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Values For The Yatra Sept 09
Values For The Yatra Sept 09
Values For The Yatra Sept 09
“The whole process of mental, spiritual, and material riches may be summed up in one
word: Gratitude “ Dr. Joseph Murray
Values for the Yatra invites its readers to focus on the value of GRATITUDE. It calls us to
push the pause button on our hectic lives and to spend some quality ‘Me time’. Who I am
today is largely a development by the ‘significant other’ in my life. As we celebrate Teachers’
Day we cannot but raise a prayer in Gratitude for the numerous teachers who have made a
difference in our lives. Going beyond reading, writing and arithmetic they transformed our
lives from within. They inscribed values in our minds and hearts, that till today, guide us in
Cardinal Gracias: Value education Seminar
the way of living and being. With patience, firmness and loving presence they guided us to
charter our dreams and reach our goals. We salute them today and say THANK YOU. We
join our hands in prayer and invoke God’s blessings on them.
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suf-
fering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.
You gain strength, experience and confidence by every experience where you really stop to
Monitors’ Camp: St. Joseph’s Wadala look fear in the face. You must do the thing you cannot do. And remember, the finest steel
gets sent through the hottest furnace..
Inside this issue:
In LIFE, remember that you pass this way only once! let's live life to the fullest and give it
Gratitude: The 1 our extreme best. "Failure is the pillar of success!" "Pick battles big enough to matter, small
Beat Attitude
enough to win."
For the Teacher’s 2
Soul Thanks to every TEACHER who made a difference in our lives and may this year’s Teach-
ers’ Day be an opportune time for every student to express their sincere gratitude for mak-
For a Students 3 ing the classroom a ‘Second Home’ and for involving themselves in our lives as our ‘second
Well Being
parent’.
To take Thy Touch 4
AVEC thanks all the Principals, Headmasters/Headmistresses and Value Education Teach-
ers for the invaluable efforts you put in to enable the young minds and hearts of the students
To Take Thy 5 to become Value oriented persons for today and the future…
Touch
AVEC will be conducting a seminars for Value Education Teachers in the month
World food Day 6 –8 of September ( 15 & 16). Keep in touch and be informed!!!!
Skit
Classrooms become easier prisons than palaces, agony more than ecstasy, and
above all institutions for conformity rather than a home for growth. A third of a
student’s day is desk-bound. Education is more a matter of the heart than an
intellectual quest to satisfy.
Here are ten tips that can lead to successful classroom management and discipline.
1. It's Easier to Get Easier
Manage with the Mind but Lead with the Heart. Know that the sacred lives of the students have been
entrusted into your care. Know them by name rather than by a number on the roll call. Students don't
care how much you know. They want to know how much you care!!!
2. Fairness Vs Favorites
I am my teacher’s pet. Students have a distinct sense of what is and what is not fair. You must act
fairly for all students if you expect to be respected. Remember you are a Teacher for all. No favorites.
Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only
Bhajan Meaning of the Bhajan:
Asatoma, Sat Gamaya Free us Lord from the untruth and lead us to the truth
Tamasoma, Jyoti Gamaya Free us Lord from ignorance and lead us to the light
rityorma, Amrutam Gamaya Free us Lord from death and lead us to life
A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others. --Author Unknown
Introduction: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was one of the most distinguished diplomat, scholar
and teacher, apart from being the President of India from May 1962 to May 1967. As a tribute to
this great teacher, his birthday is observed as Teacher's Day. As a matter of fact when his students
and friends asked him for the permission to celebrate his birthday, he asked them to celebrate the
day as Teacher's day.
We have gathered here today as a school to praise God for our School and to pray for all our be‐
loved teachers who are rightly referred to our ‘second parent’. It is through their constant educative
and friendly presence here that our school is also a ‘second home’ for us to nurture and become all
that God has meant us to be.
Lighting of the Lamp: (The lamp to be in the centre and surrounded by Teaching materials)
Let us now attentively listen to the Word of God
Scriptures: (choose an appropriate reading from various religious scriptures)
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in my word, you are my disciples in‐
deed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free”...
