“TEACHER: THE SECOND PARENT”

(Value Education_ Prayer Service: 5th Sept 2010)

Materials required:

A Globe, a Compass, a Bowl of Ash, a Mirror, a Heart, a Clock, a Brick, a Tree Sapling, A Lamp, Teaching materials

Bhajan Meaning of the Bhajan:

Asatoma, Sat Gamaya Free us Lord from the untruth and lead us to the truth

Tamasoma, Jyoti Gamaya Free us Lord from ignorance and lead us to the light

Mrityorma, Amrutam Gamaya Free us Lord from death and lead us to life

Introduction:

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was one of the most distinguished diplomat, scholar and teacher, apart from being the President of India from May 1962 to May 1967. As a tribute to this great teacher, his birthday is observed as Teacher's Day. As a matter of fact when his students and friends asked him for the permission to celebrate his birthday, he asked them to celebrate the day as Teacher's day.

We have gathered here today as a school to praise God for our School and to pray for all our beloved teachers who are rightly referred to our ‘second parent’. It is through their constant educative and friendly presence here that our school is also a ‘second home’ for us to nurture and become all that God has meant us to be.

Lighting of the Lamp: (The lamp to be in the centre and surrounded by Teaching materials)

Let us now attentively listen to the Word of God

Scriptures: (choose an appropriate reading from various religious scriptures)

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free”...

A short period of Silence:

Prayers of the Faithful: (A Teacher and Student stand face to face and holding the appropriate symbol)

Response: Lord, bless our Teachers

1. Potted Plant: One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child. Lord bless our teachers as they help us grow as individuals and as a school. Response:

2. A Globe: Creative powers can just as easily turn out to be destructive. It rests solely with the moral personality whether they apply themselves to good things or to bad. And if this is lacking, no teacher can supply it or take its place. Lord bless our teachers as they help us build a better world for ourselves and our generations to come. Response

3. A Compass: Direction is more important than velocity. Where we are heading to is more important than how fast we get there. Lord, just as this Compass faithfully points itself to the True North, bless our teachers who constantly show us the way to excellence guided by religious and moral values. Response

4. A Bowl of Ash: Today is the Tomorrow we dreamed of yesterday. Our life moves on, always dynamic never static. Like this ash that represents the past, our lives too need to move on. In the face of discouragements, failures, setbacks we often want to dwell in the broken past. Lord

bless our teachers who constantly brighten our lives with the call to move forward while learning from our past. Response

5. A Heart: Love conquers all. The only lesson we need to learn in life is to LOVE. To love God, to love neighbour, to love self and to love the world God gifted us. This heart represents love – the ultimate lesson in life. To fail in love is to fail in life itself. Lord, bless our teachers as they direct and mould our hearts to be more loving in all that we do and are. Response

6. A Brick: Students are not meant to spend the rest of their life in school. We will move on, but we will be able to build our future homes only with the bricks that we now make. Lord bless our teachers with patience and strength as they discipline us with care and the love of our own parents. Response

7. A Clock: The vocation of a teacher is always a 24/7 call to accompany young students on their journey of life. In the busy schedule of a teacher’s life, every student has a special place of pride. The classroom, the school, the playground, the laboratory is a teacher’s second home. Lord we pray that you bless our teachers for their constant availability and accompaniment and for making us their very own sons and daughters. Response

8. A Mirror: Change begins with the person in the mirror. So often Lord we are afraid to look at ourselves honestly. We hid in our shame, in our failure and in our disappointments. Thank you for our teachers who like this mirror help us to see ourselves more clearly. Bless the work of their hands as they constantly guide us to change our lives for the better. Response

Commitment by Teachers:

(All the Teachers are invited to stand up together and say aloud the following prayer of commitment)

God, the Creator and sustainer of the World

The Way, the Light and the Truth,

You invite us to the noble vocation of forming the Lives of Young people

Help us always to remember that we are their SECOND PARENT

Not by chance but by choice.

That the classroom is a sacred place for it is an extended Home

Where students learn a new way of living and loving.

May our efforts be blessed by your Divine Touch for we know that

To be meaningful, education must significantly touch the lives of students

and integrate thinking, feeling, and acting in such a way that individuals have a sense of purpose in life.

Forgive us for our failings, and strengthen our resolve to

Work together in Faith, Hope and Love

Knowing that the seeds we plant today

Will bear fruits in plenty in the years to come. AMEN

Final Bhajan/ Song: (Choose an appropriate one that your students know well)

Conclusion: Students could present flowers/ presents to the teachers as a sign of appreciation.

Fr. Glenford Lowe sdb