanities meet; it is making the people who believe that the life was aroused in an instant who believe that the life was aroused in an instant by the divine gesture converge with the ones who by the divine gesture converge with the ones who think that life on the earth is simply fruit of the think that life on the earth is simply fruit of the evolution.evolution.

Montessori helps us to Montessori helps us to look forward look forward

““Freedom never exists where it is fought to Freedom never exists where it is fought to suffocate something, but only where it is left suffocate something, but only where it is left an infinite expansion of life… Equally, trough an infinite expansion of life… Equally, trough the conquests of conscience and thought the conquests of conscience and thought liberty, we are moving towards a great religious liberty, we are moving towards a great religious triumph… Also the Spirit has its nature - and it triumph… Also the Spirit has its nature - and it is the spiritual life that dominates the existence is the spiritual life that dominates the existence at any age..at any age... . The secret of the whole Nature is The secret of the whole Nature is in the child’s soul… It is a pedagogy inspired in the child’s soul… It is a pedagogy inspired by the high concept of Emanuel Kant: the by the high concept of Emanuel Kant: the perfect art returns to nature perfect art returns to nature (Il Metodo della (Il Metodo della pedagogia scientificapedagogia scientifica, , pp.277, 278, 280) pp.277, 278, 280)