Distinctively Christian: A Christ-centered Approach to Early Childhood Teaching & Learning

This third book of the Distinctively Christian series centers on teaching and learning. Because of the integrated nature of both development and learning during the early childhood years, teaching, and learning have already been addressed when discussing spiritual development and developmental theory within books one and two. It is difficult to separate the various components related to the education of the young child because, like development, the domains and elements within curriculum are integrated. Children do not divide or take in information by separating knowledge into files labeled “reading,” “math,” “science,” and “social studies.” As they learn through real experiences and play, the disciplines are an integrated whole. Schooling has too often, too soon, disintegrated knowledge. The need to view curriculum through a more holistic approach will be explored in chapter five.

The social and physical domains are also overviewed to better understand their impact on teaching and learning. Areas within the cognitive domain, early literacy (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), mathematical thinking, nature inquiry, and the creative arts will complete the overview of a Christ-centered approach to early childhood education.

The inclusion of every topic related to early childhood was outside the scope of this project. What has hopefully been provided by the Distinctively Christian series is a better understanding of the nature and needs of children within today’s diverse early childhood classrooms, a philosophy of early education grounded in God’s truth, the education of the whole child, and a snapshot of teaching and learning that is both Christian and student-directed (developmentally appropriate). As you read the chapters within this book, you will again be examining the standards, best practices, and characteristics of teaching and learning that characterize not only quality early childhood education, but excellence grounded in a Christ-centered approach.