| THE INTRODUCTION to a recently published book of assemblies is a publicist’s dream: “Stephen Cottrell was consecrated as Bishop of Reading and within that role enjoys telling stories about Naughty Nora.” The mind boggles.
In northern schools, the name Nora has other unfortunate associations. “Nitty Nora” is the fabled and ferocious searcher after headlice. And how many 2008 children are called Nora? Having said that, The Adventures of Naughty Nora (BRF, £6.99; 978-1-84101-388-6) is undeniably fun.
Naughty Nora could be Beryl the Peril, or Minnie the Minx, and in some ways she would come over better in a cartoon format. But the stories do connect realistically with the Christian faith — by far the strongest aspect of the book. Forgiveness, joy, and wonder are at the heart of this enterprising little volume, easily adaptable to a Key Stage 2 assembly.
Children and Spirituality by Brendan Hyde (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, £17.99; 978-1-84310-589-3) follows an altogether more cerebral approach. There are, however, good reasons for persevering with this challenging volume. Schools often refer glibly to the spiritual dimension, but there is little evidence that they have even defined what it is, let alone actually done anything about it. And the latest version of an OFSTED inspection — data-driven and two days long — will neither have the time nor the inclination to care much either way.
Hyde is of the view that engaging sensitively and thoughtfully with this agenda is vital for children’s well- being. Any parent will tell you that children ask impossible yet acutely “aware” questions from a ridiculously young age: “Why did God create germs?” was my own daughter’s Oxbridge-level tester when she was three-and-a-half.
Spiritual awareness, says Hyde, underpins altruistic and ethical behaviour. He identifies four characteristics of children’s spirituality, and considers factors which mitigate against it. Consumerism is easy to spot; what Hyde calls “trivialising post-modernity” is much less obvious, but very perceptive indeed. Little Britain and Celebrity Big Brother come to mind.
Hyde’s overall conclusion is that Nora would not be quite so naughty if we were more alert to her spiritual needs. He just puts it in a different way.
Seeing the Spirit: Exploring the Bible through contemporary art (CEP, £8; 978-1-905893-05-8) introduces itself cautiously. The Protestant Church has tended to be suspicious of the visual arts. Since the Holy Spirit has often had to take a back seat as well, Nicola Slee is to be congratulated on this brave, innovative, and refreshing volume.
Six contemporary works of art provide the stimuli for reflection, discussion, and Bible study. Remarkably, one of the artists is only ten years old. Another is a married mother with three young children, and another is a monk imprisoned under President Marcos in the Philippines. Fascinating stuff.
In a similar vein, the 18th volume in the REthinking series has just appeared on the shelves. Visual Literacy in RE Teaching and Learning by Rachel Woods (The Stapleford Centre, £10.95; 978-1-902234-64-9) is a superb cross-curricular resource to link art and RE. Suitable for older primary children, and the earlier stages of Key Stage 3, this slim and handily priced volume is ideal for teachers who are not art specialists, but are looking for innovative ways to deliver RE.
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