ST. JOSEPH’S HIGH
SCHOOL – COLABA: TEACHERS’ ORIENTATION PROGRAM
June 14, 2012: Forty four
teachers from St. Joseph’s High school, Colaba participated in a half-day Value
Education Orientation Program that was organized by the AVEC Team consisting of
Fr. Glenn Lowe and Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes. At the start of the new scholastic
year, the Principal, Mrs. Cynthia Dsouza thought it opportune to have this orientation
program to enable the teachers to ‘Manage By Values” (MBV)
Deputy Principal, Mrs. Shoba
welcomed the guest speakers to the school. Mr. Rochwyn presented a brief report
of the AVEC Aims and Objectives and its activities. Mr. Fernandes, after a
Prayer Song ‘ Dil ke Mandir Me’, took
a short breathing exercise cum fantasy meditation, to help the participants to
relax.
Fr. Lowe, began the “Manage By
Objectives” by focusing on the need to ‘have a new perspective’. “Perspective
changes trigger procedural changes”, he stressed. What you see, is what you
get! Through various anecdotes, personal experiences and moments of personal
reflection, Fr. Lowe was able to help the teachers deconstruct a lot of old
mind sets and assumptions and to grow in a mature teacher-student relationship
that goes beyond syllabus, textbooks and examinations.
Stressing on the role of every
student, he also challenged the teachers to give ample space to all to feel
part of the school. The puzzle exercise brought out the need to enlarge the
paradigm of life. Finally, with the help of the “Alignment of Personal Values
and Institutional Values’ the teachers were able to plot their present situation
and more from just being in ‘Survival mode’ to being ‘Significant’.
At the end of the session, Miss
Swaleha Khan proposed the vote of thanks on behalf of all the teachers and
management too. Lunch was served for all the participants.
Some of the words of appreciation
as found in the AVEC log book:
“It gives me great pleasure to
thank Father Glenn for this wonderful talk that helped us to bring out the best
in ourselves. It will surely help us to inspire and motivate in our day to day
teaching and which will definitely implement in our classrooms to inculcate the
values in our children to become upright citizens of tomorrow” Miss Swaleha Khan
“It’s great to attend a session by Father
Glenn. It was an enriching one for me”-
Archana Pandey
“Memorable”
“Live By Values was really a good
seminar. I learnt a lot. Thank you very much” Gracilla
“It was really a good session. We
enjoyed a lot” – M. Hedge
“Thank you very much” Shamrin
