Dear Readers

Welcome to the April 2005 issue of the email newsletter.

This month:

• Join the team!
  

• SSEHV National Day 2005 - Saturday 17th September
• Hands-on Experience for New Volunteers in Leicester
• Training Update
• Story: Mr Peabody's Apples
  
  

If you have any feedback about this newsletter, or if you'd like to share your experiences of SSEHV, please write to us.

Kind Regards,
The Newsletter Team

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Join the team!

Would you like to make a difference to some children's lives this summer? There aren't many things you can do with a day that are as valuable or as fulfilling as helping a group of young people to truly experience Human Values such as love, truth, right conduct, non-violence and peace. Join the SSEHV team at one of the events taking place around the UK over the coming months and you will have the chance to work with children in a loving, supportive environment, while practicing and experiencing Human Values in action.

You don't have to be a professional teacher or a childcare expert - if working with children is a new experience for you, you will be paired up with more skilled practitioners who will be able to support you. If you are working towards your OCN qualification, this is a great way to get some teaching experience without being 'thrown in at the deep-end'. Even if you haven't yet completed the SSEHV Foundation Course, you can still participate in and experience the atmosphere of a Values Alive Event, while helping with tasks such as serving refreshments, registration, lesson preparation or First Aid, for example. Volunteers are needed for every aspect of running the events, and the more volunteers there are, the more children can attend each event.

The following Values Alive Events are currently recruiting volunteers:

30th April - One day Values Alive Event, Hove, Sussex
Contact: Lark Beecham +44 (0)1424 812 407

28th-31st May - Four day Values Alive Event, Milton Keynes
Contact: Nirasha Ramlugan

31st May-3rd June - Four day Values Alive Event, Broadstairs, Kent
Contact: Selvam Padiachey +44 (0)1843 871374

24th - 27th July - Four day Values Alive Event, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Contact: Margaret Harris +44 (0) 1743 873650

26th - 30th July - Five day Values Alive Event, Wembley, North West London
Contact: Joyce Power +44 (0)8723 9916

If you can attend for the duration of an event, that is preferable, but it is not a requirement. If you just want to come for a day to see how it feels, that's fine too.

Accommodation can usually be arranged free of charge for volunteers travelling long distances - please discuss with the event co-ordinator named above. Volunteers' children are invited to join in the event too. New volunteers may be required to attend a briefing meeting before the start of an event. Help will be provided with formalities such as police checking, and all relevant information and support will be provided.

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SSEHV National Day - Saturday 17th September 2005

This year's SSEHV National Day will take place on Saturday 17th September from 10.00am to 3.30pm at Bentley Wood High School, Bridge Road/Clamp Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex. The event is open to anyone with an interest in Human Values Education.

This year's key note speakers include Allan Foster, Curriculum Advisor for Citizenship, PSHE and RE for Kent, and Neil Hawkes, Senior Education Advisor for Oxfordshire. The event will be interactive and is designed to help us to deepen our understanding and experience of Human Values. It is also an excellent introduction to SSEHV for anyone new to the programme, and a great opportunity to make contact with other SSEHV practitioners in your area and feel inspired by the work that is being done around the country.

The event is free to attend and includes a delicious hot lunch and refreshments. If you would like to reserve a place or places, please contact Pamela Nash +44 (0) 1784 244494. Limited free accommodation is available for people travelling long distances.

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Hands-on Experience for New Volunteers in Leicester

The Good Values Club in Leicester has now become an OCN (Open College Network) assessment centre. This means that students of the SSEHV Foundation Course can gain SSEHV teaching experience in a supportive environment and be assessed for the practical element of the OCN Level 1 & 2 qualifications.

Around 150 children now attend the Good Values Club, which takes place in Leicester on Saturday mornings. If you would like more information about volunteering or OCN assessment at the Club, please contact Michele White 0116 2339455.

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Training Update

Here is the feedback from one participant at a recent SSEHV Foundation Course:

"I feel the SSEHV course for me was an excellent experience, and well worth attending. I feel it has proved to be brilliant for my self-development on a personal level, both spiritually uplifting and confidence building....It has succeeded in helping me see so much in a different, more positive way, and to truly feel the full benefit of the course I know it will be a case of walking the talk, which I am going to try my best to do!"

All SSEHV courses are free to attend, although a refundable photocopying deposit of £10 may be required at registration. 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.

Forthcoming SSEHV courses are:

SSEHV Parenting Workshop, Croydon, Surrey
30th April - Session 2
7th May - Session 3
14th May - Session 4
Sessions run from 9.00am - 4.00pm
For further information or to reserve a place, please contact Bina Valsan (0208 688 4598)

SSEHV Foundation Course, Croydon, Surrey
21st May - Module 1
28th May - Module 2
4th June - Module 3
11th June - Module 4
18th June - Module 5
25th June - Module 6
2nd July - Module 7 (optional)
Sessions run from 9am-4pm (apart from Session 1 which is from 8am-3pm).
For further information or to reserve a place, please contact Bina Valsan (0208 688 4598)

SSEHV Parenting Workshop, Pinner, Middlesex
26th May - Session 1
2nd June - Session 2
9th June - Session 3
16th June - Session 4
23rd June - Session 5
30th June - Session 6
7th July - Session 7
Sessions run from 6.45pm - 9.45pm on Thursday evenings
For more information or to reserve a place, please contact Pamela Nash (01784 244494)

SSEHV Intenstive Parenting Workshop, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
24th-28th July 2005
For further information or to reserve a place, please contact Margaret Harris (01743 873650)

SSEHV Intensive Foundation Course, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
7th-12th August 2005
For further information or to reserve a place, please contact Margaret Harris (01743 873650)

SSEHV Intensive Foundation Course, Pinner, Middlesex
Saturday 6th August 2005 - Module 1
7th August - Module 2
8th August - Module 3
9th August - Module 4
10th August - Module 5
11th August - Modlue 6
13th or 14th Aug - Module 7 (optional)
For more information or to reserve a place, please contact Pamela Nash (01784 244494)

If there is no course scheduled in your area but you would like there to be one, we can arrange one as long as there are a minimum of ten people who would like to attend. Please contact Pamela Nash for more information.

