introducing godly play in the diocese of chichester
TRANSCRIPT
What is Godly Play?What is Godly Play? A discovery method of teaching and learningA discovery method of teaching and learning A method that is focused on the needs of the A method that is focused on the needs of the
whole child – body, mind and spiritwhole child – body, mind and spirit A multi-sensory approach that integrates the A multi-sensory approach that integrates the
two primary gateways to knowing for young two primary gateways to knowing for young children - language (the verbal system) and children - language (the verbal system) and play (the non-verbal system)play (the non-verbal system)
An approach that encourages a calm, quiet An approach that encourages a calm, quiet and deliberate way of workingand deliberate way of working
Godly Play aims to:Godly Play aims to:
Provide a safe space in which children Provide a safe space in which children can encounter and engage with stories can encounter and engage with stories from the Judaeo-Christian traditionfrom the Judaeo-Christian tradition
Help children make connections Help children make connections between these stories and their own between these stories and their own experienceexperience
Support spiritual developmentSupport spiritual development Make the language of religion familiarMake the language of religion familiar
Godly Play has been influenced Godly Play has been influenced and informed by:and informed by:
The Montessori tradition of educationThe Montessori tradition of education Sofia Cavalletti’s work on the religious Sofia Cavalletti’s work on the religious
formation of the childformation of the child The work of Jerome Berryman over more The work of Jerome Berryman over more
than 30 yearsthan 30 years A worldwide network of Godly Play A worldwide network of Godly Play
practitioners who have supported and practitioners who have supported and informed Berryman’s researchinformed Berryman’s research
What can Godly Play offer?What can Godly Play offer?
Creating sacred spaceCreating sacred space Building and working in communityBuilding and working in community Learning religious languageLearning religious language Using religious language to make meaningUsing religious language to make meaning
It includes the four processes of:
Creating sacred spaceCreating sacred space
The space is designed to focus the child’s The space is designed to focus the child’s visual attention on images and ideas which visual attention on images and ideas which are at the heart of the Christian understanding are at the heart of the Christian understanding of Godof God
The care with which the space is set up and The care with which the space is set up and maintained teaches about the value of what maintained teaches about the value of what goes on theregoes on there
Building and working in communityBuilding and working in community
The participants gather together in expectation The participants gather together in expectation and anticipationand anticipation
The setting aside of a special time for Godly The setting aside of a special time for Godly Play helps us to prepare to come close to GodPlay helps us to prepare to come close to God
The time allowed for ‘collective response’ The time allowed for ‘collective response’ makes it possible for participants to learn from makes it possible for participants to learn from each othereach other
Learning religious languageLearning religious language
Well-tested scripts help to convey the essence Well-tested scripts help to convey the essence of each story presentationof each story presentation
Silence and gesture are treated as powerful Silence and gesture are treated as powerful aspects of the language of the storyaspects of the language of the story
The story scripts are learnt by heart by the The story scripts are learnt by heart by the story teller; the importance of key phrases and story teller; the importance of key phrases and ‘refrains’ helps the listener make connections‘refrains’ helps the listener make connections
Using religious language to make Using religious language to make meaningmeaning
The story teller invites the listeners to ‘wonder’ The story teller invites the listeners to ‘wonder’ about what they have heardabout what they have heard
All contributions are accepted as equally All contributions are accepted as equally valuablevaluable
There is no attempt to reach a particular There is no attempt to reach a particular teaching point or explain what the story ‘really teaching point or explain what the story ‘really means’means’
The heart of Godly Play is that it does The heart of Godly Play is that it does not depend on knowledge but on a not depend on knowledge but on a
personal response and spiritual personal response and spiritual engagement with God’s word within a engagement with God’s word within a supportive, safe community of friends.supportive, safe community of friends.
Godly Play PresentationsGodly Play Presentations
Sacred StoriesSacred Stories – the stories of God’s people within – the stories of God’s people within which we invite the children themselves to become which we invite the children themselves to become part of the storypart of the story
Parables Parables – to stimulate our sense of creativity, help – to stimulate our sense of creativity, help us question our view of everyday lifeus question our view of everyday life
Liturgical Actions Liturgical Actions – a chance for children to learn – a chance for children to learn and practise the language of liturgyand practise the language of liturgy
Sacred StoriesSacred Stories ParablesParables LiturgyLiturgy
CreationCreation
The Flood and The Flood and the Arkthe Ark
The Great The Great FamilyFamily
The ExodusThe Exodus
The Ten Best The Ten Best WaysWays
…….and more.and more
The Good The Good ShepherdShepherd
The Good The Good SamaritanSamaritan
The Great PearlThe Great Pearl
The SowerThe Sower
The LeavenThe Leaven
The Mustard The Mustard SeedSeed
The Circle of the The Circle of the Church YearChurch Year
Advent 1 to 4Advent 1 to 4
EpiphanyEpiphany
Holy BaptismHoly Baptism
The Mystery of The Mystery of EasterEaster
The Good The Good Shepherd and Shepherd and World World CommunionCommunion
Godly Play in the Church Primary Godly Play in the Church Primary School and in the Parish ChurchSchool and in the Parish Church
Helps children to understand more Helps children to understand more about the Church of England by learning about the Church of England by learning religious language and modelling each religious language and modelling each session on the Eucharist .session on the Eucharist .
Preparation Preparation (meeting and greeting)(meeting and greeting)
Ministry of the word Ministry of the word ( listening to and ( listening to and responding to a Bible story)responding to a Bible story)
Communion Communion (sharing food and drink)(sharing food and drink)
Blessing and Dismissal Blessing and Dismissal (saying (saying goodbye)goodbye)
Making a start with Godly Play -Making a start with Godly Play -some principles:some principles:
Slow down Slow down
the pacethe pace
Use attractive, Use attractive,
well-madewell-made
materials materials
to help tell to help tell
the story.the story.
Use open questions to encourage the children to Use open questions to encourage the children to reflect on the story and its meaning for themreflect on the story and its meaning for them
Enable the children to respond in their Enable the children to respond in their own way to the storyown way to the story
Give the children time and space to Give the children time and space to make the story their ownmake the story their own
Bring the community together again at the end of Bring the community together again at the end of the session – to share experiences and even the session – to share experiences and even food!food!
In most religious education children are In most religious education children are told who God is.told who God is.
In Godly Play children discover who God In Godly Play children discover who God is.is.
If you would like to know more ..If you would like to know more .. Visit : Visit : www.godlyplay.org.ukwww.godlyplay.org.uk
For materials: For materials: www.stmichaelsworkshop.co.ukwww.stmichaelsworkshop.co.uk
For Godly Play training in the Diocese of For Godly Play training in the Diocese of Chichester contact : Chichester contact :
Irene Smale 07980 617584 or Irene Smale 07980 617584 or email: email: [email protected]@diochi.org.uk