Spirituality in early childhood pedagogy: A Froebelian approach in Chinese and English contexts

TY - BOOK

T1 - Spirituality in early childhood pedagogy

T2 - A Froebelian approach in Chinese and English contexts

AU - Tang, Fengling

AU - Zhao, Juan

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - This is a final report to Froebel Trust drawing on the funded research project (Tang and Zhao, 2022-2024). The evidence captured in the research demonstrates the necessity of engaging early childhood educators and young children in deep conversations in order to move closer to an understanding of young children’s spiritual growth. The research witnesses young children’s spiritual growth as an ongoing holistic learning experience closely linked to their daily expressions of personal, emotional experiences, and the process of them making sense of who they are through relational engagements with family members, educators, peers, community, imaginary friends, nature, cultural and religious rituals. The social, cultural, philosophical, religious, moral and psychological lenses that participants connect with contribute to the complexity of spirituality in early childhood context. The research calls for the urgency of addressing spirituality as an intrinsic fundamental component of young children’s identities, holistic learning and wellbeing thus the importance of providing time, space, resources, nurturing environments to support children’s spiritual awareness, expressions and experiences in their daily lives. The research sees the important role of a Froebelian approach underpinned by 'unity and connectedness' and 'the central importance of play' among other Froebelian principles in nurturing spirituality in early childhood.

AB - This is a final report to Froebel Trust drawing on the funded research project (Tang and Zhao, 2022-2024). The evidence captured in the research demonstrates the necessity of engaging early childhood educators and young children in deep conversations in order to move closer to an understanding of young children’s spiritual growth. The research witnesses young children’s spiritual growth as an ongoing holistic learning experience closely linked to their daily expressions of personal, emotional experiences, and the process of them making sense of who they are through relational engagements with family members, educators, peers, community, imaginary friends, nature, cultural and religious rituals. The social, cultural, philosophical, religious, moral and psychological lenses that participants connect with contribute to the complexity of spirituality in early childhood context. The research calls for the urgency of addressing spirituality as an intrinsic fundamental component of young children’s identities, holistic learning and wellbeing thus the importance of providing time, space, resources, nurturing environments to support children’s spiritual awareness, expressions and experiences in their daily lives. The research sees the important role of a Froebelian approach underpinned by 'unity and connectedness' and 'the central importance of play' among other Froebelian principles in nurturing spirituality in early childhood.

KW - spirituality

KW - early childhood

KW - participatory research

KW - A Froebelian approach

KW - Froebelian principles

KW - young children

KW - engagement with nature

KW - holistic learning and wellbeing

KW - unity and connnectedness

KW - central importance of play

KW - kindergarten

KW - intergenerational engagement

KW - cultural and religious rituals

KW - spiritual journey

UR - https://www.froebel.org.uk/uploads/documents/FT-final-report-Spirituality-in-early-childhood-pedagogy-Nov-24.pdf

M3 - Commissioned report

BT - Spirituality in early childhood pedagogy

ER -