News - Oct 2008
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Welcome to the thirty-third issue of Living Values e-News, the electronic newsletter of the Association for Living Values Education International. We hope your year is going well.
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Adding to LVE's resources for young people at risk, Living Values Activities
for Young Offenders is now complete. The request for these materials
originally came from the LVE team in Singapore. They piloted the initial
lessons under the leadership of Kana Gopal, Rosa Tham and Jason Wong from
October 2006 through December 2007. In May of 2008, LVAYO became a core
program for all low and moderate risk boys in Changi Cluster A's Reformative
Training Centre in Singapore. Kana Gopal wrote: "Thanks to the original
trainers who gave their time and expertise with much dedication and whose
feedback has helped shape the LVAYO 2008 sessions. We are noticing that the
new batches of young offenders are grasping the concepts faster…. Thanks to
all the boys in the pilot group for being the ambassadors of LVAYO. Shahril
shared that the LVAYO boys in general were respectful, especially to the
officers, and cooperative among themselves. Many of the boys expressed their
wish that LVAYO should be offered to the other boys ... now their wish has
come true."
Thirty-one individuals participated in a wonderful experience of
cooperation during a Living Values Teacher Training in Siem Reap
this August. The program was sponsored by someone from Japan who had
attended a Living Values Education training in Siem Reap a year
ago. This provided a very conducive environment in the middle of the
monsoon period.
From
Gambia: "We are happy to report that our first Living Values Education
workshop in Gambia was a great success. Held in Banjul on 27 and 28 July, the
20 participants who applied to attend all turned up and all were so enraptured
that they, and more, came back for Day Two! The event was held in the home of
a well-wisher in Banjul and was conducted in Wolof with English translation.
The trainer was Monsieur Mamour Sylla, president of LVE Senegal, who travelled
by road from Dakar to voluntarily conduct the workshop. He was lodged by
another well-wisher and transport was made available for his use. He came at
the request of a group of educators who want to establish Living Values into
schools, community groups, voluntary organisations, etc. in Gambia.
Peter Williams, one of the LVE leaders in Kuwait and
the Principal of the Kuwait American School, wrote an article to
present to education leaders from the Institute of Private Education
who attended a special LVE one-day awareness training with Helen
Sayers and the Kuwait LVE team on June 15th. Part of that article is
below. He begins with a question:
Which is better? Education for National Culture and
the tools and skills required to live and work primarily in our own
society or Education for a Global Culture and the tools and skills
required to live and work in a global society?
How often do education leaders re-vision their
vision? Re-visioning opens many possibilities. Re-visioning assures
that the aims and objectives of education are fit for its purpose.
At the 2008 World Economic Forum in Kuwait, Mr. Bob Hawke, former
Prime Minister of Australia, stated that nations such as China and
Malaysia have significantly uplifted themselves thanks to furthering
policies of equality of opportunity, creativity and valuing the
inherent worth of both male and female. He continued to illustrate
that sustainable growth appears to be higher where nations actively
promote these attributes.
We must re-vision our ideology in the light of global
changes, and
We must re-vision how we interpret our beliefs.
How do education leaders respond to re-visioning
educational ideology and belief?
In values-based schools, for the majority of their
time, leaders lead from the rear empowering colleagues, assuring
that no student or colleague is left behind and supporting the
growth of their institutions. Yet, education leaders face
significant challenges on a daily basis - for example, the paradox
of managing set dictates and a call for creativity, meeting targets
within tight time schedules, managing misunderstanding and
accountability.
The optimism created through the concept of
'Education for All' at Jomtien in 1990 was revisited in Dakar in
2000 only to realise that the optimism had still to be fulfilled.
Many students in Kuwait are born to parents with
different nationalities who live away from their homeland. For
example, a student may have an Egyptian father, a Tunisian mother
and live in Kuwait. Where are their roots - in a nation, culture or
within themselves?
What is Education for?
Who am I??
How can I contribute? and
In this model, it is the values of the inner self
that come first supported by the learning academic curriculum and
not vice versa. Character Education and a Values-based approach to
learning provide the foundation
.
The LVE team in New Zealand is busy with trainings and making new contacts.
Snells Beach School is a new school currently under construction and slated to
open in February 2009. Mrs. Jill Corkin has been appointed Principal. She brings
with her a wealth of experience having been a principal at two other schools,
and a consultant to schools in the field of school leadership, curriculum and
management.
A wonderful three-day training was held recently in Reunion. Participants from
five islands were present: Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Rodrigues, and
Mayotte. A representative from the Municipality attended the opening along with
other NGOs.
A
wide range of Living Values Education activities have been undertaken over
the past few months in the South African region.
One of the most influential leadership groups experienced at
Arundel, an all girls high school in Harare, Zimbabwe, had its
humble beginnings in a nervous group of little form ones in the
year 2002. This energetic and ambitious group of juniors learned
valuable lessons of leadership from memorable role models at
Arundel over the years. By the time this year group reached the
penultimate year of their high school careers, they had
experienced styles of leadership they admired and respected as
well as others they disliked and criticized. Thus, the leadership
camp they attended at the end of the year was the ideal platform
to air their views and experiences regarding leadership and the
task that was about to be bestowed upon them as a year group.
