Journal of K-12 Educational Research 11 AN EFFECTIVE PLAN AND CURRICULUM FOR SPIRITUAL FORMATION IN THE HOME USING THE Q METHODOLOGY Karla Beth Hagan, EdD Journal of K-12 Educational Research 2022, VOL. 6, ISSUE 1 www.dbu.edu/doctoral/edd Introduction The parental relationship is one of the most strategic relationships in child development (Barna, 2019; Jeynes, 2007; Marzano, 2000; Powell & Clark, 2011; Seemiller & Grace, 2016). It is in and through this relationship that a child comes to understand the world and build a foundation of belief for their lifetime. In fact, Barna (1996) believes a child’s spiritual identity is largely in place by age 13. The spiritual development of a child yields positive dividends in the future of that child as well (Keefer & Brown, 2019; Sim & Loh, 2003). Often parents do not feel equipped to provide this spiritual content to their children (Barna, 2007, 2019). Therefore, it would be important to offer parents a spiritual formation curriculum that also aligns with best practices in teaching and learning. Summary of Study The current study sought to evaluate an effective spiritual formation curriculum called the God Cards based upon order of functional priority and quality of delivery system using two panels of experts. The research questions include: Research Question 1 (RQ1) What is the most important content to include in a home-based children’s spiritual formation curriculum according to a panel of experts in spiritual formation? Research Question 2 (RQ2) What set of indicators of best practices is best suited to determine the quality of a children’s home-based spiritual formation curriculum? Current literature supports the importance of the family structure while also confirming that this structure is in crisis (Brooks, 2020; Hymowitz, 2015; Scafidi 2008; Witte, 2015). The breakdown of the family has financial implications as well as social and emotional implications for children and society (Cook, 2019; Ortega, 2008; Scafidi, 2008). Strategic content that supports healthy children is found in the Bible and a belief in God. Psychologists and theologians alike believe that throughout the stages of a child’s development, a focus on attributes of God and one’s identity found in a belief in God will yield positive and sustaining results to the success of a child as they move into adulthood. Resources for families concerning spiritual formation focus on dinner conversations, catechisms of questions on basic beliefs, and topical devotions for family times. These resources are not overt in their correlation to best practices in teaching and learning. Coming from the Constructivist theory of an inquiry-based approach, effective teaching and learning contains a focus on prior knowledge, sensory-based understanding, purpose, critical thinking, story, and experience. When a child has opportunity in each of these areas with the material they are learning, retention of that material is increased.
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