July 12, 2014
For the third consecutive day, AVEC organized the orientation program for St. Mary's Convent - Udaipur. This time, 79 Teachers from all the sections of the school took part in a four hour 'Management By Values' Orientation program. Sr. Anusha Mathew, Principal of the School welcomed Fr. Glenford Lowe and Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes to the school and introduced them through a Powerpoint presentation. Floral bouquets were also presented to both the guest speakers.
The first part of the session began on a spiritual note. Sarwesham, Swastir Bhavatu, an interfaith prayer song set the tone at the start. Mr. Fernandes took the teachers through some moments of personal mediation and awareness of themselves with the help of a rhythmic breathing exercise. The teachers were soon put to calm and were ready for the intense program ahead. He then introduced Fr. Glenford Lowe and briefed the participants about the various animations and programs by AVEC.
Fr. Glenford Lowe, began the session keeping in mind the feast Guru Purnima, and challenged the teachers to become Gurus in the lives of the one they educate. Through a lot of simple everyday examples and a clear PowerPoint presentation, he invited the teachers to make certain 'qualitative changes', however small, that would eventually have a ripple effect into 'quantitative changes' too. He cited the examples of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Kia Scherr, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, St. Paul as model of people who had the courage to make 'qualitative changes' in their lives.
Fr. Glenn, then took the teachers through a journey of understanding and responding to the attitudes and needs of today's youngsters. "You have three choices in responding; either do nothing, or respond by giving 'grandmother's solutions, or transcend higher and respond by changing one's self first before trying to change the student's lives", he said. He insisted, on several occasions, on the importance of having 'perspective changes' that would necessarily lead to 'procedural changes'. "This session is not about giving you more of the same, it is about making and managing small value shifts in one self", he added.
The importance of the WORD and the educator as an instrument in the hands of God were also touched upon. What you see is what you get! The educators were invited to shift form a perspective of career to a perspective of Vocation! The poem, 'Youth: Lost Generation' by Jonathan Reed at U@50 Competition, was self explanatory; change your words and change your world!
After the break, the teachers were invited to look at their own personal core values and the Core values of their institution. The four levels of intersection were also explained to the teachers: Survival, Stability, Success and Significance. The teachers found this a very practical way to identify where they stood in relation to personal meaning and attainment in life and their job satisfaction. The last part of the exercise focused on the Brian Hall-Benjamin Tonna Value Map. The teachers were asked to plot their Values and with the help of a brief explanation, he was able to guide the teachers to make the necessary Value Shifts necessary to make the move to phase IV of significant contribution.
At the end of the four hour session, time was give for discussion and personal clarification. Ms. Pranchi proposed the Vote of thanks.
The following teachers wrote their comments in the AVEC Log book:
"Extremely insightful and helpful. Thank you" - Madhumita Majumdar
Congratulations to the Management and Staff for making this three day Value Orientation program for the students, leaders and teachers a very successful and enriching experience through your active participation and cooperation.
We pray God's blessings on each one and may the scholastic year ahead be truly an 'Educative journey to Becoming'!