The authors explain in detail the characteristics of each of the Five Elements of Chinese thought (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water) with their distinctive modes of expression and potential associated difficulties, and describe the problems that can occur if a child's elements are not in balance. In doing so, they provide a completely new and accessible way of understanding the emotional and behavioural state, and developmental stage of a child, in and out of the classroom. They introduce a wide range of easy-to-do and entertaining exercises and group activities to balance the elements, both individually and in groups.Contents
Introduction. 1. How do our Children Develop?: Overlapping the Western and Eastern View. 2. The Foundation of the Traditional 5-Elements and Their Relationship to Child Development. 3. The 5-Elements in Child Development: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. 3.1. The Wood Element in Child Development. 3.2. The Fire Element in Child Development. 3.3. The Earth Element in Child Development. 3.4. The Metal Element in Child Development. 3.5. The Water Element in Child Development. 4. 5-Element Examples of Children in Everyday Life. 5. How We Work with Children and the 5-Elements. 6. The Role of Adults in 5-Element Work with Children. 7. Guidelines and Examples for Creating 5-Element Environments for Children in the Home, Schools, and Therapy Settings. 8. Ideas and Exercise Examples from Practice. Chapter 9. Example of a Five-Week Project and Community Event for Every Age. References. Index.
