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This book reiterates the fundamental purpose of Maria Montessori's philosophy of bringing about a "better world by nurturing the spirit of the child." The book draws upon published authorities on the importance of the nurturing of the spirit, along with experiences of active Montessorians for everyday examples of nurturing spirituality in the classroom. The book is divided into three parts with 21 chapters. Part 1, "The Meaning and Importance of Spirit," contains: (1) "The Spiritual Legacy of Maria Montessori"; (2) "What Does 'Spirituality' Mean"; (3) "The Differences between 'Spirituality' and 'Religion'"; (4) "Comparing 'Spirit' and 'Soul'"; and (5) "The Child - The Essence of Spirituality." Part 2, "The Spiritually Aware Adult," includes: (1) "Nourishing the Spirit of the Teacher"; (2) "Support for Deepening Spirituality"; and (3) "Community for Teachers." Part 3, "Ideas for Children in Non-Sectarian Settings," offers: (1) "Cultivating Stillness"; (2) "Wonder - the Leaven of Spirituality"; (3) "Experiencing Wonder in the Classroom"; (4) "The Spiritual Meaning of Cosmic Education"; (5) "Care of the Earth - A Spiritual Way of Life"; (6) "The Spiritual Roots of Peace Education"; (7) "Children's Inner Peace and Love"; (8) "Peace in the Classroom Community"; (9) "The School as a Family/Global Community"; (10) "Spirituality and the Arts"; (11) "Controlling Advertising in the Environment"; (12) "What about God?"; and (13) "Explaining Spiritual Nurture to Parents." An appendix, bibliography, and recommended resources conclude the text. (EH)
Children's spiritual development is currently a hot topic in Christian circles, as well as in other fields and disciplines such as educational psychology, medicine, developmental psychology, education, and sociology. The key question for Christian scholars and educators is How do Christian beliefs and practices uniquely interrelate with children's spirituality? In 2003 and again in 2006, a national conference entitled Children's Spirituality Conference: Christian Perspectives examined children's spirituality from a distinctly Christian standpoint. This book is a collection of the best materials from the 2006 conference. The first half of the book addresses definitional, historical, and theological concerns related to spiritual development in children. The second half explores best practices for fostering spiritual growth among our children--in our homes, families, churches, Christian schools, and among special populations of children--from a wide spectrum of Christian scholars and practitioners. The volume closes with John Westerhoff's moving keynote address and Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May's eloquent, culminating plenary address. Nurturing Children's Spirituality provides a rich cross section of the current research and writing by Christian scholars on children's spirituality. Contributors: Holly Catterton Allen, Michael J. Anthony, Stacy Berg, Chris J. Boyatzis, MaLesa Breeding, Marilyn Brownlee, Linda V. Callahan, Jane Carr, Mara Lief Crabtree, Karen Crozier, James Riley Estep Jr., Jeffrey E. Feinberg, Stephanie Goins, Judy Harris Helm, Dana Kennamer Hood, Sungwon Kim, Kevin Lawson, Scottie May, Marcia McQuitty, Heidi Schultz Oschwald, Donald Ratcliff, Pam Scranton, Timothy A. Sisemore, Catherine Stonehouse, La Verne Tolbert, T. Wyatt Watkins, John H. Westerhoff III
Nothing will change your prayer life, your church, or your study of God's Word more than opening your heart to the Holy Spirit. Join Pastor Jim Cymbala as he invites you to discover a deeper understanding of how the Holy Spirit moves, and let Spirit Rising be your guide along the way. What will God do when you open your life to the Holy Spirit? Christianity is impossible without the Holy Spirit. So why do we talk so little about him? In Spirit Rising, Jim Cymbala combines biblical insights with stunning stories of the Holy Spirit's work to help you experience God's power in a new way. For so many of us, faith is harder than it should be. Discouraged, anxious, and worn down, we wonder what happened to the power and the joy that Jesus promised. But Jim believes that many of us are missing something vital. In Spirit Rising, Jim teaches us that if you aren't vitally in touch with God's Spirit, you are missing out on the life God has for you. With stunning stories of God at work and biblical teaching about the Holy Spirit, Jim invites you to experience God as the Bible intended, teaching us how to: Tap into the power of the Holy Spirit Look for signs and symbols of renewal in your life Surrender to the Holy Spirit Praise for Spirit Rising: "Jim Cymbala invites you and me to raise our sails and ride the warm winds of God's Spirit. His careful study and personal credibility merge to create this guide to power-packed living." --Max Lucado, pastor; New York Times bestselling author "The blend of solid biblical teaching from an anointed pastor and heart-moving personal testimonies gives extra spiritual power to this book. Whether you are a young believer or a mature saint, Spirit Rising will help you experience a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit." --Warren W. Wiersbe, author; professor; preacher
Let the Fire Burn Nurturing the Creative Spirit of Children is an animated and poetic journey into the creative fire of children, and how to fan its flames. Every child is born with the fullest of creative potential, but due to social conditioning they lose touch with it, and consequently, with their power to create a life of meaning and purpose. Children are here to help us birth a new world, one that is full of joy and imagination. And we as adults have an important role to play in this. In this fun and inspiring Children's Book for Adults, learn the many colorful and engaging ways you can support children to feel and express their creative spirit. Gain a better appreciation for how they are our wise teachers, inviting our own inner child and creative fire to come out and play.
