formation of socio-cultural competencies through religious

Annales Universitatis Apulensis. Series Paedagogica-Psychologica

FORMATION OF SOCIO-CULTURAL COMPETENCIES THROUGH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN BULGARIAN

KINDERGARTEN

Liana GALABOVASofia University „Saint Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria

Abstract: Religious education in contemporary Bulgarian kindergartens is organised as an optional additional pedagogical activity for 6-7 old preschoolers. Integration of elements of religious knowledge and culture into main course of Bulgarian preschool education is usually related to moral upbringing and children's celebrations of national holidays. Introduction of age-appropriate material and activities related to religious traditions and tolerance corresponds to secular and diverse environment of Bulgarian educational system and to attitudes of local society as a whole. Normative documentation regulating kindergarten education allows presence of traditional values and folk feasts mainly in regard of development of initial social and cultural skills. Particular local programs for preschool education that vary in their focus and style of working with children also provide opportunity of enrichment and creativity, including perceptions of phenomena related to religion and spirituality. Preschool teachers of religion are called and trained to work together with children, educators, families, religious communities, administration, human-rights activists, as well as possible. Therefore, pedagogical art in the sphere of religious education consist in: combining patriotic and intercultural education in cultural sphere; encouraging both children’s self-approval and empathy in regard of individual needs and collective demands and expectations. Along those efforts there come a number of questions and tensions that require specific approach and yet more effective communication. Practical experience in experimental and regular preschool activities related to religion in Bulgarian kindergarten conditions, show that balance between confessional and neutral approaches make religious education compatible, live and appropriate part of educational processes and of priorities oriented to recent child and future society. Preschool religious education becomes factor of formation of children's socio-cultural competencies if involvement of religious and spiritual values in secular education helps children to grow up: healthy, happy, oriented, communicative, kind, ethical, informed, educated, confident, competitive, proactive and willing to cooperate and improve.

Keywords: religious education, sociocultural competence, children, kindergarten, identity.

In many countries around the world, traditional religious education is significant factor of shaping local cultural identity and condition for sustenance of social peace - directly or indirectly, actually or supposedly, justly or stereotypically, purposefully or occasionally. Twenty years already, states historically belonging to Orthodox Christian religious group, regulate religious education in traditional national way, and there is a lot of critique on the relation of that fact to social justice. Along processes of Post-Communist democratisation and

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Euro-integration, education combines cultural approach of educating about religious heritage with intercultural training in order to consider minority's rights. Raising the awareness of human rights and freedoms responds to the mixed character of children's groups as small societies at schools and kindergartens. Still religious organisations, both minor and major, but especially the traditional Orthodox churches, had regained public space and recognition as compensation for communist repressions. Meanwhile religious education became indicator of how religious communities serve their society and how people and state need them, according to the level of the revival of their traditional role and actual ability to deserve recent position during social changes, and along national movements and emancipation of small states from big socialist unions. Therefore even catechism accidentally occurring in contemporary secular environment, still could easily go together with regarding of the increasing variety of origin and attitudes of every individual person involved in contemporary educational system in general. That situation challenges recent decision-makers, and turns the work of teachers and researchers into an interesting and rewarding process aimed at reducing social tensions during transition by development of individual personalities. In result, what is now central to education is how to manage information, understanding, and motivation, including what was recovered, and what was ignored from the past, in order to provide impact on children's personal development and social skills. This paper, based on my experience as teacher and researcher in the field of religious education, discusses how educational technologies, communication, empathy, example, and environment in education can lead to character improvement - as in any field of preschool training, so in the fields related to religion and spirituality for children.

In Bulgaria there is religious education in kindergartens yet from the time of the beginning of social changes at the end of the 90s. Children's activities related to Orthodox Christian (and yet more rarely to Muslim) faith and heritage in contemporary Bulgarian kindergartens is organised as ability of providing optional additional pedagogical moments for 5-7 old preschoolers. Although it is not at all popular and widespread practice in Bulgaria, to teach religion to preschoolers – or more precisely, to communicate information and values to children in appropriate manner, and in order to achieve available goals, there is interesting local experience having let to valuable outcomes. Improvement of education at its first level was initiated by the process of returning of ethnographic or folklore feast in kindergarten curriculum in the late 80s.

