A simple description of Godly PlayMartyn Payne |
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Godly Play is one of several variations of the Montessori tradition of religious education and has been developed in the United States. Godly Play is a method of telling Bible stories, presenting parables and lessons about religious traditions using three-dimensional materials. It invites listeners into the stories and encourages them to connect the stories with personal experience. It is a gentle way to encourage children to move into larger dimensions of belief and faith through wondering questions and open-ended response time.
‘The whole nature of Godly Play is such that learning outcomes are not controlled, neat and tidy as in some traditional courses. In Godly Play the children learn not primarily through a didactic approach but through discovery; not through boxes to tick but boxes to open; not as a product achieved but as a process experienced.’
Godly Play is an effective way of working with a group of children of differing ages and who have diverse learning styles. After listening to the story the children decide for themselves how to respond:
Children make their own responses in whatever medium they choose. Each child will be wrestling with different issues and has a chance to revisit the stories through play and other media. One way in which Godly Play differs from other children's educational programmes is the fact that teacher-directed crafts or identical take-home sheets are not available. Each child develops a personal folder, which is his or her record of what God is saying to them through the stories. Where Godly Play is used regularly, children take their folders home at the end of the year.
‘The response time is a change in pattern for us, since, rather than a set craft, children decide for themselves what they will do to show what they feel about the story they have heard. It means a whole tableful of materials has to be available and indeed some – particularly the older ones – also choose to respond by creating a short piece of drama. It has been liberating not to be on the craft hunt every week!’
Godly Play is a way of preparing children to join in the worship life of their congregations, as they develop a deeper understanding of stories, symbols and rites and encounter the religious language associated with them in a way which is appropriate and affirming. It allows children to face and raise important questions about life and death and search for meaning in their own way and at their own speed, but within the context of the faith tradition with all its richness.
‘Godly Play has inspired me to rethink the way I teach my Sunday Club class. I realise I am guilty of trying to put in rather than draw out. Yesterday I began with 'wondering' why we started the service in church with 'the Lord is here’, etc. The children thought that it must be because He is, and we agreed together that it would be a good way to start our own little time together. I am wondering about making a circular mat/floor-covering that they can decorate as a way of marking out our special space. Godly Play will definitely be tried out too. I am also looking at the feasibility of organising a training day or such
Godly Play has been developed by the Reverend Dr. Jerome Berryman, who works from the Centre for Theology of Childhood at Christ Church Cathedral, Houston. This centre is the organisation behind Godly Play research, training, and theological study. It licenses Godly Play trainers and regional teaching consultants. Currently there are two accredited trainers in Europe (UK), Rebecca Nye and Peter Privett. A number of diocesan Children's Advisers now have considerable experience of Godly Play and in addition all the members of the Barnabas Ministry Team have been on a three-day training course and can offer introductory sessions as accredited teachers. Whilst Godly Play is primarily designed as a Sunday school method for children, it has also been adapted for chaplaincy care for sick children, church clubs, all-age worship services, large-scale children's festivals, Bible reading groups, elderly people's care groups and theological education for ministers.
‘Godly play is not just for children. It provides an unexpected telling of familiar stories. Many people are deeply moved by the simplicity and yet profundity of this experiential way of exploring biblical truths’.
Godly Play’s leading exponent Jerome Berryman has published The Complete Guide to Godly Play. Volume 1 is the introductory guidebook and volumes 2 to 4 together comprise a year's worth of presentations, including scripts, tips for presenting, the materials needed and diagrams. Further volumes are planned. All these volumes will shortly be available via the BRF website. Jerome Berryman has also written Teaching Godly Play: the Sunday Morning Handbook, which is a valuable practical guide to classroom management and the educational theory underpinning the method. A further book by Jerome Berryman entitled Godly Play- an imaginative approach to religious education is a full account of Godly Play's development, its theological rationale concerning religious language and experience and also the theology of play, childhood and teaching. There are three websites to be recommended:
The theory behind Godly Play takes in a number of important issues including:
Godly Play creates space in which the pattern of liturgy is explored and celebrated. It encourages learning through the body as well as the mind using movement, sight, sound, smell, sensing, feeling, taste and touch. With Godly Play those involved absorb the ministry of the word through the senses, as the stories unfold, inviting them to respond in wondering and worship.
‘Godly Play does not promote itself as the only approach to children's work but it does perhaps bring a vital missing element to our work with children. For too long much of what we have been doing with children has been fact-filled teaching or attention-grabbing entertainment. Though there is a time for this, Godly Play's gift is that, within a clearly-defined and safe environment (sacred space), with an unhurried presentation using beautiful materials, with open-ended wondering questions and a free choice of an art and craft response, the children are encouraged to learn to know God for themselves and not just learn about Him; to discover Him speaking to them, rather than simply receiving the teaching prepared by the leader; to explore and grow their own innate, God-given spirituality rather than receive it ready-packaged from others’
Godly Play's emphasis on exploring spirituality with the Bible stories echoes BRF's own aims so closely that it is no wonder that we are keen to be part of its development in this country. All three of the Barnabas Ministry Team for BRF are now accredited teachers of Godly Play, so we are each equipped to begin to explore this approach with your church or perhaps a group of local churches in your area. Why not be in touch with us by contacting Martin Gee, the
Barnabas Ministry Team Co-ordinator
email martin.gee@brf.org.uk
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