‘Spirituality is like a bird. If you hold it too closely, it chokes. And if you hold it too loosely, it escapes.’ Irasel Salanter Lipkin
At Littleham C of E Primary, we believe that it is very important to provide all children with a range of opportunities to help them develop spiritually. We believe that spiritual development may not be synonymous with RE and Collective Worship and can be explored through many different curriculum areas and as part of our personal development offer.
As a school we focus on the idea of 4 concepts of spirituality: self, others, world and beauty and beyond. We start with ‘big questions’ about life and we plan a series of encounters (windows) that open up the possibility of reflection (mirrors). Finally, the children are given the opportunity to put into action what they believe and value (doors).
We use the Windows, Mirrors and Doors model to support spiritual development.
Windows – Learning about life
We give children opportunities to becomeawareof the world in new ways; towonderabout life’s ‘Wows’ (things that are amazing and unexplainable as to why they evoke such a response) and ‘Ows’ (things that upset us and cause us to be uncertain). In this, our children are learningaboutlife in all its fullness.
Mirrors – Learning from life
We give children opportunities toreflecton their experiences; tomeditateandreflecton life’s big questions and to consider some possible answers. In this, they are learningfromlife by exploring their own insights and perspectives and those of others.
Doors – Learning to live life
We give children opportunity torespondto all of this; todosomething creative as a means of expressing, applying and further developing their thoughts and convictions. In this they are learning toliveby putting into action what they are coming to believe and value.