tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post3302095026334907863..comments2024-02-03T20:39:28.911+01:00Comments on Explore and Express: The Cycles of Growing as a Godly Play TeacherSheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05625950990926813867noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-48527386386316914042012-11-11T04:35:48.016+01:002012-11-11T04:35:48.016+01:00Hi Sheila, Still (never?) getting caught up! Great...Hi Sheila, Still (never?) getting caught up! Great post - and it feels so true to my experience with Catechesis as well. Thanks for highlighting the stages. Patience is hard to come by when you "want it all" for the children, but this is a big work and there is no substitute for time. Its so good to be reminded!Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04456968102334835284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-65766406728261035512012-10-30T17:19:56.416+01:002012-10-30T17:19:56.416+01:00Hi Discovering Montessori, Thanks so much for read...Hi Discovering Montessori, Thanks so much for reading along with me! I love your blog as well and learn so much from it. . . . To answer some of your questions, the typical stories for the fall are the Old Testament stories like "Creation" and "The Great Family". I would do a few of those until Advent starts, because they set up where Jesus came from and what kind of family he was born into, as well as what kind of family we come into. . . . Godly Play works just as well at home as in other situations. And it's how I started. You just have to gather/make materials, the same as you would for your homeschool classes. It can be done really with any number of people. The disadvantage with larger groups is that it is more difficult for everyone to have a chance to speak during the Wondering. The thing that seems to make the most difference is when the children know and trust one another. . . . Hope you will post about your journey as well! Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05625950990926813867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-46193511030470816342012-10-30T03:48:22.919+01:002012-10-30T03:48:22.919+01:00I am so glad you haven't deleted those post! I...I am so glad you haven't deleted those post! I am an avid reader of your blog(I really should comment more). You inspired me to begin Godly Play at home. I sure wish that I could enroll in one of the training programs. I was wondering is Godly Play similar to teaching Montessori in the classroom, meaning the more children the better the hearing of the story, wondering? My children loved the telling of the stories! Do you have any suggestions for doing this at home? I really need some help and I prefer to get back to the stories before Christmas. I don't want to send mixed messages to my children that it is the only season to worship. Thank you so much for sharing .Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13158647152559332939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-80915557119516435882012-10-28T21:33:50.355+01:002012-10-28T21:33:50.355+01:00Hi David,
Once again you hit the nail on the hea...Hi David, <br /><br />Once again you hit the nail on the head with a great analogy. I had never thought of GP in quite those terms, but it makes sense. The fastest that anyone can learn a foreign language is 2-3 years. And there are stages of "fluency".<br /><br />That must have taken a lot of discipline to only do the core stories for three years! My need for variety and lack of initial understanding of the spiral curriculum (I didn't know it existed until well into my second year!) probably drove me to do too much too fast. But I can pass that advice on to others who are just starting out.: )Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05625950990926813867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-91122303888892406352012-10-28T21:29:21.361+01:002012-10-28T21:29:21.361+01:00Hi Mama, Isn't it awesome that we don't ha...Hi Mama, Isn't it awesome that we don't have to get it right the first time? I wish you much joy and patience in the process to come.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05625950990926813867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-70156369930297095142012-10-28T21:27:39.410+01:002012-10-28T21:27:39.410+01:00Hi Hillary,
It's so good to hear from you! I...Hi Hillary, <br /><br />It's so good to hear from you! I totally understand about health issues and slowing down a bit - that is very wise of you. We all need to practice the "ebb" in the ebb and flow that God calls us to. But sometimes I have a hard time with it.: )<br /><br />I'm glad that you are reading "Teaching Godly Play". I didn't even know it existed until my second year of teaching. You're right, there's no rush, so we don't have to put pressure on ourselves and we can take time. <br /><br />Regarding Advent, I always have a theme and then decide which stories to do around that. For instance, one year the theme was "The Joy of Christmas: Thinking of Others", so in addition to the normal Advent story, I told the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Another year, the theme had to do with great things having small beginnings, so I included the Mustard Seed and Leaven Parables. I have also told "The Great Family" to give background as what kind of family Jesus was born into and what kind of family we come into when we begin a relationship with him. <br /><br />I look at how many sessions I will be having and pick a common thread that runs through all the stories. For that reason, i usually tell the Advent story in one session, but it could certainly be broken up into several sessions. <br /><br />Will the small group be with adults or children? That will also influence what you tell. With children, you want to make sure that they hear the core stories first, but with adults, you could tell some of the enrichment stories as well. "The Mystery of Christmas" is a great enrichment story.<br /><br />Let me know how the planning goes! If I can be of any further help, please let me know.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05625950990926813867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-56394125566141905892012-10-27T22:49:27.525+02:002012-10-27T22:49:27.525+02:00Yes, Jerome insists that Godly Play is all about l...Yes, Jerome insists that Godly Play is all about language learning and anyone who has learnt a second language, especially as an adult, experiences these cycles... conscious learning v. latent learning, thinking you know more (or perhaps less!) than you actually do... even after 40 years of speaking Spanish, I still feel awkward at times, but that might also have something to do with my age! ;) <br /><br />Incidentally, when Volume 6 was published, I made a conscious choice not to start on those stories until I had experienced at least 2 full cycles (x3 years) of telling and seeing others tell the core stories. Finally, with now 8 years of GP under my belt, I have begun to learn those enrichment narratives! :)<br /><br />By the way, thanks for having the courage not to delete the early posts!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16237799628088700637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-90090363083542834172012-10-27T19:40:26.180+02:002012-10-27T19:40:26.180+02:00As I just get started, it's good to be told in...As I just get started, it's good to be told in a specific way that, like all new things, like all things in life, that Godly Play is a process -- and that to start and trust in God's leadership is a good way to think, instead of being Absolutely Sure of what I'm doing or enter with fear that I'm not doing it "right." Thanks for giving this new entrant another glimpse into the road ahead (: MamaWhat Darlin'?https://www.blogger.com/profile/17166247261876394471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6622029955594375134.post-41436975476103654942012-10-27T18:39:36.710+02:002012-10-27T18:39:36.710+02:00I'm still a taking baby steps - not quite thro...I'm still a taking baby steps - not quite through my first year! But having just read that book, I am just beginning to realise that I have an awful lot more to discover! Things that looked simple, (or even as you say, silly!)are much more sophisticated than at first glance. I realise I need time to grow but that it's OK, there's no rush, and what I don't get hold of in this first cycle, I might next time, or the one after...there is all the time I need...<br /><br />Having said that, inspired by your Advent clubs, I am thinking of doing something similar, for a small group in my home. Do you have any words of advice? Especially in the choice of stories? <br /><br />I haven't been blogging because my camera got sand in it and needs to get an expensive fix! But we have had some health issues to attend to and God has definitely been guiding us to slow down a little...as much as you can with a family and work! But I continue to be inspired by your word, so keep them coming! HilaryxFeatherglenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com