The greatest gifts that a child can receive are an opened mind, a caring heart, and ignited creativity. This fully expanded, illustrated edition of Nurturing Spirituality in Children includes sixty-two simple and thought-provoking lessons that can be shared with children in less than ten minutes each. The lessons are easy to prepare and understand; they use commonly available materials and complement a wide variety of religious perspectives. Children who develop a healthy balance of mind and spirit are better able to respond to life's challenges when given the tools to think and discover for themselves. Dr. Jenkins gives scores of age-appropriate activities that help children learn empathy, trust, forgiveness, growth, and inner peace.
How do children experience and understand God? How can adults help children grow their life of faith? Throughout more than a decade of field research, children's spirituality experts Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May listened to children talk about their relationships with God, observed children and their parents in learning and worship settings, and interviewed adults about their childhood faith experiences. This accessibly written book weaves together their findings to offer a glimpse of the spiritual responsiveness and potential of children. Through case studies, it provides insight into children's perceptions of God and how they process their faith. In addition, the book suggests how parents, teachers, and ministry leaders can more effectively relate to and work with children and pre-adolescents to nurture their faith, offering a helpful picture of adults and children on the spiritual journey together.
"If, like some, you regret that Montessori too rarely in her writings appreciated the humanity of teachers-their creativity, their curiosity, their doubts-this book stands as the perfect complement."-Jola-Montessori.com Evocative and unique, The Tao of Montessori offers a quiet balance to the noisy demands of teaching and parenting through a special blend of encouraging verse. Award-winning Montessori teacher Catherine McTamaney revisits the eighty-one verses of Lao-tzu's Tao Te Ching and relates them to the life and work of teachers, parents, and children. Originally meant to remind rather than direct and to show the way toward natural harmony in the world around and within us, Lao-tzu's verses find a new meaning through McTamaney's skillful mixture of spirituality and education. Take a moment to read a single stanza, then put it aside and muse upon its meaning. By revisiting one verse each day, you can relate its images to your life as a teacher, parent, or child. Whether you are familiar with the writings of Lao-tzu or are simply ready to explore a refreshingly contemplative perspective on children and teachers, The Tao of Montessori is a profound work of intellectual stimulation.
"The natural world has inspired artists, seekers, and thinkers for millennia, but in recent times, as the pace of life has sped up, its demands have moved us in doors. Yet nature's capacity to lead us to important truths, to invigorate and restore our imagination and equilibrium, is infinite. Step Into Nature is a guide to make nature personal again, to stimulate awareness and increase our understanding of the environment while inspiring readers to develop and strengthen their imaginations. But being in nature doesn't mean flying off to remote, faraway places. Nature is as close as opening your front door--the sky above, the miniature gardens that insist their way up between the sidewalk cracks, the river just down the road. Patrice Vecchione shows readers how nature can support and enhance their own creative output, invigorate their curiosity, and restore their sense of connection to the earth. Plus, included in each chapter is "The Cabinet of Curiosities," exercises and suggestions for practical and unexpected ways that readers can stimulate their imaginations, deepen their relationships with nature, and experience the harmony between creativity and the natural world"--
Trends and skills for those who offer pastoral care Christian pastoral care has changed a great deal in the past few decades in response to many factors in our rapidly changing world. In part 1 of Nurturing Hope, Lynne Baab discusses seven trends in pastoral care--shifts in who delivers pastoral care, the attitudes and commitments that undergird pastoral care, and societal trends that are shaping pastoral care today. She illustrates them with stories from diverse congregations where Christian caregivers are meeting those challenges in creative and exciting ways. In the second half of the book, Baab presents four practical, doable, energizing skills needed by pastoral carers in our time. Focusing on skills that help carers nurture connections between everyday life and Christian faith, she explores the need for carers to understand common stressors, listen, pray with others, and nurture their personal resilience. Grounded in an understanding of God as the true caregiver and healer, the author offers tips for readers who are training other pastoral carers or developing their own understanding and skills. Each chapter ends with discussion and reflection questions, making the book helpful for groups. Lynne Baab brings readers hope for their caring role and for their own spiritual journey.