MORAL & CREATIVE EDUCATION: the importance of moral education. Books on Ecology and Health Concern. International associations for moral education: teachers from Russia share their experience in the books on early childhood education. A large collection of lessons in moral health.

Moral education of young people today: development of one's character, development of a vision, defining of one's life mission, development of good manners etc.

The idea of combining moral and spiritual education and general education into a single process.

Indeed, why can't lessons in one's native language become lessons in beauty, or lessons in mathematics become at the same time lessons in wisdom?

Taking this idea as our basis, we have attempted in our books to unite the general education of the child and his or her moral and spiritual development into a single whole. We wrote stories with both a moral or spiritual subject and with natural scientific content, which the child must study.

For example, our stories about letters and words not only help children to learn reading and writing quickly, but also teach them to be friendly and kind.

The stories about flowers, trees, plants, vegetables and fruits not only include knowledge about biology, but also speak about beauty and harmony in the surrounding world and teach children to be sensitive to the gifts of the earth.

The stories about the great masters, professions and crafts not only acquaint the children with the basics of various professions, but, what is more important, open before them the heart and soul of a true master and the best side of his or her character.

8 books have already been printed, with more than 4600 pages in total, and an overall print run of around 90 000 copies. In 1998 the Russian Association of Book Publishers awarded our publisher an honorary diploma for our books, and bestowed on them the title "Best books of the year". Some of the books have been published as part of the Federal publishing program of Russia.

Book 1 on moral education: "The World of Love and Unity"
Contains stories, histories, and parables from the world religions, and also sample lessons in the history and culture of world religions, conversations and role-playing games about peace and unity, and a games section to develop personal interaction, attentiveness and observation.

Book 2 on moral education: "Nature Through the Eyes of the Soul"
Talks about the sky, stars, sun, water and earth; teaches the child to observe, understand and love the world of nature. Contains stories and parables about teachers, motherly love, music and friendship. A section of philosophical stories teaches children to reflect on good and evil, beauty and love.

Book 3 on moral education: "The World of Your Soul"
Introduces the child to the many-colored world of the seasons, inculcates love of animals, talks about the origin of humanity in the form of stories, fairy tales and parables. Talks about God, love, faith and prayer. Contains philosophical stories about love and the magic valleys of the spirit.

Book 4 on moral education: "The Art of Seeing the World"
Offers around 250 games intended to develop spirituality, intellect, creative thinking and expression in the child. Talks about goodness and happiness, compassion and love of work. Introduces children to the spiritual foundation of the creative work of artists, writers and poets, and teaches them a creative way of relating to the world.

Book 5 on moral education: "The Wisdom Alphabet"
Talks about sacrifice and humility, generosity and respect for others, bravery and cleanliness in the form of fairy tales, parables and sayings. Includes conversations about artists, colors, musicians and musical instruments. Contains stories and conversations about the family, which teach a child to respect his or her loved ones and develops a sense of responsibility.

Book 6 on moral education: "Tales of Words and Letters"
Includes more than 100 stories, games and activities about letters and words, which teach a child to read, write and use the spoken language. Stories and fairy tales about the music of nature, the mysteries of portrait painting, and the healing power of art teach children to see and feel the beauty around them, to understand the language of painting, and interest them in the world of art.

Book 7 on moral education: "Tales of Flowers, Trees and Growing Things"
In the form of fairy tales tells about the trees of evergreen and deciduous forests, and about springtime and woodland flowers. Kind-hearted tales with moral themes include natural and scientific information about the world of plants, which children study in basic science courses at elementary school.

Book 8 on moral education: "The Gifts of the Earth"
Contains stories about the nutritional and curative qualities of fruits, vegetables, berries, mushrooms, grains and grasses. The kindly heroes of the stories teach children from childhood to take care of their spiritual and physical health, and talk about the right things to eat and how to heal oneself using the gifts of the earth.

We have also published Methodological materials for educators and parents - courses of some 30-50 sample lessons based on the books

1. The Wisdom Alphabet
2. Nature Through the Eyes of the Soul
3. Seasons, the World of Your Soul
4. Family Happiness
5. The Magic World of Music
6. The Color Alphabet
7. The Mysteries of Creativity
8. Trees Decorate the World

We are currently preparing for publication 15 collections of practical materials for preschool children, and for children of lower and middle grades. They are intended to be used by parents and kindergarten teachers, and also teachers of Russian language and literature, mathematics and science, trades, history, music and art.

We are profoundly grateful to those teachers who have used our materials in their work. Our books have come about thanks largely to their work, and we make a deep bow to them in recognition of the MORAL HEALTH, which they bring to our children. We would like to conclude with the words of one teacher from a small village school, who uses our books for a special program in "Moral Health":

"Lessons in moral health give children a unique opportunity to think creatively, and teach them to distinguish true values from crude substitutes. They help them to accumulate an endless wealth of goodness, kindness, mercy, sensitivity and compassion. And not merely to accumulate it, but also to give it back to others. "Blessed is the giver, the generous." Every page of the books offered to us teaches the children this. I hope very much that by next year these lessons will be going on in every one of our classes, and not as an experimental subject, but as a mandatory one. Just as a person in the desert needs water, our schools need the living water of spirituality. We will all dry up unless we take our fill of this spiritual nourishment.

Lessons in moral health are inspiring because they make it possible to sow goodness, and give the kids a choice: to head towards the light, or to wander in the darkness. We as teachers face the same choice. If a teacher thinks and lives spiritually, of course it's worth sharing that path with the children. It's a difficult path, but the only right one."