Social - cultural context pt. 1

Dividing these just makes them shorter. I don't get a whole lot of comments on epic posts but blogging is helping me wade through this book ...

Wendy Haight* is specifically focusing on the affects of social - cultural context on children's spirituality - another rope pulling to hold the tent up (not the best metaphor perhaps but until I can think of a better one…)

Studies show that spirituality, even in children, is something that is highly valued in African- American faith communities. Children are encouraged to share their personal spiritual experiences and adults affirm to their children that these are significant and very real. (CS p. 114) Think of a time when a child shared with you a very real, very personal spiritual experience? Did it sound childish or impossible? How did you respond?

Haight describes "positive, stimulating, and rich socialization practices within an African American Baptist Church. These practices include verbal narratives, play, song, prayer and call-and-response routines to which children actively contribute: elaborating, questioning and exploring issues of spirituality with teachers and peers in an emotionally supportive setting." (CS. p 109) The last sentence here is intriguing.

Although there are exceptions, contrasting this to European - American church cultures that they studied, "Interactions between adults and children are characterized as highly structured and adult-centered with a one-way flow of communication from adult to child. Children are discouraged from questioning, speculating or extending presented material." (CS p. 109) The last sentence here is also intriguing. How can we encourage rather than discourage "questioning, speculating, or extending presented material," not to distract us from the text but to pull us deeper?

*Wendy Haight is the PhD program director at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in the School of Social Work. She's written a number of books, journal articles, and book chapters.