Setting an example - being role models
Maintaining no double standards at all - integrity
Sticking together with enforcing things - united front at all
times
Just before the beginning of the new school year, the new school
student leadership attended another brief camp at a cottage in the
serene location of the Nyanga mountains. This camp provided time
for the girls to bond with one another as well as establish a
solid relationship with the school staff, as they were expected to
work together a great deal over the coming year.
Please
also send us: your success stories in using Living Values for the Impact
section of our Web site;
photographs for the News section of our Web site; and students only, your stories, experiences, feelings and inspirations about
Living Values for the
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News
and Success Stories From Around the World
ALIVE
Materials for Young People at Risk: Living Values Activities for Young
Offenders
Description of LVAYO: Living Values Activities for Young Offenders weaves in
values activities on peace, respect, love, cooperation, honesty, humility and
happiness, with lessons related to crime, violence, drug use, gang
involvement, negative influences and concomitant emotional issues, along with
the building of social and relapse-prevention skills. This approach is based
on Living Values Education Program's methodology. Participants are encouraged
to explore and develop values in a group-facilitated process by first
exploring their own dreams for a better world. Lessons on peace and respect
build self-confidence and a supportive values-based atmosphere in the group,
prior to beginning choice-related lessons in which participants are asked to
explore and share their journey into crime and the consequences in their
lives. The 103 activities include experiences to help them deal with their
pain, and learn life-lessons. Positive intrapersonal and interpersonal social
skills are taught, encouraged and practiced. Participants explore many aspects
of their experiences and build relapse-prevention skills through discussion,
art, role-playing and dramas. As some young offenders are incarcerated for
only six weeks, and others for several years, after consultation with a prison
administrator and educator, the book is arranged so that young people in for
different lengths of time can be served.
LVAYO is intended for use with incarcerated young people. The lessons may be
used in other settings, such as with young people involved with the juvenile
justice system and on probation. The activities are appropriate for young
people as young as 14 of normal or greater intelligence and young adults.
It would be valuable to have an entire facility working with incarcerated
young offenders pilot LVAYO so that data could be collected, and feedback
given as to what is effective and what they would like to see changed. If you
have a facility that is interested, please do let us know. 
CAMBODIA Multi-Cultural
Cooperation Leads to Living Values Training in Siem Reap
Louise Solomons, a retired teacher from Wollongong, Australia,
conducted the training. She had introduced LVE in her school five
years ago where it is still going strong. Her husband, David, filmed
the training and provided guitar backing for the songs, many of
which Louise had composed herself. Cambodia's LVE Coordinator,
Valerie Magniux, traveled six hours by bus from Phnom Penh to
assist. She has been offering training in Cambodia for seven years
and was a great resource. Participants came from Indonesia as well
as other towns in Cambodia including Phnom Penh, Battambang and
Kampong Thom.
Twelve participants continued for another four days, completing the
Train the Trainer program. This culminated in a hands-on experience
doing Living Values activities with children at the Green Gecko
orphanage.
GAMBIA
Enthusiasm and Cooperation via Senegal
Mamour's sincere and delightful delivery of the essence of the theme quickly
put everyone at ease. It was clear even within the first morning that more
and longer workshops would be required as soon as possible to explore more
fully the potential of these universal values, such as peace, love, respect,
tolerance, unity, honesty, cooperation, simplicity, responsibility, freedom,
happiness, and how to implement them in our society.
Participants were able to quickly experience the effect of Living Values in
the classroom by taking part in various activities, which brought about a
loving and humorous atmosphere within the group, and many people's attitudes
changed dramatically as the course progressed to Day Two. They felt these
values flower within them and they understood more fully the vision of Living
Values Education.
The active listening exercise enabled the group to draw out ideas on good
listening and communication skills and attitudes, based on their own
experience. Their conclusion: 'We need to be friendly, speak clearly, politely
and with respect; listen attentively, give advice only when asked for,
encourage, and allow others to express their own ideas. The importance of
facial expression, gestures, sensitivity to the other person's feelings,
receptiveness, being open etc. Don't interrupt, ignore, criticize, argue,
insult, over-repeat, raise the voice, and please don't give too much advice!'
They found the experiential, participative style of workshop was unique to
Living Values Education and very effective. Comments from some of the
participants as to the effect of this workshop on themselves were
'significant', 'surprising', 'wonderful' and all found it informative and
inspiring and definitely something they wanted to initiate in their schools
and in the Gambia itself.
From the feedback at the end of the workshop, the participants said they
learnt things that they had never imagined existed, especially how to bring
about the essence of the ideal atmosphere in the classroom - where every child
feels loved, valued, respected, understood and safe. Others said they will now
be able to cope with the needs of the children who were difficult to handle
before. They stated that they would aim to implement whatever they had learnt
into their lives now, and when schools open they will impart the knowledge
they have gained to other teachers and students.
