Report on Value Education Workshop, Viveka Asha Yojane

REPORT OF VALUE EDUCATION WORKSHOP

A two day workshop about value education was held at Ramakrishna Institute of Moral and Spiritual Education for primary school teachers of our adopted schools. We had a over whelming response and we had to conduct the workshop in two batches , one on 31st and 1st and the other on going to be held on 15th and 16th of January 2002. The teachers were divided into two batches of about 115 each. Men teacher were given staying accommodation at the institute itself. Lady teachers are accommodated at Shakthidhama, Mysore. Following lectures, group discussion and dialoagues were held during the two days session.

Lectures:

1. Responsibility of teachers as role model in value education
2. How value education can be an integral part of usual school teaching 3. Values for every day life
4. Sri. Ramakrishna and Vivekananda's life as an extraordinary example of values.

Group discussion:

Teachers were divided into 5 groups and they were given the subject of basic value. They were asked to discuss among themselves as how they are going to impart these values to children by way of (1) story( 2) example (3) Biographical anectode (4) Discussion with children Prof. Prabhu Prasad and Sri. G.S. Jayadev conducted a discussion of the whole group by posing practical challages of value education and how under such life situation a teacher is going to handle the situation.

Gist of the Lectures:

Responsibility as Role model - Lecturer-1

In this lecturer Swami Sri Nithyasthanandaji expounded the dynamics of childrens' behaviour which largerly depends on the exemplified act of elders rather than on the precepts taught under a comfortable situation.

Integration of values into day to-day teaching:

This lecturer was given by Dr. Seetharam, Principal of the Institute. His qualifications are ; M.Sc in mathematics, M.Ed with special subject in value education and Ph.D in value education. This Institute is actually involved at the national level to train heads of the educational institutions in value education.

Dr. Seetharam during the course of his lecture explored several possibilities of taking reference to values while teaching language, science and mathematics. He suggested that at primary level there need not be an exclusive hour for teaching value education. Rather it could be an integral part of the routine teaching.

Values for every day life:

Dr. Seetharamu a post-graduate indifferent subject and a professor at the University evening college, University of Mysore lectured on values for every day life and Ramakrishna and swami Vivekananda's life

Swami Jithakamanandaji lectured on life message of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda which stands as a highest example of values.

Group discussion:

The groups of teachers were given the subject of basic values like love, compansion, truth, non violence, good conduct etc. By thorough discussion the teachers themselves tried to understand these values, their applications in life and the need for integrating the values into daily life. They were asked to explore relationship between value and habit, character and ehaviour, and need for constant correction of children so as to mend them for value life. In general handling value education in life situation was the theme of discussion.

Teachers actively discussed and one among the group presented the outcome of their discussion. Prof. Prabhu prasad and Prof. G.S.Jayadev initiated a dialogue with teachers regarding value application during actual life situations. Imaginary problems were posed to teachers. Forexample if a child steals a pencil from the other boy or a girl, how will the teacher handles the situation or if a child has problems of public manners and public behaviour, how will the teachers handle the situation? Numer of teachers explained how they handle the situation. Finally it was discussed that teachers should handle such situation in a way that it does not affect the child's self- esteem and self- image. Also discussions were made with regard to child's psychology that leads to abnormal behaviour and as how initimate love and care can solve number of such abnormal behaviour.

Compact Disc show on personality development:

The institute in collaboration with an another agency has develop a CD on personality development. It is felt that "value education" in recent times has become a spent jorgan and personality development is catching up with the modern times. Therefore they have development CD essentially to show how value life is inextricably linked with complete personality. It is built based on the relation ship between thought and action, action and habit, habit and character, character and value, value and personality.