By that time, many European states with Catholic and Protestant Christian population were reconsidering their methods of teaching religion together with countries without confessional training at public educational units of all levels – from kindergarten to university, and finally came to the idea of non-confessional religious education. In pedagogy, didactics as theory of education, and education as process of teaching and upbringing have to reconsider their direction and character and to shift knowledge integration from questions like: who, what, when, and how,

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to questions like: why and how1. Educators have to give priority to philosophical issue of understanding: why? instead to practical issues of approach: how?, which had been given priority by now2. While pedagogical studies went through democratisation, many countries developed educational policies regarding value formation in order to face moral crisis of globalised society, and of their own country. Morals, values, and spirituality started gaining back some of their primary significance in education worldwide, but there was special need for that in countries that had suffered through certain period of ruling atheist ideology.

The idea of religious education as part of children's training in citizenship3

was meeting children's necessities in globalised world, migrating between areas with different religious tradition, and families with various beliefs. The idea of comparative religious education gained interest in Bulgarian public space in regard of long tradition of coexistence of Bulgarian Muslim and Jewish religious groups, and of smaller Catholic, and Protestant communities, and especially of widespread theosophy, and in regard of new and rare adepts of new religious movements. Non-confessional approach to religious education of preschoolers came from the variety of teachers' and parents' beliefs, from the awareness to respond to real situation, and from the competence to resolve the complexity of new situations. That trend went together with recognition of Orthodox church and spirituality, as leading religious place and belief to belong, although not actively for most of local people. Along the years there appeared limited, but appropriate and valuable methodological literature and training in the field of both types of religious education. Kindergarten teachers, newly educated theologians, scholars and decision makers in the field of education started realising the necessity of practical implementation of some kind of moral and cultural education, even though it never became as visible as in other countries, where religious education is organised on more regular basis. For ordinary people inside our country, Bulgarian religious education seems non-existing, and only desired, and possible. Based on my comparative research on religious education in Orthodox area and on international

1 VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2010), Personally oriented education process. Website of Association of primary school teachers 2010, http://iris-pv.net/main.php?page=biblio/loop.lbi (Access 12 Sept 2010, 13:13), (In Bulgarian). 2 HUITT, WILLIAM (2004), Moral and character development, Website of Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/morchr/morchr.html, (through: http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/materials/elecfile.html, Readings on educational psychology, Moral Development, and Character Education, Overview) (Access 12 Sept 2010, 11:08).3 CHIDESTER, DAVID, (2002) Global citizenship, cultural citizenship and world religions in religion education, Cape Town, Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Publishers, http://www.hsrcpress.ac.za/product.php? cat=21&freedownload=1&productid=1976 , (Access through downloading 12 Sept 2010, 12:31).

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documentation regulating education about religion and beliefs in general, I prefer to determine our policy on religious education as diplomatic. Local educational and religious authorities pursued their various objectives, but their obligation did not allow religious freedom to come into conflict with children's rights (right of education), neither with the rights of parent (right to educate their children according to their world-views) as international agreements had been recommending4. So to say, local authorities allowed people to opt for education that will promote traditional culture, and let them choose on individual basis, if education related to religion will be appropriate for their children, also with regard of particular form, place, focus, and manner of such training.

Integration of elements of religious knowledge and culture into the main course of Bulgarian preschool education is usually related to moral upbringing and children celebrations of national holidays. When parents and teachers had been asked to specify their expectations from religious education, they provided rich variety of answers, interpretations, opinions, suggestions, ideas, insights, critique, and demands, which we as teachers had to follow; they also shared different kind of interests, personal memories, philosophies, ideologies, and stereotypes, that we had to have in mind. That is why, since 1996, when first official experimental program of Christian religious education reached Bulgarian kindergartens, neither the concept, nor the public vision of that activity was not defined ultimately, and together with methodological instructions remained opened to changes and development. Preschool age had been included in all local documentation and organisation regulations concerning religious education in public schools in general – as Religion-Christianity and Religion-Islam. The idea of separate program of religious education for preparatory kindergarten group did not receive proper institutionalisation, although there was timely provision of clear and thorough didactic and methodical literature5 and authorised training programs as well. Still there are kindergartens, which host children classes of religion, and many others who sometimes invite specialists and religious representatives on special occasions, with the agreement of parents, and mostly in case that they have available professional.

