by Cleric Ambrose Monteiro for BISMumbai

A seminar on 'Salesian Pedagogy' was organized for the teachers of Don Bosco Chhotaudepur and Don Bosco Kawant, in honour of Don Bosco, on 29 and 30 January 2021, at Don Bosco Chhotaudepur. Resource animators Father Mayank Parmar from Kapadvanj and Father Lorenzo D'Souza from Narukot, facilitated the proceedings with informative and interactive presentations.

Starting with a few ice-breakers to familiarise the participants, Father Parmar formed the teacher-participants into smaller groups for sharing. Father D'Souza guided the teachers through the life story of Don Bosco and his works, emphasising the key incidences that formed the heart of Don Bosco's educational philosophy and the preventive system.

Jeetu Parmar, a teacher at DB Chhota said, "Till now, we just knew that Don Bosco's educational system stands on 3 pillars of reason, religion and loving-kindness, but now we have understood in detail, the 'why' of his preventive system. Father D'Souza with a PhD in Education, has wonderfully demonstrated how Don Bosco's educational system functions in actuality and what we can do to use it to its optimum. This seminar has helped me tremendously."

A short prayer-service was organised after the seminar to enable participants through reflective moments, to dwell on the person of Don Bosco. Four of the teachers shared their testimony, expressing their personal experience of practising Don Bosco's educational pedagogy that has worked wonders in their lives. A festive fellowship rounded up the event, celebrating Don Bosco the Educator!