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April 2008
A
regular e-zine from the British Institute of Sathya Sai
Education www.ssehv.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 1118625
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Dear
Readers
Welcome
to the February 2008 issue of the Sathya Sai Education in Human
Values UK email newsletter.
This
month:
Croydon Holiday School Enjoyed by Children
and Teachers Alike
Volunteer Teachers Needed for Sathya Sai
School of Thailand
'Wot U On?' Ask Good Values
Children
Scotland Holds First Ever
Human Values Holiday Camp
Summer Half-Term SSEHV Holiday School in Brent
New SSEHV Regional Co-ordinator for the Midlands
Date for Your Diary - SSEHV UK National Day
Drama: Billy and the Trainers
Resources
Update
Training
Update
If
you have any feedback, or would like to share your experiences
of SSEHV, please write
to us.
Kind
Regards,
The Editor
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Croydon Holiday School Enjoyed by Children and Teachers Alike
Around
45 children aged between four and 12 years attended a five-day
SSEHV Easter Holiday School at a primary school in Croydon,
South London, during the week of 7th April.
The
School was organised by Radha
Sithsabesan and lead by ten volunteer teachers, many of
whom are now very experienced at teaching SSEHV in this context.
The teachers and children were supported behind the scenes by
Easwary who kept everyone sustained with food and refreshments
throughout.
One
teacher, Maureen O'Hara, described the Holiday School as "an
enjoyable event all round" that left the volunteers both
tired and exhilarated. She continued, "The children were
very mixed ethnically and it occurred to all the teachers that
they could teach all of us a lot about acceptance and simplicity."
As
usual, the Choi Kwang Do martial arts classes taught by Keith
Banfield were particularly popular with the pupils - who also
enjoyed the daily silent sitting exercises, and gave positive
feedback about the experience which was new to many of them.
There
was a presentation of certificates on the last day and a charming
display of talents (mainly singing) by the children. During
the week they produced some very nice art work, which they took
home in their folders at the end of the School.
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Volunteer Teachers Needed for Sathya Sai School of Thailand
The
Sathya Sai School of Thailand is in the process of upgrading
the level of English studies for all students. As part of this,
it is starting a bi-lingual programme so that the students are
exposed to more English. It would like to have English medium
for such subjects as maths, science, physics, chemistry, biology,
computers and English as a second language - in fact any subject
except Thai language and social studies can be taught in English.
The School would like to invite professional teachers who adhere
to the principles of SSHEV in their own lives to volunteer to
come to the school for at least one year. All their living expenses
would be covered by the school including their travel to and
from Thailand. They would also receive a token living allowance
or pocket money.
Applicants
should:
- Be professional teachers
- Be people of good morals and character
- Be vegetarian, non-smoking and non-drinking
- Live up to Sai principles
- Love children and want to serve
- Provide a detailed CV, work and character references
The
new school year begins on May 1st 2008 March 15th 2009,
however as term-times are different in different countries,
start dates are relatively flexible.
Interested
applicants should contact their local Sai Organisation or SSEHV
Institute to progress their application.
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'Wot U On?' Ask Good
Values Children
Around
1,000 people attended a drugs awareness and healthy living family
day in Leicester on 9th March. 'Wot u on?' was organised by
the Leicester Good Values Club and Abbey Primary School in conjunction
with Northfield House Good Values Club and other local community
groups. In addition to stalls and exhibitions informing visitors
about substance abuse and positive lifestyle choices, there
was plenty of fun to be had with activities including dancing,
face painting, scrap-booking and games.
Children
of Northfield House Good Values Club
A
series of performances was held and repeated throughout the
event featuring music, classical Indian dance by children from
the Good Values Club as well as professional dancers, two powerful
masked dramas masks and raps written and performed by Club members.
The
whole event was captured by local television station MA TV which
ran a half-hour feature about it. Henna Patel, a youth member
of the Good Values Club, commented: "The purpose of this
event was to reach out to the community and get the message
across to everyone...I myself was participating in one of the
acts and enjoyed conveying the important message to the viewers
and learnt a lot from this event and I hope others benefited
as well."
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Scotland
Holds First Ever Human Values Holiday Camp
By
Lesley-Ann Patrick
In
the week of 7-11th April, Scotland held its first Human Values
Holiday Camp. It was hosted by the St.Andrews school and was
attended by 25 children foom two neighbouring schools. They
joined with the St.Andrews children in a week of games, singing
and music-making, stories, quiet time in the woods, and cleaning
the stream. Each day was dedicated to a specific value. The
school parents provided delicious lunches for the children each
day. The highlight of the week was Human Values football in
which the children played fairly and co-operatively: it was
interspersed with the famous yellow and red cards of mainstream
football but these ones introduced Human Values teachings.