Meanwhile, there are some developments, new ideas, appeals, and regulations, which improve the whole situation of teaching about religions and beliefs in Bulgaria. Practically, up until now, regular teachers and kindergarten units choose how to represent religion to children, according to the values that they share with parents. Specialists and religious people feel commitment to do that more intensively, purposefully, and also professionally while they generally follow the rules of educational space and curriculum, and respond particular situation 4 ODIHR - ADVISORY COUNCIL OF EXPERTS ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF (2007), Toledo guiding principles on teaching about religions and beliefs in public schools, Warsaw, OSCE/ODIHR, www.oslocoalition.org/documents/toledo_guidelines.pdf (Access 12 Sept 2010, 12:45).5 VASSILEVA, EMILIA (1999), Religious education of preschool children. Teacher's manual, Sofia, Sviat2001, (In Bulgarian).

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occurring in a specific children's group and kindergarten time and moment. Teachers of religion as well as regular kindergarten teachers have opportunity to improvise, and adjust their work to same rules and conditions, but they also have the obligation to improve religious education, and to add to the available teaching materials.

In secular environment of contemporary education in Bulgaria, formation of children's sociocultural competence through religious education in kindergarten consist in combination of: humanist morality related to social skills, folklore festive competence related to cultural orientation of children, and religious competence in specific form and measure that could reach children' attention, feelings, and mind. Based on my experience as teacher, I found that in kindergarten, there is no chance to achieve, neither spiritual or faith competence, nor to obtain specific religious knowledge, as adults understand it. From the perspective of pastoral care, where child is instructed in faith very early, and where priest, relatives or godparents find the way to children spirituality, many people find kindergarten religious education incomplete and not enough spiritual, and presence of religion ennobling. „Being present in this period in the daily life, both public and private, religion will be assimilated later on as a united whole along with the other teachings and skills, as a constitutive element of human life. Neither the Christian thinkers nor the Church Fathers exclude this age from their writings, recommending to parents that they are careful to educate their children from the earliest age, because then their soul can be easily shaped, taking on the first outlines of the virtues that will emerge later.”6

In my opinion, the two tendencies can be used to serve child development. Church schools can seek for that mission people who combine piety with pedagogical training and not to juxtapose the two directions.

„Spiritual-moral upbringing is an element of whole child upbringing.”7

That is what plays role at the threshold of the transition “from moral realism to moral relativism8”, from moral knowledge to moral behaviour9 and along overcoming of natural children's egocentrism through upbringing in moral behaviour based on children's' empathy.10

6 SANDU, DAN (2007), The formative character of religious education at pre-school level. In: Religion between Church, State and Society, eds. Irimie Marga, Gerald G. Sander, and Dan Sandu, pp. 175-187, SMOEI, 5, Hamburg, Verlag Dr. Kovach; Website of Dan Sandu, http://www.dansandu.ro/pdf/carti/the-formative-character.pdf, pp.-12, p. 7 (Access 12 Sept 2010, 11:00).7 VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2009), Spiritual-moral development of pupil, Sofia, Farago, p. 69, (In Bulgarian). 8 VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2009), Spiritual-moral development of pupil, Sofia, Farago, p. 64, (In Bulgarian). 9 VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2009), Spiritual-moral development of pupil, Sofia, Farago, p. 118, (In Bulgarian). 10 VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2009), Spiritual-moral development of pupil, Sofia, Farago, p. 63-65, (In Bulgarian).

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In work with children on religion, on the one hand, there is an objective need of learning some factual information, on the other hand, it is far more important to give children orientation corresponding to the world they live in, than to ask them to know something strange and not making sense to them and their parents, which is quite a difficulty. In children's case we can also afford to relate fabulous world with biblical and with the space of agiographical religious literature in order to grasp children's attention and assure understanding and memorising. It also better to use than to oppose the existing clichés, stereotypes, patterns, habits, non-church and foreign festive traditions that teachers and relatives know and children like, in order to achieve educational goals without problems.

It is a challenge to introduce a saint person and a saint life story, life choices and deeds, of course, in a very simple, clear, and joyful manner, and then to explain if those heroes are alive or dead, or if that really happened, what grown up preschoolers would usually ask. For some colleagues it is hard to be silent about martyrdom, and about the scale of Christ's passions, especially when kids have seen the whole story on a film, or they have been told about it by someone else, properly or not. The goal of kindergarten teacher in that task is to provide basis for future assessment and understanding of religious messages, which at early age have to be at least translated to children; the task in kindergarten is not to inspire child for church affiliation, because that is not a problem of children socialisation and its organisation by upbringing. That is parents' role to bring their child to church, and their choice.

