At eye level with children

In the first week of January we had our counselling workshop for the home care givers . This workshop is in it’s tenth year now. The aim of it is to encourage our home care givers in the difficult work but it also serves to give reflect on the work they are doing and to get new ideas and inputs . This time we had the topic children, how to handle difficult child experiences in your own life. But we also had a wellness program with foot and neck massage and doing hair and nails which was fun and enjoyment for all.

For 1 ½ days we had visitors from Canada who taught us Godly Play,  a special way of telling biblical stories inspired by the Montessori way of education. We were sitting on the floor (that impressed our home care giver, that the two trainers form Canada, older than most of u,s did not mind sitting on the floor),  Andrew told us a parable using small figurines moving them around . It’s fascinating to be drawn into the parable and all listen very well. Thereafter he explains to us why it is done this way. It is very unusual for the participants : to respect the children, children are not empty vessels in which we pour our knowledge. Children are full of God, they have their own experiences with God and this needs a place in our teaching and sharing with them.

After the session some of the participants confessed: “ I have realized that it is wrong to look down on a child. I want to treat them differently from now on.” Some share with the group how her own child hood experiences have made their marks in their lives, when they were treated badly by adults. We finalize the workshop by forming a Godly Play committee that should prepare lessons and inputs for our Early Learning Centres and Afterschool programs.

Christel Hermann