Pedagogy for Kids and Youth

Pearl Church exists to express a sacred story and to extend a common table that animate life by love. This statement of our rhythms actually names our pedagogy for adults. That is to say, the loving story that we express and the inclusive table that we extend, both serve to animate our lives by love.

However, when it comes to kids, this pedagogy is necessarily reversed. We begin with experiences of love, move onto encounters of inclusion, so that by the time our children begin to sincerely engage the scriptures, their experiences of love and encounters with inclusion function as a lens through which they begin to interpret and make meaning of our sacred text. With this context in mind:

Toddlers & Preschoolers (2-3 years old): Experiences of Divine Love

Developmentally speaking, children 2-3 years old are most deeply shaped by their experiences. Our pedagogy for this age-group therefore emphasizes ongoing experiences of Divine Love. In every story told, song sung, game played, and volunteer interaction, we intend for our toddlers and preschoolers to intentionally experience expressions of love.

Elementary (4-11 years old): Encounters with a Common Table

Developmentally speaking, children 4-11 years old are most deeply shaped by their encounters. As our children age-out of the toddler/preschool class, our pedagogy for this age-group emphasizes ongoing encounters of common table. In every story told, song sung, game played, and volunteer interaction, we intend for our elementary children to intentionally encounter their own belonging as well as the belonging of “the other,” whoever that happens to be.

Youth (12-18 years old): Engaging our Sacred Story

Developmentally speaking, children 12-18 years old begin to transition from valuing concrete experiences and encounters to valuing abstract ideas. Having experienced love and having encountered inclusion over the course of their lives at Pearl, our pedagogy for this age-group begins to sincerely engage our sacred story. This story, however, is not simply read and discussed. Rather, it is interpreted through our youths’ deep knowing of love and inclusion, which function as a lens to discern the heart and pleasure of God, for today.