Co-operative
human values games at the camp
The camp was very well-received and will be repeated at the
beginning of the Summer holidays for different children from
the same schools.
In the meantime the St.Andrews school will hold a residential
camp for its own parents and children and will adopt the theme
of Midsummer Sun Shines on All the Same. The purpose is to reach
a deeper understanding of Human Values by working and playing
together in a weekend camp. We hope the real sun will shine
on our tents.
Lesley-Ann
is the headteacher of Casa della Pace Montessori Eco School
of St Andrews and BISSE Regional Co-ordinator for Scotland.
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Summer
Half-Term SSEHV Holiday School in Brent
An
SSEHV summer half-term holiday school will be held at a primary
school in Brent, North West London, from Monday 26th to Friday
30th May 2008. The co-ordinator, Joyce
Power, who has run numerous holiday schools of this type
in the area in recent years, is currently looking for more volunteers
to take part.
Areas
of volunteering include teaching (for those who are SSEHV-trained),
teaching assistants, general service activities and sports.
To find out more or to obtain a volunteer application form,
please contact Joyce.
The
Holiday School is primarily for children who attend the school
during term time and aims to develop positive values whilst
having fun. Joyce expects about 80 to 100 children to attend.
Volunteers
are required to be at the school from around 8.00 a.m. to 4.30
p.m. each day (7.30 am on Monday morning, 5.00 pm finish on
Friday). There will be a meditation session for volunteers and
a brief meeting at the start and end of each day. It is compulsory
that all attend these meetings.
It
is preferable that volunteers are available on all five days,
however if this is not possible, please indicate the days when
you will definitely be available on the volunteer application
form.
It
is a legal requirement that all volunteers at the school have
a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check certificate. If you are
applying for one, please be aware that it takes approximately
eight weeks to process. All volunteers must be over the age
of 17.
Should
volunteers wish to bring along their own children, this should
be indicated on the volunteer form and an additional application
form will be sent to you. NB no children under six years can
take part in the Holiday School.
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New BISSE Regional Co-ordinator for the Midlands
Dipak
Fakey
has
been appointed BISSEs Regional Co-ordinator for the Midlands
area.
Dipak
is an exceptionally active and experienced SSEHV practitioner.
He teaches in several primary schools in the region throughout
term-time, including Abbey Primary School where he is Human
Values Manager and where he also runs the Leicester Good Values
Club whose 150 children and youth members meet every Saturday.
He is currently running a ten-week course for very young children
and their parents as part of the UK government's national Sure
Start programme. In addition he finds time to travel the country
to take part in SSEHV Holiday Schools and Values Alive Events
where he is known as 'Mr Smiley'. He has also developed and
produced a range of Human Values board games for use in schools
and homes (more information about these is available on our
website).
We
are delighted to welcome Dipak into his new role and feel sure
he will be an inspirational Co-ordinator.
Current
BISSE Regional Co-ordinators are:
1.
South West and South East London - Radha
Sithsabesan
2. West and North West London - Subita
Mahtani
3. North London - Suresh
Nesaratnam
4. Midlands - Dipak
Fakey
5. Northern England - Neil
Bisarya
6. South and South East England - Lark
Beecham
7. South West England and Wales - Zita
Starkie
8. Scotland - Lesley-Ann
Patrick
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Date
for Your Diary - SSEHV UK National Day
The
SSEHV UK National Day will take place on 4th October 2008 at
Abbey Primary School in Leicester. The day is an opportunity
for SSEHV practitioners and those with an interest in finding
out more about it to come together, answer questions and share
ideas and experiences. Among other items it will feature a talk
from Abbey Primary School's headmaster about the impact SSEHV
has had, and how it has now been officially integrated into
the School's Connected Curriculum.
Further
details about the Day will be circulated nearer the time, but
if you would like more information or to book a place, please
contact Subita Mahtani.
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Drama
Billy
and the Trainers
The
following drama can be acted out by children and/or used as
the basis for an improvisation on the same theme.
Age
group: 10+
Value: Right Conduct
Related values: Duty, Responsibility, and Good Behaviour
Narrator:
A young man walks into an expensive store. He wanders around
for several minutes, and then casually puts a pair of Reebok
trainers into his rucksack. Unknown to him, a friend of his
father has seen him do this.