It would be badly late to judge about the tactlessness, or the propriety of our work from actual real effect of what we say and demonstrate, on children's mind - if teacher would orient her or his methods according to the real reaction of preschoolers or their regular teachers, mistakes may become fact. That is why it is also important to invite colleagues and parents with us in order to prevent misunderstanding and burdening with information. We could discuss some simple things about traditions together, because sometimes children like to listen at adults and try to grasp as much as possible from their conversation. In child's life, there is need of external, additional information, impression, and influence that could contribute to children's world. There is also need of providing understanding and infusing of inner life of children with positive attitude to themselves and to the others. In that respect, teachers own philosophy, world-view and lifestyle may not be displayed; children may not be asked to identify themselves, as well as any religious rituals as prayer may be left for extra-kindergarten activities with family. It is considered pedagogical practice to leave aside something from what we have planned for our time with children in order to follow the direction of their interest and mood, and sometimes prefer playing with them to learning, or watching film to discussing with them what had been done inappropriately that day.

Religious “classes” attended by 6-7 year old children, one or twice a week, or occasionally are an intermediate form between practising a religion in kindergarten and teaching about religion and tolerance. That is why teacher of religion have to combine her or his own views with certain neutrality towards

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children; for many colleagues it is quite a challenge, and there is a temptation to prefer to teach only several children of religious parents, than to give up straightforwardness and start improving psychologically and recovering morally, which is necessary to everyone. One more difficulty with religiousness of teachers is that it is not an easy task for any believer to accept that in children's literature Bible is being retold and illustrated in various manner, and often in contrast with Orthodox vision on biblical story. From the strict perspective of our faith, we are naturally inclined to tell children the whole story of saint's life and even assert its truthfulness; fortunately there is no enough time to do that in kindergarten conditions. From humanitarian perspective, it is enough to illustrate our very short story about the saint with beautiful, big enough, and bright enough icon, than to tell them about saints' childhood, or about other children in saint's life, or something simple that children could easily understand and feel, and not necessarily expect them to remember surely the name of the saint and his or her country of origin, neither to relate the name to particular sacred story. Than it is easy to recall that story by displaying of same picture icon, or drawing of ourselves, and if it is possible – a figure, or an object that will fix children's attention and support their wish to learn and feel while playing, acting, making, exploring.

Moreover children are not always inclined to believe everything, and usually they verify any information with their parents, regular teachers grandparents, brothers and sisters, and kindergarten mates. That is, in my opinion, one of the most favourable conditions of kindergarten religious education – that responsible teacher can be sure in leading role of parents and regular teachers in child mind, and always redirect difficult questions to family, where child will receive the answer completely proper for the parents. It is a mission of teacher to sustain positive image of kid's family by all available means, including instruction in virtues. Teacher of religion must always uplift parents' and teachers' authority (not authoritative approach that could scare children) and assert their dignity by all means. At the same time, there is one more natural temptation for teachers belonging to religious community - to disregard religions of others - but children's righteousness may not stand that. „Respect for freedom of religion or belief is taught not only by curricular offerings, but often even more importantly by example.”11 When teacher of religion have to work with regular teacher of different religion, confession, community, and level or manner of spirituality, it is hard task to excuse or understand other's religious feeling, convictions, beliefs, world-view or lifestyle, much harder than not to notice the weaknesses, sins, or evil in the others, which is a high Christian virtue.

Practically, in children's group sometimes, it is a must to focus on Lord Jesus Christ and Holly Scripture if there is an Evangelical Christian, on the Most

11 ODIHR - ADVISORY COUNCIL OF EXPERTS ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF (2007), Toledo guiding principles on teaching about religions and beliefs in public schools, Warsaw, OSCE/ODIHR, www.oslocoalition.org/documents/toledo_guidelines.pdf, p. 47, (Access 12 Sept 2010, 12:45).