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STORY

Mr Peabody's Apples

By Jane Hammond, adapted from Madonna's childrens' book of the same title, which itself is an adaptation of a story from the Kabbalah.

Mr Peabody, the village schoolteacher used to coach a childrens' cricket team each Saturday morning. All the children liked and respected Mr Peabody, and never missed a Saturday session if they could help it. He took time to help everyone learn to play well, and was always kind and patient.

After one Saturday's game Mr Peabody walked home through the High Street as usual. Everyone in the village knew him and smiled, waved or said a cheery 'Hello!' as they passed. Mr Peabody stopped at Mr Simmons' grocery shop and from the fruit display at the front he chose the shiniest red apple, rubbed it on his sleeve, tossed it in the air, caught it, and popped it in his pocket. Then he walked off.

From the other side of the street, Davey, one of the boys from the cricket team, watched in amazement. Mr Peabody had taken an apple without paying!

The following Saturday after the game, Davey asked two of his friends to walk home with him. Opposite the grocers shop, Davey stopped and asked his friends to watch.

Sure enough, along came Mr Peabody, smiling, and stopped at the shop. He chose the shiniest red apple, rubbed it on his sleeve, tossed it up in the air, caught it and popped it in his pocket. Davey and his friends stared as Mr Peabody walked off towards his house. Mr Peabody had stolen another apple!

Davey and his friends ran home themselves and told their parents what they had seen. Their parents told their friends, and everyone they knew.
The friends and everyone they knew, told their friends, and everyone they knew.

The next Saturday Mr Peabody arrived at the cricket field, to find only one boy there. 'Billy' said Mr Peabody 'Where is everyone today?'
Billy hung his head sadly. 'They aren't coming today Mr Peabody. Davey has told everybody that you're a thief.'
'A thief?' said Mr Peabody 'What have I stolen?'
So Billy told him what Davey had told him about seeing Mr Peabody stealing the apples.
'Ah.' said Mr Peabody 'I see. Come along with me, Billy, and we will see about this.'

Mr Peabody and Billy walked down the High Street. They saw lots of people who knew Mr Peabody, but no-one waved or said hello.
When they got to the grocer's, Mr Simmons was out at the front, tidying his beautiful fruit display. 'Well, hello Mr Peabody!' he said 'You're early today. Has the game finished already?'
'Hello, Mr Simmons.' said Mr Peabody 'Could you please tell Billy what I usually do on a Saturday morning?'
'Why yes, Mr Peabody' said Mr Simmons. 'You usually come in before cricket to pay for your milk and you pay for your apple so that you can come and pick it up later when I'm busy. This looks like the best one today, would you like to take it now?' and he held out a shiny red apple to Mr Peabody.

Mr Peabody took the apple and handed it to Billy, whose eyes were big and round. 'Thank you, Mr Peabody' he said, 'But I must go and talk to Davey first.'
'Alright, Billy' said Mr Peabody. 'When you've talked to him, would you ask him to come and see me, please?'
'Yes, I will,' said Billy, and dashed off to Davey's house.

Billy told Davey what had happened. 'So you see' he said, 'Mr Peabody is not a thief at all. He wants you to go and see him.'
Davey gulped. He walked slowly to Mr Peabody's house and rang the bell, his shoulders drooping. Mr Peabody opened the door.
'Hello, Davey' he said.
'Mr Peabody, I'm very sorry' said Davey, 'I didn't know you had already paid for your apple every Saturday morning. Is there something I can do to make it right again?'

'There is just one thing' said Mr Peabody 'Go and get a feather pillow, and meet me at the hill, behind the cricket field.'

Davey was puzzled, but he ran home and fetched the feather pillow from his bed. He met Mr Peabody at the little hill and they walked up the path together. At the top, Mr Peabody said 'Here are some scissors, Davey. Cut the end off your pillow.'
Davey was even more puzzled, but he cut the end off the pillow.'
'Now' said Mr Peabody 'Shake all the feathers out of your pillow, Davey.'
Davey lifted up the pillow and shook it. The wind caught the thousands of feathers as they fluttered out and blew them away to who knows where. They looked like snow as they whisked away against the blue sky.

'Is that all I have to do to put things right, Mr Peabody?' said Davey, eagerly.
'I'm afraid there is one more thing, Davey' Mr Peabody replied 'Now, you must pick up every one of the feathers and put them back in the pillow.'

Davey's face fell. 'I don't think I could ever do that, Mr Peabody,' he said, dismayed.
'And that's how hard it is, Davey, to pick up all the words that we've said when we find out they're untrue.'

And Mr Peabody turned and walked home.

Questions:
1. What would you call this story?
2. Why did Davey think Mr Peabody was a thief?
3. What did Mr Simmons tell Billy?
4. Why did Mr Peabody ask Davey to shake the feathers out of his pillow?
5. Do you think Davey could have done anything else to help put things right?
6. How did this story make you feel?

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