Chris Valentino sdb
MUMBAI, AUGUST 19, 2009: The Staff and Faculty of the St. Joseph’s Industrial Training Institute at the Don Bosco Centre for Learning Campus at Kurla, were engrossed in an Orientation Process which lasted three days, beginning August 17 and finishing on the August 19. Taking advantage of the deplorable health situation whereby the students were asked to remain at home, the teaching faculty and the other staff sat through grueling sessions animated by different people.
Day one had Fr. Xavier Devdas of Shelter and Karjat fame, taking the participants through the entire process of awareness, stress management and inner healing. Combining theory with practical exercises, Fr. Xavier invited the participants to look at themselves in order to live life to the full. He said: “Do not carry your stress, tensions, problems, etc. to the students… Manage yourselves and then be available to manage the students.. We are all important, we cannot take our bodies for granted.. So please let us take care of ourselves and then care for the others…”
Day two was dedicated to understanding the Don Bosco Way of Educating. In a session filled with practical examples and discussion-reflection, Fr. Christopher made the participants look at Don Bosco’s Educational Method with a situational focus. The faculty and the staff voiced their opinions, their understanding and even managed to clarify certain lingering doubts. It was a fruitful session wherein the participants became more aware and were eager to implement this Preventive System in the process of educating youngsters for the industry. The latter part of the day was dedicated to the clarification of Roles and the other aspects of daily functioning with regard to the Institute. Fr. Richard D’Silva, the Dean of SJITI drove home the point that “we are here to educate the youngsters to life and therefore it is imperative that we create an ambient of learning and lead by example.” Following this, a session on Networking and Administration was conducted by Mr. Xavier Fernandes, the Principal of SJITI. He dealt with the importance and the primary significance of established networks and linkages. Explaining with examples and citing modern theories of management, he stressed the need to be bound together in a net of information, communication and relationships in order to achieve more not only for the respective trade-workshops but also as an Institute as a whole.
Day three was devoted to the nitty-gritty routine functioning of the Institute. Mr. Amar Pathikond, the out-going Principal of SJITI, briefed the participants’ regarding the formalities and the various systems which are already in place at the Institute, but which need to be clarified and adhered to by the entire faculty and students. Later in the day, Fr Adolph Furtado, Director of DBCL addressed the participants, asking them for their feedback and inviting them to work together within the Salesian framework, by practical application of the method for the greater benefit of the students in our care. He stressed the need for scalable deliverables, especially with regard to the MES (Modular Employable Skill) and other such Competency Programmes which are on the anvil.
This was a welcome break as well as a learning process for the Staff and Faculty at SJITI, which is otherwise loaded with full-time activity throughout the academic year. The Participants expressed their appreciation and gratitude for a programme of this nature and some commented: “it was a good opportunity to clarify issues…” Some others felt: “we enjoyed this programme as it was not very heavy but at the same time helped us to understand the system and the infrastructural framework…” Others were happy at having “experience of de-stressing oneself to help oneself and others to live life more fully.”
MUMBAI, AUGUST 19, 2009: The Staff and Faculty of the St. Joseph’s Industrial Training Institute at the Don Bosco Centre for Learning Campus at Kurla, were engrossed in an Orientation Process which lasted three days, beginning August 17 and finishing on the August 19. Taking advantage of the deplorable health situation whereby the students were asked to remain at home, the teaching faculty and the other staff sat through grueling sessions animated by different people.
Day one had Fr. Xavier Devdas of Shelter and Karjat fame, taking the participants through the entire process of awareness, stress management and inner healing. Combining theory with practical exercises, Fr. Xavier invited the participants to look at themselves in order to live life to the full. He said: “Do not carry your stress, tensions, problems, etc. to the students… Manage yourselves and then be available to manage the students.. We are all important, we cannot take our bodies for granted.. So please let us take care of ourselves and then care for the others…”
Day two was dedicated to understanding the Don Bosco Way of Educating. In a session filled with practical examples and discussion-reflection, Fr. Christopher made the participants look at Don Bosco’s Educational Method with a situational focus. The faculty and the staff voiced their opinions, their understanding and even managed to clarify certain lingering doubts. It was a fruitful session wherein the participants became more aware and were eager to implement this Preventive System in the process of educating youngsters for the industry. The latter part of the day was dedicated to the clarification of Roles and the other aspects of daily functioning with regard to the Institute. Fr. Richard D’Silva, the Dean of SJITI drove home the point that “we are here to educate the youngsters to life and therefore it is imperative that we create an ambient of learning and lead by example.” Following this, a session on Networking and Administration was conducted by Mr. Xavier Fernandes, the Principal of SJITI. He dealt with the importance and the primary significance of established networks and linkages. Explaining with examples and citing modern theories of management, he stressed the need to be bound together in a net of information, communication and relationships in order to achieve more not only for the respective trade-workshops but also as an Institute as a whole.
Day three was devoted to the nitty-gritty routine functioning of the Institute. Mr. Amar Pathikond, the out-going Principal of SJITI, briefed the participants’ regarding the formalities and the various systems which are already in place at the Institute, but which need to be clarified and adhered to by the entire faculty and students. Later in the day, Fr Adolph Furtado, Director of DBCL addressed the participants, asking them for their feedback and inviting them to work together within the Salesian framework, by practical application of the method for the greater benefit of the students in our care. He stressed the need for scalable deliverables, especially with regard to the MES (Modular Employable Skill) and other such Competency Programmes which are on the anvil.
This was a welcome break as well as a learning process for the Staff and Faculty at SJITI, which is otherwise loaded with full-time activity throughout the academic year. The Participants expressed their appreciation and gratitude for a programme of this nature and some commented: “it was a good opportunity to clarify issues…” Some others felt: “we enjoyed this programme as it was not very heavy but at the same time helped us to understand the system and the infrastructural framework…” Others were happy at having “experience of de-stressing oneself to help oneself and others to live life more fully.”