Teaching Scripture in the Early Years Some Things to Keep in Mind Jan Grajczonek

As I have the opportunity to speak with more early years’ teachers regarding the teaching of scripture, the question most commonly asked question of me is, “What version of children’s bible is the most appropriate?” The more I see of these versions the less I like them. This is not to say that you now must go and toss them away. But perhaps you need to think about some of the following issues and then make up your own mind whether to keep them or not.

As literacy is the central, overall aim of all religion curricula, and students’ understanding of the texts themselves gains more emphasis within the various diocesan religion curricula, teachers may need to refocus their outcomes for young students. The bottom line is that each gospel, Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, presents its own version of the nature of events that surrounded Jesus during his life time here on earth. Unfortunately, children’s bibles present only one story which is most times an amalgamation of all four gospels. Students then do not come to an understanding of the specific nature of each gospel and its rich and unique messages for Christian communities. Their own biblical literacy does not distinguish the two very different infancy narratives or the different resurrection narratives and so on. Then in later years they experience a range of responses and reactions, when they come to the realisation that Jesus was in fact not born in a stable, (read Luke, Chapter 2 very carefully) and may have been born in a house (see Matthew 2:11).

If biblical literacy is the aim of the curriculum, then from the outset, in the early years’ settings or classrooms, the correct story must be shared. So, having said that then, what do we do as teachers and what do we use to tell the story?

First, and most important, is to read the text itself. Do not depend on your own knowledge of the story, as often this is overlayed with images that are influenced by movies, children’s bible stories or art works, all of which seldom tell the real story according to one of the gospel authors. Once you decide which version to use, and I would recommend Mark, Matthew or Luke in preference to John’ Gospel which can be far too complex for early years’ students, read it carefully, noting which characters are in the story, the actual setting as it is described, and the event as it is described. If you are unsure of which version (should the story be told in more than one) then perhaps you could stay with the liturgical year cycle. For example, this year is the year of Mark and so you could make a point to focus on Markan stories throughout the year.

Second, familiarise yourself with the story and its social, cultural and religious contexts. Use biblical dictionaries to find out more about the characters, or the religious laws if they are part of the story, such as Sabbath, or Passover, or the Purity laws. Consult biblical commentaries for further information. Go to a biblical atlas and see where these places are. Find illustrations of the types of houses, villages and towns, as well as what the country looked like and how the people dressed. If possible, photocopy images in colour and laminate them so that you can bring the story alive with your students as you tell it.

Third, you could then make or find three or four items and place these into a story bag and as you tell the story, bring each item out explaining each one’s significance in the story. For example, for the Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother, Luke 15:11-32, place into your story bag a small bag of coins, some plastic pigs, a robe, a ring and a pair of sandals. As you tell the story bring each of these out in turn and weave the necessary background into your story: “When the father saw the son returning he ran to meet him. He placed a robe around his son. This was a sign that the son’s status in the family was to be restored. Remember how kings in these times were robed when they were anointed. The son is like a king to his father.” And so on. This helps to focus young students and to bring the story alive. After you have told the story, hand these items out and ask students to stand holding the items, in the correct sequential order of the story. Then ask them to decide which of these would be the most important. This second task adds another dimension to the story’s message.

Once they are familiar with the story and participated in some activities which focus on the characters, the items, and the events, they can then decide on the message the parable had for Luke’s community, as well as for contemporary Christian communities. At this point you could then have a huge scrap book (they are available at newsagents) and as the students help you to retell the story write a simplified version of each key event onto a different page. Hand these pages out for students to illustrate, or have students act out the story and take photographs. Staple the pages together, cover with a durable cover and store it away as one of the class’ bible stories. Over the year you would have a series of biblical stories which the students would know extremely well and would be true to the text. These could then be used in liturgies and also in prayer assemblies. They would certainly be treasured by the students each time they are brought out.