A short period of Silence:
Prayers of the Faithful: (A Teacher and Student stand face to face and holding the symbol)
Response: Lord, bless our Teachers
Potted Plant: One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to
those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but
warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child. Lord bless our
teachers as they help us grow as individuals and as a school. Response:
A Globe: Creative powers can just as easily turn out to be destructive. It rests solely with the
moral personality whether they apply themselves to good things or to bad. And if this is lack‐
ing, no teacher can supply it or take its place. Lord bless our teachers as they help us build a
better world for ourselves and our generations to come. Response
A Compass: Direction is more important than velocity. Where we are
heading to is more important than how fast we get there. Lord, just as
this Compass faithfully points itself to the True North, bless our teach‐
ers who constantly show us the way to excellence guided by religious
and moral values. Response
Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 5
A Bowl of Ash: Today is the Tomorrow we dreamed of yesterday. Our life moves on, always dynamic
never static. Like this ash that represents the past, our lives too need to move on. In the face of dis‐
couragements, failures, setbacks we often want to dwell in the broken past. Lord bless our teachers
who constantly brighten our lives with the call to move forward while learning from our past. Re‐
sponse
A Heart: Love conquers all. The only lesson we need to learn in life is to LOVE. To love God, to love
neighbour, to love self and to love the world God gifted us. This heart represents love – the ultimate
lesson in life. To fail in love is to fail in life itself. Lord, bless our teachers as they direct and mould
one day with a great teacher." --Japanese prov-
Better than a thousand days of diligent study is
our hearts to be more loving in all that we do and are. Response
A Brick: Students are not meant to spend the rest of their life in school. We will move on, but we will be
able to build our future homes only with the bricks that we now make. Lord bless our teachers with
patience and strength as they discipline us with care and the love of our own parents. Response
A Clock: The vocation of a teacher is always a 24/7 call to accompany young students on their journey of
life. In the busy schedule of a teacher’s life, every student has a special place of pride. The class‐
room, the school, the playground, the laboratory is a teacher’s second home. Lord we pray that you
bless our teachers for their constant availability and accompaniment and for making us their very
own sons and daughters. Response
A Mirror: Change begins with the person in the mirror. So often Lord we are afraid to look at ourselves
honestly. We hid in our shame, in our failure and in our disappointments. Thank you for our teachers
who like this mirror help us to see ourselves more clearly. Bless the work of their hands as they con‐
stantly guide us to change our lives for the better. Response
Commitment by Teachers: (All the Teachers are invited say aloud the following prayer of commitment)
God, the Creator and sustainer of the World
The Way, the Light and the Truth,
You invite us to the noble vocation of forming the Lives of Young people
Help us always to remember that we are their SECOND PARENT
Not by chance but by choice.
That the classroom is a sacred place for it is an extended Home
Where students learn a new way of living and loving.
May our efforts be blessed by your Divine Touch for we know that
To be meaningful, education must significantly touch the lives of students
and integrate thinking, feeling, and acting in such a way
that individuals have a sense of purpose in life.
Forgive us for our failings, and strengthen our resolve to
Work together in Faith, Hope and Love
Knowing that the seeds we plant today
Will bear fruits in plenty in the years to come. AMEN
Final Bhajan/ Song: (Choose an appropriate one that your students know well)
Conclusion: Students are invited to present flowers to their teachers . AVEC prayer service
Values for the Yatra
Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter September 2009
NARRATOR: Bread is a power-packed symbol in the world today. Today it is considered to be a common
mans food. However, in earlier days bread was referred to as an elitist food. As we commemorate World Food
Day today, in our short skit, we will substitute bread for world food.
The religion of Humanity calls us to share this Bread with the less privileged. A global citizens we need to
make sure that everyone has equal access to this life-giving bread. Remember? Love your neighbor as your-
self. So, how are we doing? Sadly, our bread distribution efforts have become a little disjointed. Instead of
seeing our bread equally distributed to everyone, we find ourselves divided into three distinct worlds of peo-
ple. Let’s call these three worlds A, B and C.
(As THE NARRATOR begins to speak of the three worlds, three actors enter, representing WORLD A,
WORLD B and WORLD C. They stand spaced apart on stage, on different platforms. Soon, a bread delivery
person walks in, carrying armfuls (or a cart full) of bread and begins delivering bread to the three worlds.)
NARRATOR: World A is the world of affluent people. Believers who live in this world have more than
enough money, food, clothing and possessions to make life comfortable, but do they really have a desire to
share what they have with others who struggle day to day, just to survive? What does their world look like to
others who have need?
WORLD A: Bread? I have bread; all kinds of it. I have God’s bread of blessings all around me. What can I
say? I’m a child of promise. I work hard, I live right and I guess I deserve to be rewarded. I can’t help it if
poor people don’t want to work or try to make something of themselves. It’s none of my business. And after
all, the rest of the world is in God’s hands, not mine. All I know is, my world’s just fine.
THE NARRATOR: Then, there is World B: people around us and in the community who struggle through
life, surrounded by opportunity and available resources, but who are unable or simply unwilling to change.
Some face difficult struggles — they’ve been abused, abandoned or neglected. Others simply aren’t inter-
ested..
WORLD B: Free? OK. (Takes a piece of bread and holds it nervously.) But no strings attached. I’m my own
person. I can make it on my own.
