Module 3: THE GMRC TEACHER AS AN AGENT OF NATION-BUILDING AND

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
LESSON 1 : Caring and Sharing for the Earth
Lesson 1A : BE COMPASSIONATE AND DO NO HARM
As a mother loves her one and only child, so shall you love the whole
humanity.
- The Buddha
Our planet is incredibly gifted with resources that allow humans to survive, All
that we need in order to live are gifts from Mother Earth: the air we breathe,
the food we eat, the water we drink and the homes we run to for cover.
Unfortunately, instead of nurturing the planet that nurtures us, humans have
damaged the earth’s ability to sustain life. Numerous ecological concerns now
threaten the destruction of earth’s life support systems (Castro & Galace)
Compassion refers to that quality which encompasses non-violence, kindness,
empathy and equanimity in the highest and purest form.
Four Basic Forms of Compassion
Non-Violence
- Non-violence is an integral active quality in compassionate living.
- It means to abstain from all violent acts and motives. In a conflict, to be
non-violent does not mean that you submit yourself to unjust causes.

Principles of Non-Violence:
1. Hatred cannot be conquered by hatred. Hatred can only be conquered by
compassion.
-Lord Buddha
2. If somebody slaps you on the left cheek turn your right cheek also.
- Jesus Christ
3. I respond to those who do well to me by goodness.I also respond to those
who do evil to me by goodness.
- Lao Tzu
4. If someone lives a life of non-violence, he need not perform other religious
acts because non-violent living itself is the highest form of being religious.
- Thirukkural, The Tamil Instructional Book of Poetry
5. There is no such powerful weapon than Compassion.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Kindness
- This is the state of mind that motivates a person to help and serve those
who suffer.
- Kindness transcends the ego that seeks reward, profit and benefits in
return.
- You can be kind in all your responses to other people by the way you
think, talk and behave.

Empathy
- Empathy is an effective response of concern and tenderness to the joys
and suffering in others.
- With empathy you share the other person’s feelings and experience it as
if you have entered into that person’s inner world.

Equanimity
- Equanimity means maintaining a detached sense of calmness in mind
and temper, in face of stressful and provocative situations in life.
- It also includes being large hearted and forgiving.
Equanimity
The most effective way of fostering compassion in children is to provide
opportunities to experience it through action. Such actions are:

 Understanding (others)
 Feeling (for)
 Providing support/helping/serving
 Tolerating
 Expressing warmth
 Loving
 Caring/consoling/counselling/comforting
 Listening
  Respecting
 Giving
 Being friendly

LESSON 1B. CARE FOR THE PLANET

The earth does not belong to us; we belong to earth.

- Red Indian Chief Seattle
Understand The Concept

 We are very sensitive to Nature.

 In coming into touch with Nature, we develop what is called, the planet
consciousness.
 Subjects like science, geography, and social studies area in both primary
and secondary amply provide knowledge about the planet.
 Peace education helps internalization of such knowledge, through
bringing in the effective learning dimension.
 Mankind had been living on earth at least for the last 6 million years.
The striking facts about the ancient civilizations was that they were
never posed threats to the earth,
 Within the short existence of the modern civilization for the last 27
decades. (Lets say from 1830 up to the present) the earth has been
threathened with damage, pollution, and destruction as never before.

EDUCATING TO CARE FOR THE PLANET

Children can be crusaders to save the earth to quote only a few problems
affecting the earth:

 Global Warming
 Epidemics/Pandemics
 Ever increasing poverty
 Population Growth
 Soil erosion
 Extinction of species
 Security of drinking water
  Chemical poisoning of fertile soil
 Toxic wastes

OVER FISHING AIR POLLUTION

People accept the need to stop all the destruction. The damaging is continuing
as ever year-by-year. Educationally, raising awareness in children should be
reinforced through providing an opportunity to get into action. We should not
forget the fact that children are capable of changing the world in their own
ways.

HOW TO CARE FOR OUR PLANET

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Cut down on what you throw away. Follow the
three “R’s” to conserve natural resources and landfill space.
Volunteer for cleanups in your community. You can get involved in protecting
your watershed, too.
Educate: When you further your own education, you can help others
understand the importance and value if our natural resources.
Conserve water: The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that
eventually and up in the
Shop wisely. Buy less plastic and bring reusable shopping bag.
Use long-lasting light bulbs: Energy efficient light Bulbs reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. Also flip the light switch off when you leave the room!
Plant a tree. Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the
air, and help combat climate change.
Don’t send chemicals into our waterways. Choose non-toxic chemicals in the
home and office. Bike more. Drive less.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
The earth is risk as a consequence of our mistreatment. Our life is so
intrinsically connected with the earth. Mistreating earth ourselves. In this
context, it is so necessary to enhance children’s affection towards earth and
nature so tat they develop concern for their living surroundings in everyday
life. Children have capacities to help nature in their own ways. To involve
children in preserving and protecting earth, first they have to learn how the
ecosystem operates, identify crises and then involve inaction