The Little Red Flower Kindergarten
“We cannot wait for the time when our children will grow up and understand that their path leads to the Church, for they may not understand it or may grow rude, and the path to the Church may become hidden or closed forever. Children should be led to the Church from their early childhood… Not from their youth, but earlier, children should be nourished with the beneficial powers of the Church so that the heart of a youth may not become deaf when the time comes for a creative search”.
Archpriest V. V. Zenkovsky
In recent years, the Russian Orthodox Church has again received an opportunity for educating children from the earliest possible age. In many regions in Russia, Orthodox pre-school institutions and groups have been established at state kindergartens.
Orthodox groups have existed in Kindergarten No. 10, called “Little Red Flower”, at the town of Stupino for several years now. In addition to other exercises in which the children are engaged, an inchurched mentor conducts talks with them on spiritual and moral issues. A priest comes to the group once a week to help mentors with religious education and to talk to both children and parents. The children who attend these classes receive knowledge about Orthodox faith from early age, are introduced to church life and learn the traditions of the Russian people. The children in Orthodox groups differ from other children. They are more modest and obedient to their parents and mentors. Their unity and solidarity is manifested in everything, be it a lesson, a walk or help to others.
In addition to ordinary lessons, the children participate in prayer. Celebrations are organized for them on Orthodox feast-days.
On July 2, 2000, celebrations devoted to the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ were conducted at Stupino. The Little Red Flower Kindergarten welcomed guests. Among them were His Eminence Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna and Bishop Tikhon of Vidnoye. The children gave them a joyous welcome and showed them a small performance devoted to the festive event.
The Little Red Flower Kindergarten has had two Orthodox groups graduated. After leaving the kindergarten the children have not parted but have gone together to the same class in the same school, thus showing again the unity and solidarity of the Orthodox.
The experience of work with children in Orthodox groups in Kindergarten No. 10 has already begun to be adopted by other kindergartens at Stupino, as well as other towns in the Moscow Region.
For several years the Little Red Flowers Kindergarten mentors have taken an active part in the work of the Orthodox Pre-school Education section of the Christmas Educational Readings in which they share the technique of work in Orthodox groups. In January 2001, the section met at Stupino on the initiative of Archpriest Mikhail Redkin, dean of Stupino district, and the chairpersons of the section, Rev. Dimitry Razinsky and Alla Alekseyeva, leading researcher of the ROC Department for Religious Education and Catechism. The participants came from 12 regions in Russia and neighboring countries. The children from the Orthodox group gave them a warm welcome, clad in smart Russian folk dresses. Traditionally, the section began its work with a general introduction of the participants. They were mostly workers, mentors and methodologists from pre-school educational institutions. Each spoke briefly on his or her work.
During the meeting of the section the participants attended an open class in the Orthodox group conducted by Galina Patkina, a highly qualified teacher. She had been engaged in the spiritual and moral education of children for six years. After the class, the participants saw a commented film on the life of the Orthodox group and were introduced to the methodological aids used in the kindergarten.
The formation of pre-school children in the spirit of religious and moral enlightenment is a guarantee of the future revival of Holy Russia and a foundation for the prosperity and consolidation of our people.
Rev. Oleg Ovodkov
Basic approaches to spiritual and moral education in the Skazka Kindergarten
Having been the director of a kindergarten for 25 years, I have come to the firm conclusion that it is impossible to educate children without a spiritual and moral foundation. Moreover, its absence is harmful both for children who will graduate pre-school educational institutions having no clear idea of good and bad, and for us, adults, for we commit a serious sin when neglect the most important thing in the development of a child, which is the nourishment of his soul.
Our kindergarten has been engaged in the Orthodox education of children for over ten years. Our work is supported by the Education Directorate and Administration at Stupino because the Orthodox education does not contradict the tasks set by the established secular educational standards, but rather enriches it and the pedagogical process with unique traditions of Russian pedagogy and brings spirituality into the life of the kindergarten.
Our principle is that children should rejoice over life. An Orthodox Christian has special reasons for joy, and we, pedagogues, explain them to children. We know that there is God Who loves us. We know that there is no death. We know that we are guarded by angels. The God-created world is beautiful. And this world can and must be adorned with good works for the benefit of both adults and children. These truths should come home to children in the very beginning of their life path. They should not be allowed to wander in this world, given to sin and despair.
In systematizing knowledge, we have greatly benefited from the Christmas Educational Readings in which we have been lucky to participate for 11 years. The Reading’s section on pre-school education works combining practical materials and theoretical knowledge. It helps us, teachers, to highlight key-points in our work for spiritual and moral education, giving special attention to the revival of Russian culture imbued as it is with Christian spiritual values.
The adequate Orthodox formation and education of a child requires everyday effort to raise children in love of God and their neighbours. We take comfort in seeing the fruits of our work manifested in the life of our children.
Here is an example. A disaster happened in the group: Annie fell seriously ill. She was taken to a hospital in Moscow for surgery. The children are upset. They are unusually quiet. After breakfast they began to make gifts for Annie. Some made drawings, others applique work, still others wrote letter in block letters. After they gave in their pieces, the group’s mentor Marina Dolgaya and I read one of the letters and it filled our eyes with tears. “Anna, please recover. I am praying for you”, the child wrote. Will such a response of a child’s soul to the misfortune of her neighbour be possible without Orthodox education? Anna’s surgery went well. We believe, not only doctors but also children’s prayers served their purpose.
Or, another example. Once I bought a beautiful icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, called “It is meet and right…”. I hastened to the group to share the joy with the children and suggested that they make the sing of the cross, kiss the icon and tell the Mother of God their fondest dream. Certainly, I thought the children will ask for various gifts, sweets, toys. But what a shock it was for me when the very first girl to stand before the icon said quietly, “My dad drinks”. I said, “then make the sign of the cross, kiss the icon and ask the Mother of God that your dad stops drinking”. She did so, whispering her petition, and stepped aside gravely. And the children raised a noise, crying out, “And my dad drinks”, “And my dad drinks vodka”, “And my dad and mom drink and smoke!”
“Good Lord!” we changed glances. “What is all this? Are there any normal families at all?” On that day all the children prayed at the icon for their families. Nobody asked for sweets or gifts. And they were only children of four!
In the evening, I came across the father of that girl. He walked light-hearted, assured and drunk as usual. I said to him, “And your daughter, she prayed today for you and asked the Mother of God that you stop drinking”. The smile instantly vanished from his face. He looked confused and somehow helpless. He murmured only one phrase, “That’s all, I will drink no more”.
Strange as it may seem, he drinks no more! For a third year in a row! Wonderful are the deeds of God! Powerful is a child’s prayer. There are many such examples in our life. They prove we are right. We are right that spiritual and moral education should begin from the earliest childhood, without missing unique opportunities for improving and developing a pre-school child.
L. N. Veremeychuk
Director
Skazka Kindergarten
Stupino