Inspiring Wonder, Awe, and Empathy offers a series of thoughtful practices for child care providers to nurture a child’s spiritual development—an extension of social-emotional learning. The book helps educators introduce young children to a system that begins with love and leads to a strong sense of self, ignites wonder and learning, and allows for the emergence of empathy that leads to personal wholeness. You can provide support and strengthen children’s self-awareness through deep connections, increased social awareness, and pro-social behaviors, such as kindness, caring, empathy, and reverence. Spiritual development moments help children to grow, explore, play, and ask big questions. Dr. Deborah Schein has been an early childhood educator since 1972. She has a BS in psychology from the University of Southern California at Santa Barbara, a master's degree in education with a focus on curriculum and instruction from Cleveland State University, and a PhD in early childhood education from Walden University. Deborah currently works as an educational consultant and teaches online early childhood graduate courses Champlain College. She offers workshops across the country for national movements and participates in webinars about the connection between spiritual development and nature education for young children. She now lives in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Across academic circles over the last few decades, the interest and inquiry on spirituality continues to broaden. Currently, the school system in the United States and many Western countries put their focus on academic achievement at the expense of preparing their students’ inner cores for skills they will need to deal with a more complex and challenging world to come. Supporting Children and Youth Through Spiritual Education provides a platform for researchers and experts in the field of spirituality in children and youth to voice the urgent need for an educational system that truly nurtures the whole child. The book also considers the need to remove the misunderstandings about the terms “spirituality” and “religion” among those who work directly with children and youth. Covering key topics such as religion, cognitive development, and spiritual needs, this reference work is critical for principals, administrators, industry professionals, researchers, scholars, practitioners, academicians, instructors, and students.

Early Childhood Jewish Education explores some of the fundamental questions of early childhood Jewish education in today's societal, moral, and educational debates. The book examines the challenges of transmitting Jewish heritage using developmentally appropriate pedagogy in the context of modern democratic society through the lenses of multiculturalism, gender awareness, and constructivism. Researchers from Israel and the United States consider some of the core Jewish foundational subjects, including teaching the Bible, holidays and ceremonies, Hebrew, Jewish literature, and spirituality, as well as leadership issues in relation to these contemporary debates. The book represents the ongoing collaboration of leading researchers from Israel and the United States who have worked together since 2010 as the International Research Group on Jewish Education in the Early Years.

This book examines the ways in which well-being affects educational outcomes. Using an ecological approach, the book defines what we mean by well-being and resilience in education and how this relates to policy and children and young people’s rights. The book considers strategies utilised by the education, health, voluntary and private sectors which promote well-being and resilience for children and young people from the early years to adulthood. This book also explores societal factors such as poverty and family well-being. Childhood Well-being and Resilience goes on to provide examples of practice interventions inside and outside the classroom. It represents a sea change in professional approaches to well-being and resilience as protective factors against poor mental health. It includes chapters on key topics such as: The concept of child well-being, resilience and the rights of the child Peer interaction and well-being Social media and mental health Well-being and outdoor learning Mindfulness for young children International policy and child well-being This book supports professionals to increase their knowledge, establish a skill set and build their confidence which can enable children and young people to develop good levels of well-being and to improve their resilience. Including reflective questions and case studies, Childhood Well-being and Resilience is essential reading for undergraduate students studying Early Childhood Studies, Education Studies, Teaching Awards and Family and Community Studies.

This volume presents a treatise on trees and how they relate to the human spirit. Through its in-depth discussion of the meaning of trees, a need for a shift in thinking becomes clear. Historically, people in dominant cultures have viewed trees as resources to be used and forests as obstacles to such endeavors as farming and ranching. This publication presents a different view of trees and forests, one calling for a shift from domination and irreverence to respect and care—even kinship. While the text includes a discussion about some of the amazing characteristics of trees, the primary focus here is on the philosophical meaning of, and emotional connections with, trees. Its integration of disciplines and the recognition of different ways of knowing will make this book appealing to a wide variety of readers.

Now in its third edition, Nature and Young Children promotes the holistic development of children by connecting them with nature. It offers practical advice on how to set up indoor and outdoor nature play spaces as well as encouraging environmentally responsible attitudes, values and behaviour in your early childhood setting. With fully revised chapters in line with recent developments to policy and practice, and brand new material covering Early Childhood Education for Sustainability, the power of pro-nature poetry and philosophical discussions, and children living in urban environments, this book reveals just how important nature play can be in the development of young children. The user-friendly chapters offer guidance on: alternative settings for nature-focused programs culturally sensitive approaches to nature play in early childhood the role of the adult in nature-based learning using nature play for cross-curricular learning environmentally appropriate practices integrating nature education and peace education health, safety, and risky play. Highly accessible, detailed and now extensively updated, Nature and Young Children will provide all early years practitioners, teachers and students with a wealth of ideas on how to foster creative play and learning in nature-focused environments while also encouraging positive connections with nature.

Segments of society are drawing upon their faith and spirituality to develop strategies to mend social relationships and fragmented communities. The Contemporary Perspectives on Spirituality in Education book series will feature volumes geared towards understanding and exploring the role of spirituality in addressing challenge, conflict, and marginalization within education in the U.S. and internationally.