Jack
(father's friend): Hello, Billy. How are you?
Billy:
Oh, er, um, Hi, Jack. How are you keeping?
Jack:
Fine, thanks, Billy. Nice rucksack you have there.
Billy:
Thanks.
Jack:
I didn't just see you put a pair of trainers into your bag,
did I?
Billy:
Um, no.
Jack:
I was standing just at the corner. The latest design, weren't
they?
Billy:
Well, OK, suppose I did. It's not hurting anyone is it? This
shop can afford it, can't it?
Jack:
And you know that for sure, do you?
Billy:
Well, what's £70 to this shop, they must be making loads
of money, every day.
Jack:
Maybe they do, maybe they don't.
Narrator:
A shop assistant overhears the conversation and tells Mr. Rodgers,
his boss.
Shopkeeper:
Well, what's happening here then? If you steal from here, I
lose goods and therefore money; then I have less money to pay
wages and employ people. I might also have to pay for cameras
and security people, and maybe tag the goods as well, which
puts the price of everything up. Also if you carry on stealing,
you could end up in prison, you know - you don't want that,
do you?
Billy:
Er, no.
Shopkeeper:
Because, there you will mix with the wrong sort of people, you
know, bad company who won't treat you kindly.
Jack:
What would your parents say, if they found out that you had
been caught stealing from a shop?
Billy:
Um, er, they would be upset, especially my mum.
Shopkeeper:
Now give me the trainers back, and if you give me your word,
that it won't happen again, I am prepared to drop the matter.
Jack:
I think that's very good of you, don't you Billy?
Billy:
Ur, yes, thank you, Mr. Rodgers.
Narrator:
Billy thanks the shopkeeper, and he and Jack leave the shop.
Questions:
1. Why do you think Billy tried to steal the trainers?
2. Did he think it was wrong to steal them?
3. Why did the shopkeeper let him go?
4. How did you feel when you heard the story?
5. Did it remind you of anything in your own life?
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Resources
Update
In
response to many requests from teachers, the teaching manuals
have been reclassified to align with school years. The new editions
have also been slightly revised following classroom feedback
and now include 'Learning Intentions' replacing the previous
'Objectives'.
In
due course there will be one teaching manual for each school
year from Reception through to Year 9. The manuals currently
available and in the pipeline are:
Reception:
ages 4-5 year olds (green)
Year 1: ages 5-6 (to be written)
Year 2: ages 6-7 (Book 1, pink)
Year 3: ages 7-8 (Book 1M, lilac)
Year 4: ages 8-9 (Book 2, blue)
Year 5: ages 9-10 (nearly finished)
Year 6: ages 10-11 (Book 3, yellow)
Year 7: ages 11-12 (being written)
Year 8: ages 12-13 (Book 4, mauve)
Year 9: ages 13-14 (to be written)
For
more information about all SSEHV resources and to obtain an
order form, please visit the Resources section of our website.
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Training
Update
All
SSEHV courses are free to attend, although a refundable deposit
of £10 may be required at registration (this is to cover
photocopying costs of the extensive handouts provided at the
course for you to keep). Details of all our training courses,
together with contact information and dates can be found on
our website at www.ssehv.org.uk,
in the Training section.
Quote
from a recent Foundation Course participant:
"I
found the six days very transformational. All the five values
- love, peace, non-violence, truth, peace and right conduct,
were beautifully and skilfully brought to our awareness...The
course provides much needed healing, much needed enlightenment,
much needed relaxation and much needed inspiration for the soul."
The
next SSEHV courses are:
Location
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Date
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Contact
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Pinner,
NWLondon or Broadstairs, Kent - Foundation Course |
3rd
Aug 08 |
1 |
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4th |
2 |
5th |
3 |
6th |
4 |
7th |
5 |
8th |
6 |
Findhorn
Community, Forres, Scotland - Training for School Teachers
(Residential) |
School
Holidays, dates tba |
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If
there is no course scheduled in your area but you would
like there to be one, this can be organised, as long as there
are a minimum of ten people who would like to attend. Please
contact the editor
for more information.
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Copyright
© 2007 British Institute of Sathya Sai Education (BISSE
Ltd).
BISSE Ltd is a non-profit organisation committed to promoting
human values in education.
Registered
Charity No. 1118625
Registered address: The Glen, Cuckoo Hill, Pinner, Middlesex
HA5 2BE United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8429 2677 Email: feedback@ssehv.org.uk
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