The Spirit of the Child: Revised Edition

by David Hay

Spirituality is increasingly acknowledged to be an essential part of child development. David Hay argues for the inclusion of spiritual awareness as a cross-curricular element in the school syllabus to promote the development of morality and social cohesion. While culturally constructed pressures and the decline in institutional religion have led to the suppression of spiritual expression, children are, the author maintains, capable of profound and meaningful beliefs from an early age. A three-year research study into young children's spirituality and its survival value informs Hay's view that spirituality in education needs to overcome traditional approaches and should adopt a theory of spirituality that includes religion but is not confined to it. This stimulating book will encourage educators, parents and others involved in teaching children to consider new approaches to foster children's natural spiritual development.

Genres: Education, Spirituality, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 1998

Reviews

[Derek Winterburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clearly written book about the spiritual perception of children. The authors seek to combat the view that children need to be educated into spiritual matters. Rather. young children are innately able to experience and talk about the 'other', but as they grow older our culture's suspicion of religion leads them to turn away from what they had known. (A clear line is drawn between spirituality and religion.)

This book is presenting academic work to educators, and as such is technical in places, and is not as sharp in practical application as a how-to-book. Parents are never directly considered. Some of the author's language becomes opaque e.g. 'spirituality' in the second half of the book is re-badged as 'relational consciousness.' However some of the verbatim accounts of the researcher's conversations with children are wonderfully illuminating.

The overall conclusion is that adults could do better to encourage children to talk about the spiritual experiences and provide them with appropriate language and practises that help them grow into believing adults.

An important book.

[Rosemary]

Important for all who raise or teach children.