Erken Çocuklukta Dini-Ahlaki Gelişim ve Öğrenme, Ed: Recep Kaymakcan, Ensar Publications, November 2023, 574 pages, E -ISBN: 978-605-72730- 6-2

Kitap kritiği

Abstract

There have been various approaches and developments in our country from past to present regarding religious and moral education in early childhood. Some of these approaches have been discussed in terms of their compatibility with democracy and human rights, while others have been discussed in terms of the child's development process. Are the debates justified? Does it pose a problem in terms of Article 24 of the Basic Law? Why has the implementation of religious and moral education in early childhood been so late in Turkey? Religious-moral education in early childhood includes a number of theoretical and practical studies, but can they be applied? In their book, the authors address not only the developmental structure of the child but also the situation of teachers, educational environments, methods and programs. The authors, without giving place to their own opinions and thoughts in terms of the suitability of children's religious-moral ed (Atik, Erken Çocuklukta Dini- Ahlaki Gelişim, 2023a)ucation, tell us about the applications made in western countries in the past, including cognitive, affective, psycho-motor of some theories, and offer the reader the opportunity to interpret whether religious-moral education in early childhood poses a developmental problem. The authors, who do not leave only the developmental aspect for their readers, have also examined the importance of the social environment and religious experiences from a religious-moral point of view, and have presented their work in order to eliminate the question marks we have mentioned by presenting scientific arguments to their readers with examples applied in western countries, where and how this education should be given and how religious symbols should be used. The authors have tried to convey to their readers various practices that indicate that it is necessary to be a spiritual guide, spiritual counselor and guide them rather than overloading the child with information about the formation of the language of religion, the importance of the game for children at this age, and the fact that the game is not just to spend time or to distract the child, but to teach certain facts, leads us to the conclusion that we should never forget the idea that those clean and innocent brains in early childhood are always under record. In addition to educating children not only in the areas mentioned, the authors do not ignore the spiritual dimension of children and mention examples of schools that can be implemented without disturbing the child's psyche. Although we are frightened by the fact that these schools are likely to create some problems from an Islamic point of view and that they are likely to endanger the beliefs of children, we believe that they can be brought into an Islamic format with the necessary studies. The authors have also analyzed the 4-6 age education system, which has just been put into practice by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the authors, who determine the functioning and deficiencies of this field for their readers, create a perspective for those interested in this field. Another approach of the authors is the literary aspect of the child. We think that the lack of sufficient studies in our country in the field of religious-moral education in early childhood for minors should be emphasized on the idea that it will cause our children, who are our future, to meet and bond with Islamic elders late and to encounter religious teachings late, and we think that we should support the necessary studies in this regard. As a result, this book has stated with scientific arguments that children should be educated by paying attention to the areas we have mentioned while giving religious-moral education in early childhood. This situation has also provided the opportunity for self-evaluation for the readers who are educators.