ST. ANTHONY'S HIGH SCHOOL - MALVANI: TEACHERS' ORIENTATION PROGRAM, JULY 9, 2013:
Fr. James D'Costa, principal of the school, then took the opportunity to thanks both the resource personnel and to promise their whole hearted cooperation in the AVEC endeavors.
A few teachers took the time to write their comments in the AVEC appreciation log book:
"Thank you Fr. Glenn for the nice talk you gave us. It will surely help us to evaluate the same in our children and hope also to help us sooner of later, to reach the goal where we ought to be. Thank you very much and we would love to have more sessions" - Mrs. Clare Fernandes
"Thank you Fr. Glenn. I really enjoyed your talk. I am able to see myself where I am regarding Values. thank you" - Sr. A. Sassy
AVEC made a long journey today to St. Anthony's High School - Malvani, at the invitation of it's Principal Fr. James D'Costa, to conduct a full day's Teachers' Value Education Orientation Program. Fifty Five teachers participated in the program animated by Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes and Fr. Glenford Lowe. The theme for the program was 'Management By Values" (MBV).
The program began with a prayer song that invoked blessings of auspiciousness, abundance, health, joy and peace of all. At the start of this scholastic year, this song added a special spiritual tone to the Orientation program. Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes, then invited the teachers to take part in a calming exercise that blended slowing down with rhythmic breathing. Inhaling positive energy and virtues and exhaling all that was toxic and impure was a special feature of the exercise. He then introduced Fr. Glenford Lowe and gave a brief comment on the AVEC report for the scholastic year 2013-14.
The next four hours were indeed moments for deep soul searching and to make the necessary 'Value Shifts' in one's life. Focusing on the importance of the Word, understanding the world of the young today, and clarifying one's fixed mindset, Fr. Glenford was able to invite the teachers to make a paradigm shift from looking at Teaching more as a response to one's Vocation, rather than a reaction to one's career. With the help of a PowerPoint Presentation, he was able to draw the attention of the teachers to focus on living a Significant Lifestyle that is the fruit of living a Value based life.
He then touched on two important points: Aligning One's Personal Values with that of the Institutional values. The more we try to move from just living a mediocre life of survival to living a life of significance, the greater will be our Personal attainment and Job satisfaction too. The teachers were then challenged to look at their own personal lifestyle, expressed by the words we speak, and to make a shift in their value system.
In the final part of the session, using the Brian Hall- Benjamin Tonna Value map, the teachers were able to gauge their own world view and how they respond to it. The teachers took time to choose values that were significant in their life. The Goal values and the Mean Values were indicators to each one as to how they live their lives. It takes courage to change one's lifestyle and this is made easier, when one chooses to make a value shift. A lot of time was also spent on the various Skills Development that are essential along the path of Becoming. using a lot of simple but everyday conversations and modes of acting, he was able to draw their attention to a lot of issues that could be understood and clarified easily. 'Value Shift' is essential in living live on a higher plane.
In the end, Mr. Fernandes invited the teachers to cooperate with AVEC in the promotion of the various Value Competitions that were being organized by the AVEC. A number of teachers enrolled themselves to receive the Values for the Yatra and the daily Students' Yatra.
A few teachers took the time to write their comments in the AVEC appreciation log book:
"Thank you Fr. Glenn for the nice talk you gave us. It will surely help us to evaluate the same in our children and hope also to help us sooner of later, to reach the goal where we ought to be. Thank you very much and we would love to have more sessions" - Mrs. Clare Fernandes
"Thank you Fr. Glenn. You were fabulous, awesome, and much more...my knowledge of adjectives fails to describe your eminent personality. You are an excellent orator, a very good teacher and the trendsetter. May God give you sound health to be successful in your mission and endeavors" - Mr. Ashraf Shaikh
Thanks to one and all. God bless !