Showing papers in "International Journal of Childrens Spirituality in 1999"
TL;DR: The characteristics of teachers most frequently mentioned as desirable for the promotion of spiritual health were classified as follows: • caring, sensitive, personal approach; • concern for individuals; • committed to personal beliefs and values.
Abstract: Interviews with 98 teachers from a variety of schools were used to develop a definition of spiritual health, and to establish how these teachers thought spiritual health might best be fostered and what hindered its development in the school curriculum. A recurring theme, which seemed to be coming through the comments from teachers in this study, was the very important role that teachers play in helping students develop relationships. This was of vital importance as spiritual health was seen as being reflected in the quality of relationships that students develop with themselves, others, the environment, and with a Transcendent Other. The characteristics of teachers most frequently mentioned as desirable for the promotion of spiritual health were classified as follows: • caring, sensitive, personal approach; • concern for individuals; • committed to personal beliefs and values. Investigation of these teacher characteristics showed variation by gender, personal view of spiritual health, major curri...
71 citations
TL;DR: The authors make a distinction between projects that are about instructing young people in how to manage their emotions so as to improve their social behaviour, and those that aim instead to help young people develop levels of emotional understanding that will motivate their desire to learn, enhance their general awareness and stimulate their capacity to engage with questions of values and spirituality.
Abstract: The relevance of ‘emotional literacy’ and ‘emotional intelligence’ to education has become a subject of considerable interest to educationalists and policy‐makers. There is little difference between the way these two terms are currently used. There is, though, a need to draw a distinction between projects that are about instructing young people in how to manage their emotions so as to improve their social behaviour, and those that aim instead to help young people develop levels of emotional understanding that will motivate their desire to learn, enhance their general awareness and stimulate their capacity to engage with questions of values and spirituality.
30 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that psychological theories that posit a hierarchical stage theory of cognition and affect are grounded on premises, which devalue these skills and argue that the cognitive skills manifested by children are those which are necessary preconditions for spirituality.
Abstract: The theory offered in this article articulates the position that the cognitive skills manifested by children are those which are necessary preconditions for spirituality. I argue that psychological theories that posit a hierarchical stage theory of cognition and affect are grounded on premises, which devalue these skills. Theories of children's spirituality have foundered in their ability to appreciate that children's cognition is organized through structures that are quintessential to spirituality, due to their misplaced reliance on these theories. I offer a critique of traditional psychological approaches and an alternative model of children's cognition, which reveals that the cognitive capacities of children are essential to the phenomenology of spirituality.
28 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine children's conception of the afterlife and suggest that children at the upper end of the primary school are capable of discussing the afterlife, and thus of thinking abstractly.
Abstract: Death Education, a common component of Religious Education (RE) and Personal and Social Education (PSE) at secondary level, is an issue beginning to raise its head within the field of primary education. Is there justification for death, a topic normally a taboo, to be taught about in the primary school? Is death education beneficial for children and are children aged 9‐11years capable of discussing such an abstract concept as the afterlife? This article attempts to justify the teaching of death education at primary level. It examines research that proposes death education is of relevance to children and suggests, from examining children's conception of the afterlife, that children at the upper end of the primary school are capable of discussing the afterlife and thus of thinking abstractly.
21 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore how spiritual development might be addressed through the use of picture books in the primary classroom and explore how the children are able to make and negotiate meaning as they address "spiritual" issues.
Abstract: This paper sets out to explore how spiritual development might be addressed through the use of picture books in the primary classroom. The working definition for what is meant by ‘spiritual development’ is drawn from a variety of sources but is principally informed by the National Curriculum Council (NCC) and Ofsted discussion papers and the work of John Hull. Thus the work centres on the aspects of spirituality that are developed through experiencing relationships with other human beings and the world in which we live. The paper draws upon original classroom based research carried out with a group of 8 year old children in an inner city school. The children's group discussions centre around the picture book ‘Dogger’ by Shirley Hughes. The paper explores how the children are able to make and negotiate meaning as they address ‘spiritual’ issues.
18 citations
TL;DR: Rossiter et al. as mentioned in this paper considered the shaping influence of film and television on children's spirituality and explored the possible psychological mechanisms through which film and TV can have a spiritual and moral influence.