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Holly Theotokos, on Church traditions and Pontifical authority, if there is a Catholic Christian, and on national saints and Holly Fathers, if there is an Orthodox Christian; if a child, or an adult demonstrates or simply shares certain type of well informed or passionate religiosity. Muslim and Jewish believers, as well as Buddhist, and other eastern for us religious people and representatives of new religious movements and of mentioned and other Christian denominations can relate or not their faith to other than Bulgarian ethnic or national heritage or belonging, while Roma can point at their traditions, Theosophists at their philosophy and way of life, and atheists - at their emancipation. Those values may be different from ours, and even conflicting, but that situation soul not affect children at all. As much as we know other religions, so well we could value the virtues of the others. Still I do not think that it is ethical to ask about matters of difference, for example, in a mixed group it is not appropriate to as about name-days, because some children may not have such. If the other person shares, and children are happily involved in such display of personality, and there is a wish of engaging whole the group in some traditions, it would be appropriate and preferable to respond as positively as possible.

Introduction of age-appropriate material and activities related to religious traditions and tolerance corresponds to secular and diverse environment of Bulgarian educational system and local society as a whole. That situation may seem familiar, or strange to other colleagues, and it is not common for all the country – it is individual. Several particular local programs for preschool education that vary in their focus and style of working with children also provide opportunity of innovation and creativity, including perceptions of phenomena related to religion and spirituality. In the preparatory kindergarten group, religious education is natural part of program direction: „Social World“, which is dealing with identification of child as person, member of group, family, community, and culture. Assignment of teachers of religion is to integrate their work as smoothly as possible in kindergarten life with its activities and in the entire system of education and training. Therefore the strive to create a specific space and atmosphere for religion classes should not exceed the diligence for adjusting of additional materials to the principles, guidelines and specific conditions of pre-school education. Mutual respect of professional competencies of teachers and good interrelations among adults, as an example of mature sociocultural competence are more effective of all educational implications.12

Preschool teachers of religion are called and trained to work together with children, educators, families, religious communities, administration, human-rights activists, as well as possible. As teachers, so other stakeholders in education, have right to be demanding and strict, as well as they have commitment to be helpful and understanding. Moreover, religious education is an eligible activity in kindergarten and hence - yet more subjected to market principles of competition. 12 HUITT, WILLIAM (2004), Moral and character development, In: Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/morchr/morchr.html (Access 12 Sept 2010, 11:08)

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That situation does not contrast with moral and spiritual principles, because the attraction to children's activities related to religion has high secular and public value too. Although parents do not expect direct results from religious education in upbringing, society demands education based on public value agreement, which in some cases supposes favourable effect of teaching values and morals through religion.13 In Bulgaria that effect could be achieved after a shift of youth policy from practical goals of education and issues of adolescents in risk to issues of their development and of turning public understanding to their life14, and while resolving minorities' issues, not to focus only on ethnic dimension and on risk, but rather on development and cultural issues. „Socialisation is not a mechanical imposition of values, norms, and ready social forms of behaviour to the individual. The individual who is socialised is also a subject in learning of new forms of behaviour.”15As person, child has also cultural and spiritual needs, which had to be met by adults. Benefits of religious education of children is not mainly for us adults, but it is an investment in personal development of child, which upon adolescence, could result in church affiliation and righteous way of life leading to salvation, which is also not mainly our responsibility.

Therefore, pedagogical art in the sphere of religious education consist in: combining patriotic and intercultural education in cultural sphere; encouraging both children’s self-approval and empathy in regard of individual needs and collective demands and expectations. Children have to learn how to be themselves while communicating with the others. Kindergarten is the place, where little citizens start perceiving that basic principle while belonging for the first time to social unit different from their families. Children's group is the space, where individual learns how to organise human feelings and way of life according to social ethics, and to avoid hypocrisy and dual life, but to sustain inner order and happiness.

Celebration of traditional holidays in the preparatory group becomes central element of training and educational work on building social skills and habits, namely because it consolidates little individuals to achieve particular common goals that matter to their family as much as to their kindergarten. On the other hand, religious and folk feasts provide transmission of values and virtues among generations and ages to the extend of fighting political ideology and historical stereotypes. Pedagogical interaction involving religion is also committed to promote positive emotional attitude of children associated with celebration of

13 HUITT, WILLIAM (2004), Moral and character development, In: Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/morchr/morchr.html (Access 12 Sept 2010, 11:08)14 MARINOVA, EMILIA (2006), Moral and socialisation of children and adolescents in Bulgaria, Institute of philosophical studies – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Faber, http://www.philosophybulgaria.org/books/Moral_i_socializacia_na_detcata_i_mladejite_v_Bulgaria.pdf (Access 12 Sept 2010, 12:42), (In Bulgarian). 15 KOSTOVA, PENKA (2009) Value formation and development of children. (Theoretical and managerial aspects.) Veliko Tarnovo, University Press, p. 56, (In Bulgarian).

