Understanding children’s spirituality: conceptualisations by Chilean in-service early childhood educators

Abstract

This study examines how Chilean in-service early childhood educators conceptualise children’s spirituality building on a larger U.S. mixed-methods project. It analyzes the responses of 87 educators to Q7 of the Early Childhood Educator’s Spiritual Practices in the Classroom (ECE-SPC) instrument, utilising NVivo 14 for coding. Three key dimensions of children’s spirituality emerged: Personal, Interpersonal, and Intangible-Immaterial. The Personal Dimension views children’s spirituality as essential and innate, fostering emotional expression, self-awareness, and connection. The Interpersonal Dimension frames it as a learned capacity for relationships shaped by external values. The Intangible-Immaterial Dimension defines children’s spirituality as a connection with the immaterial, encompassing perceptions, feelings, or beliefs in a spiritual being that supports moral growth. These findings underscore a multilayered understanding of spirituality and offer insights for teacher education and professional development. Recognising spirituality as integral to holistic child development encourages educators to incorporate the spiritual domain into early childhood classrooms, fostering inclusive and comprehensive learning environments.