Abstract: This is the third in a series of articles in this journal which considers the shaping influence of film and television on children's spirituality (Rossiter, 1996, 1997). All three are framed within a particular conceptual scheme (discussed in detail in part 1) which sets out to promote theorizing (on the part of teachers and others interested in the question) about a range of possible psychological mechanisms through which film and television can have a spiritual and moral influence. The scheme is theoretical and pedagogical in focus; it is not directly concerned with research on causal links between the watching of film and television and children's thinking and behaviour. This article begins by concluding the discussion in part 2 on the potential influence of feature films and television. Then follows an exploration of the possible spiritual influence of television advertising.
11 citations
TL;DR: The role of the head teacher in the development of a pupil's spiritual development in a multi-faith, yet some would say largely secular society was examined in this article, where the role of a head teacher was examined.
Abstract: The Anglican Church has a long involvement in the education of children, being originally concerned with the education of the poor. A key feature of early schooling was its religious nature. But what of the role of such an education in today's multi‐faith society? In particular how does the Anglican school see its role in providing for the spiritual development of its pupils? This paper represents an initial enquiry into the role of the Anglican school in providing for pupil's spiritual development in a multi‐faith, yet some would say largely secular society. In particular it begins to examine the role of the head teacher in promoting this area of school life. This article is based on a paper presented at the Eeduction Spirituality and the Whole Child conference held at Roehampton Institute, London, June 1999
11 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the possibility of taking pictures to be not only a reproduction of inner concepts but also as phenomena indicating a formation process is discussed, and it is argued that this process is based on the human capacity of creative seeing.
Abstract: Recent German religious education (RE) developmental studies focus on children's drawings of God images. Reviewing them the article discusses the possibility of taking pictures to be not only a reproduction of inner concepts but also as phenomena indicating a formation process. It is argued that this process is based on the human capacity of creative seeing. Not only to perceive facts in reality but to see something with other eyes, is part of human freedom, the concept which human formation (Bildung) is aiming at.
10 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the author demonstrates how fairy tales, folk tales, and myths offer the child medicine for the unconscious through the power of the imagination children develop the ability to incorporate an image of God as eternal presence and limitless consciousness.
Abstract: In this conceptual article, the author demonstrates how fairy tales, folk tales and myths offer the child medicine for the unconscious. Through the power of the imagination children develop the ability to incorporate an image of God as eternal presence and limitless consciousness, a sense of object constancy, a sense of self to help battle the intrinsic hardships of childhood, and a map for the journey of oneness, separation, and reunification with oneness at a higher level of consciousness. The article also calls upon the power of a particular therapeutic fairy tale from a collection by this author and demonstrates its value as a teaching aid in the classroom, a tool for psychotherapists who work with children and adults who were traumatized as children, and a resource for parents in the development of their children's spirituality. This article is based, in part, on a presentation delivered as a special interest seminar at the 1998 Summer School of Alcohol and Drug Studies, Rutgers University C...
9 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, adult behaviours in perpetuating the Father Christmas story and the value of children being exposed to this story during their early years have been discussed in the light of the existing literature and the preliminary findings of the writers' own study.
Abstract: Most adults allow and even encourage young children to believe in Father Christmas as a real person. Although adults are usually engaged in open and rational communications with children they appear to be willing to deceive them and they often have to elaborate the story further to maintain such a reality. In the present paper, adult behaviours in perpetuating the Father Christmas story and the value, or not, of children being exposed to this story during their early years have been discussed in the light of the existing literature and the preliminary findings of the writers' own study. In general, the discussion has shown that there appears to be a complexity of issues surrounding the Father Christmas story and many variables need to be considered before one would argue for or against the perpetuation of the story. Such variables include commercialization, traditional cultural conformity, the place of the story in diverse societies, possible adverse effects on children from being deceived, the d...
9 citations
TL;DR: The authors examine the nature of school as a modernist bureaucratic institution and argue that schools are bound in a self-referential reality and barely connect with the late modem world, and that critical to its successful inclusion is the re-establishment of teachers as knowledgeable professionals with their practice grounded in the contemporary world and the real conditions of pupils' lives.
Abstract: This paper examines some of the critical contexts within which spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is to be realized. First, I examine the nature of school as a modernist bureaucratic institution. I argue that schools are bound in a self‐referential reality and barely connect with the late modem world. I then discuss the cultural sources of education policy and particularly the employment of nostalgia as a legitimation for neo‐conservative policy and practice. I then discuss school knowledge and in particular the end of liberalism and its replacement with rationalism. I next turn to spiritual, moral and social education and critically discuss its cultural and political formation. Finally, I argue that school is unable to accommodate the spiritual dimension and that critical to its successful inclusion is the re‐establishment of teachers as knowledgeable professionals with their practice grounded in the contemporary world and the real conditions of pupils' lives. This article is based ...
