All My Children

There is no set of rules of how to talk to a child that can even approach what you unconsciously know.

Brown is responding above to the question ‘How can a child’s learning of language be facilitated?’ In thinking of the ways in which teachers can help children communicate we have, like Brown, taken as our starting point the skills and strategies of the natural and spontaneous parent. A great deal of what we have to say is either an enhancement or clarification of what adults normally do. Continue Reading »

What Does It Mean to Be a Catholic?

Catholicism is so much a part of religious life in Western culture, both in fact and in fiction, that many people feel they know what a Catholic is without looking deeply into the religion itself. But Catholicism is, in fact, a very complex religion. Even if you are a devout Catholic, don’t assume that your youngster understands Catholic beliefs and rituals. Take the time to discuss even highly Popularized symbols of Catholicism, particularly because your interpretation of what a Catholic is may differ sharply from popular depictions. Continue Reading »

Through talks with Catholic children, I have found a few themes which come up again and again. Issues of papal authority, marriage, the Trinity, sexuality, the gender of God, and the Christmas spirit are evident in many Catholic children. To offer a few ideas and some support, I want to present some observations concerning Catholic child-rearing. Continue Reading »

Norm-Referenced Tests

Most ’standardised’ tests have at their core an assumption that abilities are evenly distributed across a population, such that an equal number of cases will fall above and below a statistical mean. Tests are constructed so that children’s scores will spread out across this range. In using a standardised measure we expect half the children to whom it is applied to be below average. Continue Reading »

We shall be passing a critical eye over some of the language assessment procedures which have been devised, together with a sample of the remedial packages which are available Commercially Up to this point we have discussed language acquisition within a framework of the normal developmental process. Similarly, the approach we have taken to children with language difficulties uses the parameters for describing communication skills which have emerged from the study of normal ;development. No apology is made for this. Continue Reading »

Like other Protestant denominations, Presbyterianism sees the Bible as the ultimate source of authority, guidance, and inspiration. Presbyterianism teaches that God employs chosen men to reveal divine intentions, but no man should intercede between God and the individual. In contrast to Catholics, Presbyterians offer their confessions directly to God rather than to a minister.

The Presbyterian religion has few symbols or ornate icons. In fact, most Presbyterian churches display only an empty cross. Presbyterians believe that Christ’s Resurrection, not his Crucifixion, should be the center of mankind’s attention. I would recommend that you mention this to your child and then inquire: “What do you think about when you see the cross in church?” Continue Reading »

What Does It Mean to Be a Protestant?

If you’re Protestant you are probably well aware of a religious tradition that includes the earliest settlers of our country, and you may have passed that on to your child.

Awareness of Protestant history can help a child better understand the common qualities Protestant denominations share.

Perhaps with the aid of a story or picture book, explain to your child that Protestantism is the name for several religious groups which were formed during the Great Reformation of the early sixteenth century. Continue Reading »

What Is an Unaffiliated Believer?

Some families and individuals march to the tune of a different spiritual drummer. While these individuals may have been raised in the major traditions just described, they have decided that formal religion is just not for them. Or alternatively, they have grown up in families which were unaffiliated to begin with. Nonetheless, these individuals come together as couples and continue to pursue an earnest, noninstitutionalized belief in God. If that description fits you and your spouse, then how have you decided to teach your child about God? Continue Reading »

You might tell your child that although your beliefs are different, you still love each other and, of course, your child. If God is love, then that will overcome things that confuse us or make us disagree. Your joint openness and respect for each other will undoubtedly serve as a great comfort to your child.

In contrast, some interfaith parents wish to avoid these embroiled difficulties. They may believe that the best thing to do is to bring up a child without the heavy blanket of religion at all. They may feel that religion is either a burden or just something that will cause difficulty. But their spiritual path—and their children’s—is usually not so clear. Continue Reading »

If you have an interfaith marriage, what religion should you offer to your child? You have several weighty choices, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

You can choose one religion or the other, from the husband’s or the wife’s background, and make that the religion of your new family. For example, a committed Catholic father and a nominal Protestant mother might elect to bring up their child as a Catholic. The main advantage of this child-rearing strategy is that the child is raised in a single religious environment, as most youngsters are. Whether they are sent to religious school or not, children have a better chance to embrace religion if they concentrate on one coherent set of beliefs and practices. For the parent whose religion is not observed, the fundamental task is to keep an eye out for any possible resentment or guilt. Each parent must be entirely comfortable with the family’s choice of religion. Continue Reading »