Understanding Faith

What it is and what it is not.

Sugandha Mathur

4/1/20261 min read

A B C D E and now F. F is for Faith.

The term faith represents the trust or belief of parents, teachers and school leaders in the potential of all children. When we trust children in the school or at home, their own positive belief about their unlimited capacity is nurtured proving this self-fulfilling prophecy.

Carol Dweck (2006) echos this when she talks about how the beliefs of teachers transform children’s own beliefs about their capability.

The UNCRC (2005) too provides the right to all children’s views to be given recognition authenticating its faith in children’s capacity as important contributors to their learning environment.

Similarly, MacNaughton, Hughes, & Smith (2007) champion children as equal collaborators with teachers and experts.

Research has firmly established that faith is akin to trust in children’s capacity to make choices and share their views, and is directly linked to a feeling of belonging, agency, equity, communication and the development of a growth mindset.

When a teacher or parent tells the child that they have full faith in them, it broadens the horizon for the child, it opens doors for them.

Faith, in the context of being a condition for all learning, is not a word attached to reverence of the divine powers. Rather, it shines light on the unlimited human power to flourish, take decisions, persevere, solve problems, engage deeply in learning a skill, acquire knowledge and pursue a call for action.

So let us remember to show our faith in our children and all little people that touch our lives. Let us light up their path with our faith in them, so they can find their way.

Reference

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.

MacNaughton, G., Hughes, P., & Smith, K. (2007). Young children’s rights and public

policy: Practices and possibilities for citizenship in the early years. Children and

Society, 21(6), 458- 469.

United Nations. (2005). United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child General

Comment No. 7 Implementing Child Rights in Early Childhood.

http://www.unicef.org/crc/