Building bridges and right relations: a study in fostering spiritual, moral and social growth through groupwork skills with young children

This chapter reports on research with young children conducted as part of a unique 4 year large scale UK project investigating effective groupwork skills across all age ranges. This chapter adds to current debate and academic inquiry in the field of moral and spiritual education, proposing a theoretical understanding of the significance of how the relationship between teacher and pupils is a key factor in enabling children’s religious, moral, cultural, spiritual and social development. Drawing on practitioner discourse analysis the chapter offers research evidence to demonstrate the ability of children to trust, reflect, construct meaning, build relationships and develop social skills with peers. Discussing the enabling of pupil voice the chapter offers an original and innovative approach to understanding the teacher’s role; it impacts on educational policy and practice in identifying how teachers can develop groupwork skills with their class, thereby encouraging a meaningful, enriched, safe classroom climate for pupils.