God, Kids and Us: The Growing Edge of Ministry with Children and the People Who Care for Them

by Janet M. Eibner, Janet Marshall Eibner, Susan Graham Walker

Book Overview

This lively blend of theory, story, and practical resources and checklists is designed for churches committed to welcoming and nurturing children, and those who care for them. Written for clergy,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1551261367
• ISBN13: 9781551261362
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: Anglican Book Centre (ABC Publishing)
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Teach the children well...

I was assigned the book 'God, Kids & Us: The Growing Edge of Ministry with Children and the People Who Care for Them' as part of my seminary training. There were elements that were familiar, and elements that were new to me. The exercises from the book Janet Marshall Eibner and Susan Graham Walker were eye-opening from the very start. Perhaps the primary thing I learned from the experience was one not really intended from the class I took - I learned how devoid my life is of children. There are the occasional grandchildren and great-grandchildren visiting the retirement community where I am chaplain, but I generally only see them for a moment or so (when families are visiting residents, I usually try to stay out of their way, since the residents tend to see me far more often). At the seminary, the community college where I work, and at home, there are no children, save by `accident'. In order to accomplish the worksheets required for class, I had to ask students in the Tutoring Centre at my college to take them home to their children and bring them back to me. Eibner and Walker discuss in their chapter on pastoral care and paying attention the different kinds of learning styles that can be adapted for individuals within a communal setting. This relates well to learning styles and pedagogical analyses such as Howard Gardner's 'Frames of Mind' - it seems like it should be obvious, but it is often overlooked in planning, that children learn differently one from another. One might respond to visual art, another to music, another to activity, another to reading, and so on. This is a very practical book, intended to help the educator take stock of the current situation and plan from there accordingly. One thing that is important is not taking things for granted, or assuming that one knows because one is the adult, teacher or parent. Elements such as choosing appropriate curriculum, selecting and training appropriate teachers and volunteers, and continuing to look after the training and effectiveness of the education programme are all contained here. Eibner and Walker include sample job descriptions, questionnaires and recommended readings - this book is clearly intended to be the start of the process, rather than the full process in and of itself. Children can come up with questions and insights beyond what 'normal' adult parameters may be - these are to be encouraged, fostering a mutual learning experience between educator and child. Throughout this text, the idea of mutual process as part of a whole community is emphasised, and including children as full members of that community is of paramount importance. This is a great book to use for those involved in or thinking about children's ministry and church school. It is also a good book for parents and grandparents, to see what kinds of considerations go into (or should go into) the composition of effective and nurturing church school experiences.