These resources here have been designed with teachers and students in mind, recognising the varied expertise, gifts, talents, interests and ideas each person brings. Please use, edit, extend, expand and contract as best suits your class and context. They are based on the See-Judge-Act model and invite each person to learn, reflect, engage and respond in ways and styles that are most appropriate for you. This is especially the case with regards to your KLA and the unit of work being studied at the time you’re using the resources.
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The Challenging Concept of ‘Spirit Children’
You may have noticed in other material provided by Catholic Mission on our website and for this year’s World Mission Parish Appeal, a story from Ghana that talks about traditional practices that may be harmful for a child considered to be a ‘spirit child’. References to this have been intentionally excluded from our school’s material as it is difficult to develop an appropriate and informed understanding of this without much greater time, knowledge and cultural awareness than we can provide here.
Whilst Sr Stan and others like her are doing much needed work in addressing these issues, it is important to recognise that practices like the ‘spirit child’ mostly occur in places where there is considerable poverty, inequality, a lack of medical resources, and where segments of the population are particularly vulnerable.
For more information on Child Rights and the challenges faced by some children click here.
If you or your students would like to unpack this further, some good information can be found at:
https://www.afrikids.org/what-we-do/faqs/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/dec/18/ghana-international-aid-and-development