(DELIVERER enters with armloads of sliced bread.) BREAD DELIVERER: Special delivery! More bread!
TV for the prayer hall. God, tell me what to do. I just want to be your servant. So, tell me what You want me
to do. Just let me know.
THE NARRATOR: The point is, God has told us what to do with His blessings — pass them on! He hasn’t
showered us with blessings because we deserve them, He’s given us all the resources we need in order to help
Values for the Yatra
Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter September 2009
THE NARRATOR: And then, there’s World C: a world of extreme poverty, need and neglect that few of us
can even imagine. It’s a world where nearly 27,000 small children die every day from mostly preventable
causes. A world where a typical family of six lives on less than 30 rupees a day. It’s a world where the
Bread of Life and one’s daily bread are hard to find.
WORLD C: Bread? You have bread? Extra bread? What’s that? Can you give me some?
THE NARRATOR: Why does one world have so much bread and another have so little? What do we know
about God and His heart for the people He’s created? Doesn’t He want “all the world” to know of His love
and provision? Maybe the next bread delivery, things will become more clear.
(DELIVERER checks the clipboard and again dumps piles of bread at the feet of WORLD A.)
THE NARRATOR: The people in World A can take as much bread as they want, whenever they want.
WORLD A: Whoa! More blessing! Thank You, God. I feel so blessed. But what should I do with it all? I
know. I’ll bless my friends. I’ll give them religious books and religious music CDs, and we can go to reli-
gious movies and wear matching religious T-shirts. Maybe we should go on a religious retreat to the moun-
tains and be dually blessed!
THE NARRATOR: On the other hand, the people in World B have access to the bread, but they just don’t
want it.
(DELIVERER checks his clipboard and drops a couple slices of bread at the feet of WORLD B.)
WORLD B: More? Well, it’s enough to help me get by. I don’t know. May be I could have more...But it’s
really not required.
THE NARRATOR: And then, there’s World C. Sadly, many highly motivated, educated people live in
countries that are rife with corruption, political oppression or both. In many ways the people in World C are
captives. They are held captive by geography, governments, corruption or family traditions. One way or an-
other, they are starving — both physically and spiritually — while the other two worlds can feast whenever
they choose.
WORLD C: Daily bread? I’ve only caught a glimpse of a few crumbs. I guess I’m too far away, or the ob-
stacles to reach me are just too large to overcome — or maybe the people who have so much bread just
don’t care. Do they know how desperate I am?
THE NARRATOR: So, what’s wrong with this picture of our three worlds? Is there something wrong with
God’s delivery plan? THE NARRATOR: So, what’s wrong with this picture of our three worlds? Is there
something wrong with God’s delivery plan?
(DELIVERER pours another huge load of bread over the head of WORLD A and completely passes by
WORLDS B and C. WORLD A sits/falls down in the bread pile and scoops it up, fully immersed in it. )
WORLD A: Oh, wow! More blessings! Thank You, Lord. This is too much. I may need to rent another stor-
age unit. But the bread might get stale. Or maybe I could trade some of this for a new big screen
others who have little or nothing of the two breads we have so much of! We pass some of the bread on to
people who aren’t even hungry — who throw it right back in our faces — while a forgotten world starves!
(A pool of light falls on WORLD C, alone. WORLD C pleads to the audience.)
Values for the Yatra
Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter September 2009
THE NARRATOR: On stage here, our World C is simply represented as one man without bread. But in the
real world, this one man represents millions of people who go hungry day after day and who are locked in a
life-and-death struggle with poverty and pain. And the most vulnerable among them are the children. Con-
sider the contrasts between the following facts about the developing world, and the calls to action God has
given for us to offer help to those in desperate need:
Display the following facts and Bible verses on an overhead screen for emphasis, as the NARRATOR reads
through them.
FACT: Before today is over, nearly 27,000 children under the age of 5 will die from preventable diseases
and related causes.
GOD:
“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the
weak and needy”
FACT: More than 143 million children younger than 5 in developing countries are malnourished; 93 million
do not attend school.
GOD:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and
judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy”
FACT: Americans spend more than $2 billion per year on chewing gum — eight times more than they gave
to children in need globally, through UNICEF, in 2005.
GOD:
“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of
God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth”
THE NARRATOR: The statistics on the screen tell a story of spiritual poverty contrasted with an over-
abundance of spiritual and material wealth. It’s a story we all need to hear because we have the power and
God’s command to change it? Did you know there are more than 2,000 scriptures describing God’s heart for
the poor and our responsibility to serve them? God has commanded that we share this with the rest of the
world. What will we do next?
