#Resiliencechat Tidbit: When we talk about the whole child in ed. we are talking about the academic, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual components of a child
Oh and Piggy is here, too. Along with Claude from Cleveland and a host of other characters. I may be 60 in my elderly body, but I'm still just a kid at heart. #resiliencechat
A1 For me spiritual means connecting with the world in the greater sense and close to home. Actions like touching trees where they want to be touched, welcoming flowers and meditating in the garden. #resiliencechat
Hello, I’m here for now!
A1) I think of the part of them (and us) most connected to our authentic self. Where religion is one’s relationship to God, spiritual is with the self. The part of themselves that doesn’t necessarily fit with the categories they’re put in. #resiliencechat
Connecting deep within myself. To that end I highly recommend doing Inner Child work. But even without that simply learning how to just be is essential. #resiliencechat
I think meditation and prayer are synonymous. I like that reference. Spiritual is a connection to something more but just not to a particular religion.
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A2 I think I used to think spirituality was too personal, too individual, too tied up in family beliefs. Then I learned that kids felt it was one of the most important parts of themselves and it seemed odd to them we never really brought it up.
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#resiliencechat A1 Spiritual, means that which is in essence with the ways of the spirit. It is a critical component in all things that progress with nature. Children are full of life energy and on a constant journey of such progress. A journey towards experiencing life fully.
A1 I think I use "spirituality" to mean something like "the inner sense of how everything is connected and that gives our lives meaning."
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A2 It's very personal. I think that most adults feel as if people would make fun of them. We forget how open and accepting children are. #resiliencechat
A2: part1 - I think many in society are hesitant due to spiritual is too often confused with religion.
Spiritual is a connection with something more, whereas religion entails doctrine. Hesitant as to not impose beliefs on others. #resiliencechat
A2 #resiliencechat I think #spirituality is rlly misunderstood by educators. Unfortunately, we fail to recognize the importance of our ability to allow spirits to soar, or spirits to fall. I believe that as people we can connect with others to find flight.
Q3: The spiritual component of a child differs from the social-emotional components. How? What are some of the distinctions and differences? #resiliencechat
It varies. Even as a kid I could tell that others were already closing up. 1968 was a huge turning point for a lot of kids. Either you became a bigot or you became more open. #resiliencechat
#resiliencechat A2 The ways of the spirit are unpredictable because they are responsive to various influences. They can only be observed from the eyes of a child who are natural pattern readers. It is easier to talk about fixed rules instead.
A2: Our education world is so fast-paced. Even a hallway chat is blurt and scoot most times. I think talking about children's spirits really requires us to slow down and reflect. #resiliencechat
Q3: The spiritual component of a child differs from the social-emotional components. How? What are some of the distinctions and differences? #resiliencechat
That's similar in some ways to my father-in-law and I used to agree on - like we felt there is something out there that you can sense but the moment you try to state it in words, it slips away. #ResilienceChat
#resiliencechat A1: Not a big fan of redefining words or interpreting what "we mean" vs. what the word means. "Spiritual" Definition 1: Relating to....the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical. 2: relating to religion or religious belief.
A3: The spiritual component is based off of what the child has been raised off of. Social and emotional components are shaped by society and those who are around them. #resiliencechat
A3 #resiliencechat To some degree #spirit is organic, and we sometimes seek to teach #SEL skills, rather than to build a positive #spirit which would seem to embed the #SEL skills we seek to build in children. If we led with building a quality internal spirit first, well...
A2 #resiliencechat I think #spirituality is rlly misunderstood by educators. Unfortunately, we fail to recognize the importance of our ability to allow spirits to soar, or spirits to fall. I believe that as people we can connect with others to find flight.
A3: Social/emotional can be limiting to child, developmentally. While through spirituality child can enjoy connectedness and freedom, and without the frustrations and pressures of expectations. #resiliencechat
A3) As a child, I often felt my social shortcomings and emotional sensitivity got in the way. I turned inward to remind myself of my strengths. So I see social-emotional as responses to the world, and spiritual as connecting with ourselves. #resiliencechat
Q3: The spiritual component of a child differs from the social-emotional components. How? What are some of the distinctions and differences? #resiliencechat
A3: The spiritual component is based off of what the child has been raised off of. Social and emotional components are shaped by society and those who are around them. #resiliencechat
It is interesting to also note that when I was working with young adults from the Foster Youth system, they often said that it was their spirituality that supported their resilience. #resiliencechat
A3 The spiritual part knows no bounds. The social part, we have to all comply to some extent. Can be very limiting. The emotional part can be a slippery slope depending on who a child is surrounded by. Can be very painful. #resiliencechat
#resiliencechat A3 Social and emotional components serve as influences in the child's life playground. Spiritual component responds to these influences. In many cases, uses the former to have influential impact too.
Of course anyone can jump in #resiliencechat--anytime--and answer any question--any time. Just remember to put the "A" with the number and the #resiliencechat hashtag
Great Question: When we help students find their wings, they can soar to new heights that we have not even considered for them yet. If we set things for them to learn, while we feel successful, we may limit their true learning from occurring. #Resiliencechat
Yes, it is very interesting to talk about spirituality in the context of resilience and trauma. I invite you to continue thinking about this...#resiliencechat
Yes, so mny of students have experienced #trauma, and our awareness, sensitivity, and ability to support them is key to overcoming the trauma. While we can’t take it away, we can seek to understand, and help them grow in peace! #Resiliencechat
A4 I've talked about this a number of times. My grammar school teachers were almost all old and ornery or senile or a character from a Woody Allen movie. #resiliencechat
A4 Even at 60, I still think about my 1st grade teacher who stood behind me and commented on my inability to fold a piece paper. Even time I fold something I cannot help but think of her, and it's not flattering. #resiliencechat
A4 Because if school becomes about compliance, pleasing, and external judgment, that inner sense of natural curiosity, joy, and sense of self has to learn when and how to hide itself away during school hours.
