By BIS Correspondent
LONAVALA, JUNE 13, 2015: The management of Don Bosco School, Lonavla used anecdotes and games during their annual orientation programme, on June 11, to help staff understand the goals set forth for the 
new academic year.
Father Leslie Pereira, the Principal, set the tone by narrating a story of a successful woodcutter, who sharpened his axe regularly to increase his output. He encourage d his teachers to regularly top-up their skills and to think out of the box, to be successful.
Father Pereira used the opportunity to introduce a number of new teachers and held an ice-breaker to make them feel at ease.
Rector Father Solomon Rapol, used a unique case-study method to help teachers develop an action plan to deal with certain situations.
He reflected on the spirituality of Don Bosco and underlined the 'Preventive system' of education, which essentially meant teaching through kindness as opposed to the cane.
The goal of the system was, 'To obey not from fear or compulsion, but from persuasion. In this system all force must be excluded, and in its place charity must be the mainspring of action.'
Father Rapol highlighted that a child can develop an 'integrated personality' only when a proper balance is maintained between 'reason', 'religion' and 'loving kindness'. He said that an educative interaction between pupil, teacher and family is essential to the development of a child.
Principal Father Pereira, spoke about the importance of setting 'SMART Goals': S – Specific, M – Measurable, A – Achievable, R – Relevant, T – Time bound.
He used a game to put forth his perspective and asked teachers to throw ping pong balls into bins placed at a distance, that the teacher thought fit.
The point of the exercise helped teacher's understand the need to have attainable goals and yet continually push oneself to realize these goals.
Everyone then took part in a brain-storming session and discussed certain goals for the institution, the teachers and the students.