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holidays, and to contribute to the development of active approach to local cultural events and children's expression of preference, attitude, and respect. Feeling of cultural belonging is to teach child in the accomplishment of self identification and self esteem.

Along those efforts there come a number of questions and tensions that require specific approach and effective communication. Religious practice often seems to relate mainly to the church holiday traditions in the folk calendar – what we do, where we go, what we eat, how we dress, and very often – how Bulgarian people did all that in the past. Teachers should not neglect that material perspective on celebration - it is more clear and visible to children as well as to whole society. In order to approach values, morals, ethics, spirituality, and virtue, adults have to start from more achievable side of matters, and it is instructive for children to relate both sides of the events. Moreover, folk customs and civic holidays involve much more universal values and virtues related to religious part of our culture than we could observe prima facie. And it is a matter of interpretation to teach children to find links among cultures through kindness. Appropriate climate of peaceful coexistence that we need so much in contemporary conditions, is defined by researchers not only as information, tolerance, respect, and kindness to the others, but closer to children's ideas of friendship and initial ability of deep understanding of the neighbour, something like a basis of valuing others righteously, in humanitarian way. “Tolerance supposes respect to difference, without a wish to “shape” the other, the different, according to image and likeness of yourself”. 16 Along with national - ethnocultural identity, children today are called upon to develop early skills for intercultural communication and full partnership with children from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

The application of the results achieved in this area exceeds the time and spatial boundaries of the school environment. Sometimes children learn that lesson at home and transfer their experience to school, sometimes in opposite, they learn in society how to deal with diversity at home, and how to utilise personal freedom to change world-view, lifestyle, and beliefs. That is why, practical experience in experimental and regular preschool activities related to religion in Bulgarian kindergarten conditions show that balance between confessional and neutral approaches make religious education compatible, live and appropriate part of educational processes and priorities oriented to recent child and future society.

Primary task of the experts in the field of religious pedagogy is development of children's general knowledge in a slight system including religious realities in the context of universal values.

Children's lives abound with opportunities for a combination of various elements of socialization and culture, useful for the construction of complete personalities. In that way moral and ethical dimensions of teaching religion participate in forming the foundations for social and cultural competence as prior goal of recent education oriented to child and its future society.16 GANEVA, ZORNITSA (2009), Development of ethnic stereotypes during childhood, Valdex OOD, Sofia, p. 97, (In Bulgarian).

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Church is not only a building, priesthood is not just a profession, devotion is not just church attendance or life at a beautiful remote place, neither feasts, rituals, nor deeds, worlds, morality, empathy, devotedness are only gestures provoked by occasional feelings, or attitude to the world, choice of world-view, belonging to family, school, state, lifestyle, aesthetics, goodness, and love, and commitment are not just an obligation, mood, or something superficial, even when they are rare in our lives. Variety of forms that display spirituality and faith are not only means to achieve character development, value orientation and behaviour. And finally, that is not just a way to sustain any national or cultural identity, social order, prosperity or peace. At least that is not heart and essence of divine matters. Theology, religious studies and all human sciences as well as art may explain and interpret religion much more spiritually and profoundly, and religious life may demonstrate further. Still for children religion is practically what they can grasp through perception and understand via good explanation of adults and by proper conditions of spiritual life. Morality can be taught as competence, provided that there are proper conditions and methods, but not without live experience, and only its actual dimension can be approved empirically17. “Once having felt the beneficial influence of good action on the others, child feels complacence, which directly strengthens the motivation of children to do good.”18 We, ordinary teachers have the humble and everyday task, at first not to harm others' religious feelings, if any, at second to provide positive perspective on morality, and at third, to increase cultural and social awareness of children at their young years in order to assist their teachers and parents: to prevent children from destructive elements in social environment; to assure children's optimal character development by motivation and good examples. Let us not forget that sincerity and purity of children' soul has been given by Lord Jesus Christ as an example for adults.

