PROMOTING POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN THROUGH TEXTBOOKS FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES FOR THE FIFTH GRADE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL

Abstract

UDK 373.3.016:28]:159.922.7

The concept of positive development reflects the role of environment in child’s development, in particular the role of family, school as well as the entire community in which child is growing and developing. This concept is based on a notion that children have predisposition to a healthy and positive development, as such they are contributing members of community and require adequate conditions for their development. All the institutions within the community are required to contribute in this development in order to prepare youth for all the challenges that are ahead. Keeping in mind significance of a healthy and positive development of children and youth as well as the role of schools in promoting positive development, with the intention to find out to what degree the textbook for Islamic Studies for the fifth grade of primary school (Prljača, Halilović, 2008) contributes in this sense, we studied the contents that are intended to promote positive development of children. Traits of a healthy and positively developed child: competence, self-confidence, ability to enter relationships, character, empathy and contribution are noted to be promoted in a significant degree. Aim of the article is to make a contribution in efforts to draw attention of religious studies teachers to these contents and thus help in positive development of children and youth.