For many, the Montessori philosophy is restricted to just the classroom. Once the child leaves the school space their lives are often very different than the prepared environment offered in a Montessori setting. However a recent article written by David Varnes, goes to great lengths to educate parents how a Montessori environment on the sports field can provide a rich setting for long term development as an athlete.
In the Montessori classroom, sensitive periods are maximized by the student and the teacher. Instead of forcing children to follow a pre-determined curriculum, the Montessori environment allows the children to focus on the areas they want to (which normally coincides with their current sensitive period), without being forced out of the groove they are in.
For athletic coaches and trainers, the same principle applies. By observing the needs and interests of each of your athletes, you can anticipate what they are currently most sensitive to and coach them effectively. You can also look for two classic indicators of a sensitive period:
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The athlete stops making gains in performance (or gains slow down greatly)
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The athlete loses interest or shows a desire to focus on another area of performance.
Full Article on BreakingMuscle.com
