O Lord. You have searched me and you known me! You know when I sit down; and when I rise up. You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139: 1-3 In Psalm 139 we find a beautiful description of the Father’s detailed knowledge of…
Monitoring well-being and involvement by Rev Peter Michell In the UK the most immediate association made with assessment is the Early Years Foundation Stage and the ‘outcomes’. We also think of endless laborious record keeping. This first association has to be called into question because it is not the only kind of assessment and it is not the most important either. If…
We know that each of the children in our care is uniquely created by our loving God and Father and that He has a plan and a purpose for each of their lives. We know that their needs and interests and learning styles will be different. Psalm 139 says: “For You shaped me, inside and out. I am Your unique…
Play therapy provides a place for children to express and explore their thoughts , fears and emotions in a safe child-friendly way. Instead of merely relying on words (which children can find very difficult ), the therapy uses play and creative expression as a form of communication. It is a multicultural tool that enables children to strengthen their self esteem and…
The reviews on this website are strictly speaking not just for book reviews but resource reviews. The theme of play might suggest all sorts of ‘toys’, but actually the best resources in all the world are natural ones: sticks, sand, insects, mud. We might well add unit blocks, but we probably shouldn’t spend much on resources for children’s play because they…
Principal stakeholders in education, after the children themselves , are the parents. The Bible makes the assumption that responsibility for the nurture of children belongs to parents, referring to fathers in particular. For example: It is to fathers that these words are addressed: …bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4, Authorised Version) or …bring them up in…
A childminder’s perspective We have always had a big emphasis on imaginative play in our setting. I love to see the children’s imagination running free. Imagination is such a vital part of faith. God asks us to use our imagination. He told Abraham to go outside at night and count the stars – that’s how many grandchildren and great grandchildren…
There are lots of insects and bugs to discover in your garden, even if it is very small. A minibeast hunt is a great way for children to get up close to nature. It gets them out in the fresh air, encourages them to use their observation skills, and it gives them a chance to get hands-on with wildlife. All…
We are all born storytellers. Story defines our identity both as individuals as well as a society. It comes so naturally to invent stories. We may altogether ignore the propensity in children or we may provoke, support, record and celebrate children’s stories. Provocations can be immensely effective and one example is the use of a suitcase containing suggestive items (A…
A model for Christian early education. The reader is invited to consider the whole work of early years and take in the full scope of what is happening in the life of a little person. “To climb a new tree means to the boy the discovery of a new world.” (Froebel) Trees have had an important place in my own work with…