STAGE DIRECTION: As THE NARRATOR speaks his last lines, have it prearranged for people in the au-
dience or backstage to join the actor representing WORLD A. Together, they gather up piles of bread and
take it over to WORLD C, where they pile it up at the actor’s feet. When WORLD C is surrounded by peo-
ple and piles of bread, the lights fade to signal the skit’s end.
Adapted from www.one.org
Values for the Yatra
Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter September 2009
TITLE: An Open Letter to the Mahatma on the alarming situation of Violence in the
World.
Not more than 450 words. All entries must be verified and signed by the School Value Ed.
Coordinator. All entries to reach the AVEC office by 22nd Sept.. Winners will be awarded with
certificates and other prizes. The winning entry will feature in the next e-letter. Thank you
AVEC invites students of both primary and secondary schools to join in the DRAWING competition.
He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true.
But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero;
that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader.
It will take time, I know; but teach him, if you can, that a dollar earned
is of far more value than five found.
Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend.
Steer him away from envy. If you can, teach him the secret of quiet laughter.
Let him learn early that the bullies are the easier to lick.
Teach him the wonder of books, but also give him quiet time to ponder the
eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hillside.
Teach him to learn to lose and also to enjoy winning.
In school teach that it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat....
Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong.
Teach him to be gentle with the gentle people, and tough with the tough.
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is
getting on the bandwagon.
Teach him to listen to all men, but teach him to filter all that he hears
on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.
Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad.
Teach him there is no shame in tears.
Teach him to scoff at cynics and beware of too much sweetness.
Teach him to sell his brain and brawn to the highest bidders, but never to
put a price tag on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob, and to stand and fight if he
thinks he is right.
Let him have the courage to be impatient. Let him also have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will
always have a sublime faith in mankind.
Be gentle, but do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel.
The AVEC team at the invitation of the school principal, Fr. S. Arul Amalraj conducted a three hour
session on Aug 25th 2009 for nearly 350 students of Std X on the theme “Live the Life you love and
Love the life you live” Thanks to Mrs. Marianne Misquitta for organizing the event for the students
“ The whole session inspired me a lot. The clipping on Nick Vujicic was mind blowing !!! “ – Bushra
Sheikh. Std X
“ The presentation taught me to look at my life differently. It has opened up a new dimension for me”- Aman
Singh. Std X
“ We haven’t been exposed to such sessions before. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the ses-
sion. Fr. Glenn was fantastic. His way of explaining things is simply good.” – Apporva Hegde.
“ I am grateful o the AVEC team. Thanks to them I am going to savour these two hours for
many years to come.” – Cashius Castellino. Std X
Values for the Yatra
Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter September 2009
Mythology: According to Hindu mythology, a very powerful Asura‐demon king Mahishas‐
uran prayed to the almighty and asked for a boon ‐ that his death should at the hands of a
woman and by no other human being or any form of living being. In being granted his
wish, he started inflicting atrocities on all human beings on the earth. He considered him‐
self to be immortal as he thought that it was impossible for a woman or any female form
of a human being to be powerful enough to kill him. When his cruelty became unbearable,
people prayed to Sakthi the consort of Lord Shiva to save them from the demon and to
provide them with salvation. Sakthi then took the form of Durga and slayed the demon.
The fight between Durga and Mahishasuran is said to have lasted for nine days and nights.
AVEC invites TWO Value Education Teachers from every ABE school to attend a ONE DAY seminar
at Don Bosco Youth Services, Matunga . Schools have been classified according to their respective
Deaneries. Please register before 10th Sept with the AVEC office!!!
Dates Sept 15th Tues: Andheri / Bandra / Central Suburbs / Borivili Deaneries
Sept 16th Wed: North Mumbai/ South Mumbai Thane/ Kurla/ Bhayandar
Navi Mumbai/ Raigad Deaneries
Program: 09.30 ‐10.00 am: Registration & Tea
10.00 ‐10.30 am: Welcome & Orientation
10.30 –11.30 am : Session I
11.45—12.45 pm: Session II
12.45—01.30 pm: LUNCH
01.30—03.30 pm: Session IV (Film)
03.30—03.45 pm: Conclusion / Tea
AVEC E-Letter ‘Values for the Yatra’ is an initiative to provide Animation Resources for Teachers
involved in Value Education in the ABE schools/ Jr. Colleges .Values for the Yatra will be published
every month and is for private circulation. Your valuable suggestions are most welcome to assist us
in making Values for the Yatra a useful tool of animation and bonding among the teachers and
students of the ABE schools in Mumbai.
CONTACT: Fr. Glenford Lowe, SDB / Natasha Almeida / Rochwyn Fernandes
AVEC—Don Bosco Youth Services, Matunga 400019 , MUMBAI
Ph: 24154477 e-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com