St. JOSEPH’S HIGH
SCHOOL – AGRIPADA
April 18, 2012: Teachers’ Orientation Program:
Nearly forty teachers of St.
Joseph’s High School, Agripada had a one day Value Education Orientation
Program that was organized by the AVEC team on April 18, 2012. Sr. Loveniea,
Principal of the school introduced the speakers and welcomed the teachers to
make the maximum use of the opportunity at hand to clarify and re-orientate themselves
as better educators.
Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes, program
coordinator for AVEC, began the session with a prayer song followed by a
session on calming down through a meditative breathing exercise. He then briefed
the teachers on the various objectives and activities of the AVEC during the
last year.
Fr. Glenford Lowe, director of
AVEC then challenged the teachers to view Value Education as an ‘Education to
Becoming’ rather than a syllabus to be learnt in class. Taking the teachers
through a battery of old mind-sets and assumption, he challenged the teachers
to think anew in the light of one’s Personal values and Institutional values.
Focusing on the three important
acts of people: To Achieve – ‘Being by
Doing’, To Connect – ‘Being by being
with’ and To Integrate – ‘Being by
Becoming’, Fr. Lowe inspired the teachers to ‘Manage By Values’ (MBV). The
twentieth century will be guided by MBV and it is our Core Values that will determine
our lifestyle and our contribution in making this world a better place.
Through various interactive
exercises, reflective moments and a PowerPoint presentation, the participants
were able to pick up the importance of Value Education and to create an
atmosphere that would be conducive for creating Diamond Valued Students in
school and in society.
On behalf of the Management and
the teachers, Mrs. Theresa Pinto proposed the vote of thanks.
Below are some of the
observations made by the participants in the AVEC appreciation log book:
“I thank our management for
organizing this seminar on Value Education. I always felt that Value education
is a subject, but now I know that is an Education to Becoming. You have changed
our outlook to Value Education. Thank you for this inspiring seminar. At the
end of the day, it is Values that define a person, more than one’s achievements”.
– Theresa Pinto
“This seminar has changed our
view towards Value Education. It was very creative and the group work was a big
help. It has built our confidence to shape and mould the young. The personal
examples and experience has helped us to be role models to others. By focusing
on the child’s strengths we can negate the weaknesses. It challenged us to move
from being efficient teachers to being Effective and fruitful educators too.”
Swarna Patil, Serina Pereira and Archana
Gonsalves