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A4 It’s more rare than not for children to trust their Inner spirit, to become who they know they are, and are meant to be. Thus, the need for #innovation, #creativity, #art#experiences, to be held in high regard in all our schools. #resiliencechat
Great Question: When we help students find their wings, they can soar to new heights that we have not even considered for them yet. If we set things for them to learn, while we feel successful, we may limit their true learning from occurring. #Resiliencechat
#resiliencechat A4: this is when Social/emotional growth and development get in the way of spiritual development...and we stop asking children to Imagine. Seriously, we don’t begin sentences with “Okay kids, imagine you are in a forest...”
Interestingly, I'm not sure I go with the framing of the question... it all hinges on how the educator defines "success." For some, it is indeed an opposition. But, you know, #NotAllEducators... ;-)
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#resiliencechat A4 I would rephrase this question as 'Spirit and Love of learning gets distracted from formal learning processes'. (1) They are not allowed to ask 100+ questions (2) They are never shown the power of the questions within them. etc etc
A4: Kids spend less time being curious, wondering, and leading their learning. There are fewer opportunities for play, "messy learning," and the productive struggle. #resiliencechat
Kids meeting standards, becoming proficient... choose something more specific than “success.” Incidentally, I still think they’re all important. But this chat is reminding me of that piece we often miss and is probably the one that lasts the most beyond schooling. #resiliencechat
#resiliencechat A5 I create premises for my kids, as a dad, to express their spirit openly. It helps me see where they need more assistance to express better too.
A5 I try to talk to kids about gardening and the joy of welcoming flowers back in the spring. And why I love winter. It's the anticipation of what spring presents. #resiliencechat
The “moment of knowing” reveals itself at an unknown moment along each individual’s sequented journey. The sense of spirituality being a part of that reveal. For some, the reveal is only at the ends physical transition. #resiliencechat
A4 It’s more rare than not for children to trust their Inner spirit, to become who they know they are, and are meant to be. Thus, the need for #innovation, #creativity, #art#experiences, to be held in high regard in all our schools. #resiliencechat
#resiliencechat My rule of thumb, there is only a stupid listener. No such thing as a stupid question. I hope that you've had a breakthrough in that area later in life.
A5: I tell all my kids that there's more than one way to get there. One method doesn't fit all. We are all unique so fly your freak flag high and be you. Cause at the end of the day, it's who you are. #happinessmatters#noregrets#resiliencechat
Agreed! We are also learning how important it is to take care of ourselves/colleagues when supporting our students experiencing #trauma. #resiliencechat
A5) As parents we focus little on grades and more on who they are. We encourage their expressiveness, in the everyday and through the arts—and expose them to the expression of many others. #resiliencechat
A5: Read to them, encourage them to read. Foster the sharing of their stories and validate them! Let them know that they matter, that their community values them. #resiliencechat
I mean, I know what you mean and I agree. But our parents, when asked, often define our success around their kid's happiness and love of learning (as do I), and I think that is at its core a spiritual goal. #ResilienceChat
Luckily it never stopped me from continuing to be inquisitive and ask many, many, many questions! In fact I was often the one who would ask the question everyone else was embarrassed to ask but wanted to #resiliencechat
A4 I think that my parents' generation, Great Depression, WWII, there was no room for spirituality or joy. All pragmatism and conformity. My teachers were of that generation. #resiliencechat
A5 I try to leave plenty of room for them to connect with their joy. Some years go better than others. I'm thinking, sadly, this is probably my second worst year ever. Sigh. There's still time, I guess.
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A4 Nurturance is key. My teachers and parents were not nurtured, so they didn't know how to nurture. Can't blame them for not doing what they themselves never learned. #resiliencechat
A4) New requirements and the pressure of achieving them. Testing—and I don’t mean the standardized kind. It was the classroom tests that threw me. We have a third grader who still loves school—how do we keep that alive? #resiliencechat
My dear ol' Daddio was a sensitive soul like me, but because his mother was harsh he hid that part away. Also hid that from my mom, too. Men couldn't express feelings. #resiliencechat
I really wish that both my mom and my dad would have been open to my gifts of healing, but they just couldn't avail themselves of that. At least my dad and I shared a sense of humor. #resiliencechat
Q7: Would you welcome more information, a workshop, or a professional development opportunity around the concept of spirituality and education? Why or why not? #resiliencechat
A6: Read, spend time outside, run, write letters, make Christmas ornaments, meditate, practice yoga, get involved with way too many advocacy non-profits. #resiliencechat
Merci de ta gentillesse! Ce n'est pas ça. It's my Humanities 7 class. Some of them arriving hating school and not seeing themselves as students, and I haven't really reached them all yet. Still seven weeks to go though! You never know. :-)
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A6: my personal journey was to walk the Passion this year. My inside didn't match my outside and I needed to recentre. I needed downtime and reflection. You can't hear the calling if there's no stillness. Inspiration in silence. #resiliencechat
Not yet. I see Mr. MIT still not that open. What concerns me is that some women feel that they must be outwardly tough instead. There's a distinction between tough and resilient. #resiliencechat
A7: Absolutely!! This would be so valuable to our parents and teachers. This information would help us support the health and well-being of all our students. #resiliencechat
Q7: Would you welcome more information, a workshop, or a professional development opportunity around the concept of spirituality and education? Why or why not? #resiliencechat
A7 I love the idea of PD around spirituality and education. It is, after all, such a fundamental aspect of our kids' whole authentic selves (and thus our own).
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