ST. MARY'S CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL - JAIPUR, TEACHERS' VALUE ORIENTATION PROGRAM:
Through the use of a small puzzle and team building activity, the teachers understood the importance of enlarging the parameters of their school by giving each one their rightful place in society and school. "Paradigm enlargements happen when we are ready to break down our old mind-sets, only then can we be able to reconstruct something new that is wider, deeper and more expansive", he said. Values help us to translate our life styles into something more significant.
June 29, 2013: After four days at Ajmeer, the AVEC Team landed at Jaipur to animate a Teachers' Value Education Orientation Program for forty five teachers of St. Mary's High School - Ajmeer. Thanks to Sr. Kiran, FSMA for personally inviting the AVEC team well in advance to come over and to animate a full day's Orientation Program for their teachers. In spite of being the the holiday period, the teachers found the time to be present for the session. Floral tributes were also present to the guest speakers.
The earlier part of the session included a Prayer Song. Mr. Fernandes took the teachers through a fantasy meditation and an awareness of life's situations and the relaxation of one's body. The silence generated a peaceful calm and restored many a tired heart and mind. The opening Prayer song was well appreciated by all. After the meditation, Mr. Fernandes introduced Fr. Glenford Lowe to the teachers. The theme for the Value Orientation was 'Management By Values' (MBV)
Dividing the Orientation into three brief segments. Fr. Glenn invited to teachers to focus on some basic Teachers' assumptions and clarified a lot of old mind-sets. "Until you have a perspective change, it would be difficult to have a procedural change", he said. The Orientation was an opportunity for the teachers to focus their attention to living their life as a Vocation rather than a career. Through the use of everyday practical examples, he was able to drive home a lot of pedagogical insights that were value-based and humane too.
In the second part of the session, the teachers were guided by the need to move from living mere 'lives of survival' to leading more 'significant lives'. Using the matrix of Personal Satisfaction against Job satisfaction, the teachers were able to plot their performance and move on ahead. "Today, Management by Values' is no more a luxury but a necessity.
In the final part of the session, using the Brian Hall - Benjamin Tonna 'Value Map', the teachers were able to plot their life story and performance and Value system, and in a sense, able to discover their Value System and phase of consciousness. Drawing upon many insights and personal everyday school experiences, the teachers were able to connect with the topic and able to understand themselves better and to even understanding the other better. Mr. Fernandes summed up the session inviting the teachers to use the Value based resources and the 'Values for the Yatra' as moments for enhancing Value Education among the students.
At the end of the session. the teachers presented traditional Rajastani gifts to the guest speakers.
A number of teachers wrote their comments on the AVEC Appreciation log Book:
"It was lovely to have you midst us. We have been greatly enriched by your enlightening words. Even if we are able to bring into practice half of what you have said, I'm sure that we are certainly going to improve ourselves as educators. Thank you Father Glenn" - Raj Shree Jain
"Father Glenn, we were highly blessed to have you in our midst. We will be instruments of God if were are able to put into practice all that we have learnt from you. thanks" - Jaya Banerjee
"I feel very blessed for coming in contact with you and your session helped me to see life in a different way" - Anu Thomas
"I feel privileged to have had this opportunity to listen to your eye-opening words. I will walk on the path you have suggested and shown by you. Heartfelt thanks for having helped me to understand my child better" - Chetre Gaur
"Thank you very much for giving such a wonderful session. We would like hear more from you. do come back again " - Rinki Dey
"It was a wonderful session. It really added value in our lives. Thank you very much" - Vaishali Vashishtha
"It was a great pleasure to hear your words. You taught us a great thing to achieve our life" - Shweta Minz
"It was great listening to you. You showed us a higher path to walk on with Grace and confidence" - Neha Singh S
"Thank you for this enlightening session. Now I find myself better. I got a new direction in life" - Pallavi
"I was very much inspired by the knowledge we received from you. I hope that in future also I may have an opportunity to meet you and get to know something new and update myself" - Mrs. Nirmala Tak
A number of teachers wrote their comments on the AVEC Appreciation log Book:
"It was lovely to have you midst us. We have been greatly enriched by your enlightening words. Even if we are able to bring into practice half of what you have said, I'm sure that we are certainly going to improve ourselves as educators. Thank you Father Glenn" - Raj Shree Jain
"Father Glenn, we were highly blessed to have you in our midst. We will be instruments of God if were are able to put into practice all that we have learnt from you. thanks" - Jaya Banerjee
"I feel privileged to have had this opportunity to listen to your eye-opening words. I will walk on the path you have suggested and shown by you. Heartfelt thanks for having helped me to understand my child better" - Chetre Gaur
"Thank you very much for giving such a wonderful session. We would like hear more from you. do come back again " - Rinki Dey
"It was a wonderful session. It really added value in our lives. Thank you very much" - Vaishali Vashishtha
"It was a great pleasure to hear your words. You taught us a great thing to achieve our life" - Shweta Minz
"Thank you for this enlightening session. Now I find myself better. I got a new direction in life" - Pallavi
"I was very much inspired by the knowledge we received from you. I hope that in future also I may have an opportunity to meet you and get to know something new and update myself" - Mrs. Nirmala Tak
