BIS #2975 DAY ONE AT SCHOOL

BIS Mumbai                                  

BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE #2975

DAY ONE AT SCHOOL

Sunita D'Souza

WADALA, JUNE 19, 2012: It does not take long for a passer-by to notice a significant change in the atmosphere surrounding a school on its reopening day.  A campus bereft of intense activity for over a month is suddenly abuzz with excitement – there takes place an exchange of pleasantries and a meeting of 'long-lost' friends. This was precisely the scene at St. Joseph's, Wadala on June 15, 2012.  There was a noticeable thrill of being present on the first day of school.

 

Once in the classrooms, and reassured (and anxious) with their batch of classmates and new class teacher, the stage was set to begin the new scholastic year invoking God's blessings.  The Principal, Fr. Bernard Fernandes, welcomed the staff and students to a new year of hope and infinite possibilities.  The headmistress, Ms. Nicole Britto, set the ball rolling for the regular classes and activities with well planned instructions to be executed for the day and the week ahead. A short prayer service for the secondary section followed.  It was well animated by the teachers, Ms. Joanna and Ms. Cressieda, and it helped one and all present to avow their commitment to grow together in wisdom, knowledge and service.

 

The school closed early at 11 am, and then it was time for the staff to regroup and LISTEN. Rev. Fr. Godfrey D'Sa, our Rector, was our 'Grandmaster' for the session and he grabbed everyone's attention with his dialogue on the power of 'positive listening'. Stating that listening is an art, it's a truly rare and holistic form which can be mastered by everyone. To become good listeners this art has to be developed. Reading, writing, speaking and listening are the most important mediums in communication. We have received training in reading, writing and speaking but rarely have we been trained to listen. We've got to listen to understand and NOT just listen to reply! This is done best by Empathetic listening where we listen with our ears, eyes and heart.

 

Through a fantastic power-point presentation, Fr. D'Sa discussed and highlighted the different ways of listening providing an example of a conversation between a father and his son. The session concluded with a reflective exercise provided through an 'Active Listening Worksheet'.  Our time starts now – Ears, Eyes and Heart –FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE (BIS) MUMBAI

Don Bosco Provincial House,
Matunga, Mumbai - 400 019. INDIA
Email: bis@donboscomumbai.org