Nurturing Young Children as Spiritual Beings in a Globalized World

Elizabeth Rouse is Associate Professor in Education, Early Childhood at Deakin University, Australia.Brendan Hyde is Senior Lecturer in Education, Pedagogy and Curriculum at Deakin University, Australia.Tony Eaude is an independent researcher, affiliated with Oxford University, UK.

• Introduction: Understanding the Changing Context of Early Years Education in a Globalized World, Elizabeth Rouse (Deakin University, Australia), Brendan Hyde (Deakin University, Australia) and Tony Eaude (University of Oxford, UK)Part I: New Understandings of Children’s Spirituality1. Relationality, Connectedness and Play: The Spiritual Dimension of Young Children’s Friendships?, Kate Adams (Institute of Childhood and Education, Leeds Trinity University, UK)2. Constructing Understandings of Spirituality in Australian Early Years Immersive Nature Play Programmes, Fran Hughes (University of New England, Australia)3. Exploring U.S. Early Childhood Educators’ Understanding of Spirituality and How it Can Be Fostered in Teacher Preparation, Jennifer Mata-McMahon (University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA)4. The Influence of Kirtan on the Foundation of Spirituality in a Sikh Early Years Setting, Japjit Kaur Pnaiser (Newman University, UK)5. No Degree Required: Tracing the Contours of the Theological Imaginations of Young Children, Dave M. Csinos (Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax, Canada)Part II: How the Lens of the Spiritual Child Alters Our Understanding of Children and How To Nurture Them6. Sustainability, Spirituality and Early Childhood: It’s All About Relationships, Wendy Ellyatt (The Flourish Project, UK)7. Encouraging Curiosity, Creativity, Imagination and Playfulness as a Counter to Performativity Throughout the Early Years, Tony Eaude (Independent researcher, affiliated with University of Oxford, UK)8. Engaging Children’s Capabilities for Learning Capabilities, Joyce E. Bellous (retired) (McMaster University, Canada)9. ‘It’s All Just a Big Family’: Building Relationships With Parents to Foster Children's Spiritual Wellbeing, Elizabeth Rouse (Deakin University, Australia) and Fay Hadley (Macquarie University, Australia)10. Fostering Spirituality in Infants and Toddlers: Reciprocity and Relationality for Creating Spiritual Connections, Nicole Downes (Deakin University, Australia) and Elizabeth Rouse (Deakin University, Australia)Part III: Environments, Curricula and Pedagogies11. Conceptualizing Children’s Spirituality for Equity and Inclusion: Celebrating Strengths, Community and Friendships, Kathleen Harris (Seton Hill University, USA)12. Creating and Sustaining Inclusive, Hospitable Environments To Nurture Young Children Holistically, Tony Eaude (Independent researcher, affiliated with University of Oxford, UK)13. Shifting the Landscape – From Performativity to a Consideration of Spatial Affordances, Brendan Hyde (Deakin University, Australia)14. Locating Spirituality at the Core of the Reggio Emilia Approach for Early Childhood, Kathianne Farrugia (Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education, University of Malta, Malga) and Adrian-Mario Gellel (Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education, University of Malta, Malta)15. Spirituality and the Arts in Early Childhood Education: The Cultural Considerations Companion for Enriched Engagement, Catherine Oxworth (Federation University, Australia) and Bin Wu (Swinburne University, Australia)16. Reframing Play through the Spiritual Lens, Christine Robinson (University of Notre Dame, Australia)Conclusion:Challenges and Opportunities Ahead, Elizabeth Rouse (Deakin University, Australia), Brendan Hyde (Deakin University, Australia) and Tony Eaude (University of Oxford, UK)Index

This is an important volume for the field of Early Childhood internationally. With the voice of the child central to the premise, it presents a range of insights and practices that highlight how practitioners might encourage young children to navigate identity and relationships within an increasingly complex world.