Preschool religious education becomes factor of formation of children's socio-cultural competencies if involvement of religious and spiritual values in secular education helps children to grow up: healthy, happy, oriented, communicative, kind, ethical, informed, educated, confident, competitive, proactive and willing to cooperate and improve. Religious culture does not play visible role in Bulgarian kindergarten, still spirituality is part if inner life of many people, and nowadays we are free do display our world-view and lifestyle in public. Religion exceed margins of subculture only if it takes part in our socialisation and culturalisation, which are mission of kindergarten and education in general. Therefore formation of simple ideas related to visible and invisible elements of religious life still occurs in that favourable space and meets a variety of urgent social and individual demands. In my opinion, preschool age is appropriate 17 LIND, GEORG (2009), Can morality be taught – is it a competence? Website of Konstanz University, http://www.uni-konstanz.de/ag-moral/kurse/conference-texts/Lind-2009_Can%20morality%20be%20taught_Symposium.pdf, pp. 1-18, p. 6, (Access 12 Sept 2010, 10:57).18 VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2009), Spiritual-moral development of pupil, Sofia, Farago, p. 118, (In Bulgarian).

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time and kindergarten is suitable space for education about religion, if only we understand the need to follow the rules and principles of that period of human life and that institution, its subculture and working principles. Complex educational conditions, as well as particular situation and developments in Bulgaria make the implementation of education related to religion possible only within the framework of social value agreement, international documentation, and ability to distinguish and harmonise them. In order to prepare children to develop their personality and improve the world on their way to the future, we had to give them live example how to keep starting from our own inner world – world-view, life choice, attitudes, ethics, goals, achievements, and values.

LiteratureCHIDESTER, DAVID (2002), Global citizenship, cultural citizenship and world religions in religion education, Cape Town, Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Publishers, http://www.hsrcpress.ac.za/product.php?cat=21&freedownload=1&productid=1976 , (Access through downloading 12 Sept 2010, 12:31).GANEVA, ZORNITSA (2009), Development of ethnic stereotypes during childhood, Valdex OOD, Sofia, (In Bulgarian).HUITT, WILLIAM (2004), Moral and character development, In: Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/morchr/morchr.html (Access 12 Sept 2010, 11:08)KOSTOVA, PENKA (2009), Value formation and development of children. (Theoretical and managerial aspects.) Veliko Tarnovo, University Press, (In Bulgarian).LIND, GEORG (2009), Can moralityy be thaught – is it a competence? Website of Konstanz University, http://www.uni-konstanz.de/ag-moral/kurse/conference-texts/Lind-2009_Can%20morality%20be%20taught_Symposium.pdf (Access 12 Sept 2010, 10:57)MARINOVA, EMILIA (2006), Moral and socialisation of children and adolescents in Bulgaria, Institute of philosophical studies – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Faber, http://www.philosophybulgaria.org/books/Moral_i_socializacia_na_detcata_i_mladejite_v_Bulgaria.pdf (Access 12 Sept 2010, 12:42), (In Bulgarian). VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2010), Personally oriented education process. Website of Association of primary school teachers 2010, http://iris-pv.net/main.php?page=biblio/loop.lbi (Access 12 Sept 2010, 13:13), (In Bulgarian). VASSILEVA, EMILIA (2009), Spiritual-moral development of pupil, Sofia, Farago. (In Bulgarian). VASSILEVA, EMILIA (1999), Religious education of preschool children. Teacher's manual, Sofia, Sviat2001, (In Bulgarian). ODIHR - ADVISORY COUNCIL OF EXPERTS ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF (2007), Toledo guiding principles on teaching about religions and beliefs in public schools, Warsaw, OSCE/ODIHR, www.oslocoalition.org/documents/toledo_guidelines.pdf (Access 12 Sept 2010, 12:45).SANDU, DAN (2007), The formative character of religious education at pre-school level. In: Religion between Church, State and Society, eds. Irimie Marga, Gerald G. Sander, and Dan Sandu, pp. 175-187, SMOEI, 5, Hamburg, Verlag Dr. Kovach; Website of Dan Sandu, http://www.dansandu.ro/pdf/carti/the-formative-character.pdf, pp. 1-12, (Access 12 Sept 2010, 11:00).

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http://www.dansandu.ro/pdf/carti/the-formative-character.pdf

http://www.oslocoalition.org/documents/toledo_guidelines.pdf

http://iris-pv.net/main.php?page=biblio/loop.lbi



http://www.hsrcpress.ac.za/product.php?cat=21&freedownload=1%E2%88%8Fuctid=1976


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formation of socio-cultural competencies through religious

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