TL;DR: In this article, a rabbinic reading of the Hebrew Bible's conception of human learning is presented, focusing on initiation of both young and old into its vision of the good, and offering a conception of how children ought to be educated.
Abstract: This paper offers a rabbinic reading of the Hebrew Bible's conception of human learning. Although addressed to adults, and focused on initiation of both young and old into its vision of the good, the Bible nonetheless offers a conception of how children ought to be educated. Central to this pedagogy is the view that education is fundamentally an ethical activity whose purpose is to nurture and affirm the moral potential of each person through the internalization of divine teachings.
TL;DR: In this article, a model that is in keeping with the developmental stage of adolescence, that utilizes peers as a therapeutic resource is presented, which serves as coping mechanisms to help guide the youth through towards an acceptance and a sense of hopefulness.
Abstract: As adolescents move away from parents towards peer group support, they develop their sense of self through challenge and reaction against authority. The parent/ guardian stands as the authority, but if the rule‐imposing figure is unexpectedly taken away the progress towards a sense of self is affected. School provides a social context for normalcy, but rarely is support found for bereaved youngsters in school. Adolescents in bereavement group therapy are able to share their experiences and begin to confront their loss through discourse, and such an approach in school serves to prepare pupils for later in‐depth individual counselling to work on guilt and maladaptive behaviour. Beliefs of an after‐life existence, which move from literal to figurative motifs, serve as coping mechanisms to help guide the youth through towards an acceptance and a sense of hopefulness. A model is presented that is in‐keeping with the developmental stage of adolescence, that utilizes peers as a therapeutic resource — th...
TL;DR: The "faith in the millennium" conference as discussed by the authors was the seventh in a series of conferences jointly organized by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Centre for Advanced Theological Research, and the Digby Stuart College and Southlands College at the Roehampton Institute London.
Abstract: This was the seventh in a series of conferences jointly organized by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Centre for Advanced Theological Research, and the Digby Stuart College and Southlands College at the Roehampton Institute London. Held on Saturday 15 May, earlier this year (1999), the proceedings will, as usual, be published by Sheffield Academic Press. Previous conference proceedings published by Sheffield Academic Press have included The Nature of Religious Language (1996, edited by Stanley Porter), Images of Christ (1997, edited by Stanley Porter, Michael A. Hayes & David Tombs), and Religion and Sexuality (1998, edited by Michael A. Hayes, Wendy Porter & David Tombs). A feature of all of these conferences and publications has been their interdisciplinarity, with keynote speakers often being drawn from an international academic world. 'Faith in the Millennium' was no different. The renowned South American theologian, Professor Jose Miguez Bonino (Buenos Aires, Argentina) provided the opening lecture with 'The Protestant Churches in Latin America in the Coming Millennium'. His erudite command of the field after a lifetime of outstanding scholarship enabled an insightful examination of the decline of a previously assured Catholic hegemony across the continent, the rise of Protestant evangelism and the growth of a wider religious pluralism, including the 'importation' of new religious movements and the revival of indigenous forms of faith and culture. A wealth of shorter papers (26) were available for the rest of the day, arranged in panels which reflected the customary interdisciplinarity around the main conference theme. In the morning the options included a Jubilee 2000 symposium and panels on 'Issues in Faith and Spirituality', 'Perspectives from Music, Art and Dance' and 'Literary Perspectives'. The afternoon provided an equally diverse and rich range: 'Global Christianity' (over two panels), 'Millenarianism: Early and Medieval Christianity' and 'Millenarianism: The Seventeenth Century', 'Sociological Perspectives', 'Philosophical and Islamic Perspectives' and 'Contemporary Theological Perspectives'. As always, sessions were effectively chaired, organized effectively and of high quality. Aided by the good quality catering arrangements, a convivial atmosphere combined pleasantly with academically engaging and rigorous debate. Such conference exchanges were by no means anodyne. Thus David Tombs' excellent short paper mapped the essential coordinates of the past, present and likely future of liberation theology—the subject of his forthcoming book with Sheffield Academic Press,
TL;DR: Higgins, Sian, et al. as mentioned in this paper described death education in primary school, International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 4(1), pp. 77-90.
Abstract: [1]Higgins, Sian (1999) Death education in the primary school, International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 4(1), pp. 77-90.