It was decided to consider setting up a Living Values Association in the
Gambia and to hold regular weekly meetings for those who could be more active
on the Committee, with monthly get-togethers for the others who had too many
previous commitments. All participants wanted to be actively involved in the
group and the first meeting was scheduled for the following Sunday evening.
We all want to thank Mamour so much for his selfless contribution to the
development of this movement in the Gambia. He is an example and inspiration
to us all and we look forward to his next visit and our continued affiliation
with Living Values Senegal."
KUWAIT
Leadership and LVE, an article by Peter Williams
"In a time of significant global changes that affect all our lives
and shared futures, what part does a living values approach to
leadership and management offer to schools and the leaders of
tomorrow?
Consider some of the issues and evidence that relate to our own
institutions.
1. Culture - National versus Global
Current evidence in Kuwait and around the world suggests there is a
requirement for both according to one's own perspective with some
parents choosing education for national culture with a rich
traditional perspective and some parents choosing an education for a
global culture with a more liberal perspective.
How do education leaders respond?
2. Re-Visioning
His challenges were two fold:
3. Maintaining Integrity
Keeping calmness, stability, clarity and focus in the face of many
demands is an essential part of keeping one's integrity. Without it,
leading would be proud and subtle control.
How do education leaders keep calm and respond effectively? What
part can creating a positive living values atmosphere play in the
process?
4. Education for All
In 2000, the concept of 'The Treasure Within' to remember and
educate the inner wealth and inner values of all was added to the
'Education for All' framework. The result was that a foundation of
values was offered to help build a platform for successful and
sustained learning.
Evidence of implementation is witnessed in the growth of life skills
programs, character education and a values-based approach to
learning in the Gulf, especially from the Kuwait American School
from 1999, in Egypt from 2002, in Oman from 2005, in Kuwait for all
schools from September 2008 and across the globe as a foundation for
learning.
The issue for education leaders is how uplift the education of the
essential moral compass in their own institutions together with the
knowledge and skills taught in the essential curriculum. Living
Values Education offers one model.
5. Personal Identity
Many of these students speak three languages and are internationally
mobile.
What part can they bring to adding harmony and
understanding to our world?
Yet, how do education leaders respond to a student who is seeking
their identity and roots? Living Values Education offers a model to
help educate their identity and foster their equality of
contribution. The challenge is as individual as it is collective.
6. The Call of Time
Schools are full of curricula that are inert until applied.
In a world where education leaders often manage a given curriculum -
which is better? - pure conformity or adaptation and creative
approaches to the call of time?
The government of Australia has responded to the call of time and
adopted a radical approach to learning with three key questions:
Isn't it time to create a curriculum that teaches universal
values supported by curriculum knowledge and skills and not vice
versa?
Part 2 of Peter William's article will continue in the next
electronic newsletter..
The principal of the school, Peter Williams also reported: "Our non
verbal standardised scores have improved over three years thanks to
the values approach."
NEW
ZEALAND Living Values To Be Key Component in Brand New School
The Board of Trustees and the Principal have decided to implement the Living
Values Education Programme in the school from its inception. Principal Jill
Corkin stated, "As a brand new school, the Board and Management staff feel it is
extremely important to establish a strong ethos based on commonly shared values.
We chose the Living Values Programme because it fits well with the core vision
developed by the Establishment Board."
She continued, "As Principal, I believe it is important to have a clearly
understood values base, using a common language that is used across the school.
We like the universal values that underpin the Living Values Programme and the
way that these are supported by excellent resource material and professional
development for staff. The Living Values Programme will be one of the key
components of our core programme and will be integrated with our learning themes
and behaviour management from our first day of operation in 2009. We believe it
will enhance the ethos of the school, and look forward to developing it into an
integral component of the way our new school operates."
Snells Beach School will be the first whole school to implement the Living
Values Education Programme through Living Values New Zealand. LVE New Zealand is
proud to be working in partnership with the Management Team for the Professional
Development of their staff.
For more information on Snells Beach School,go to
http://www.snellsbeach.school.nz
REUNION
Living Values Spreading to Islands of Indian
Ocean
This meeting brought fresh ideas and new motivation. It strengthened the Living
Values Education network in the Indian Ocean. Participants had a chance to
experiment during the different sessions comprising the components of Living
Values. The three days were jam packed, starting at 9:00 am and finishing at
5:30 pm. The training ended with a creative cultural programme and a candlelight
silent vision of spreading values over all the islands of the Indian Ocean. All
participants stated that they have gained more self confidence and a few
expressed their desire make themselves available to serve other islands when
needed.
SOUTH
AFRICA A Bevy of Activities,
Including Emotional First Aid Using Values
During a visit to Swaziland a refresher session was held for participants
who had completed the Living Values Training one year ago. Now, at least 75
educators use LVE in their classroom. It was encouraging to see and hear
from the participants how the program was helping them in their classroom
and also in their lives.
A series of First Aid Workshops was held for educators where Living Values
was invited to present a session on emotional First Aid through values. The
participants were made aware of the benefits of two values, specifically
Peace and Respect in rendering emotional First Aid whilst administering
First Aid.
A two-day workshop was held in Gauteng in which 150 educators and
departmental officials engaged in seeing the role of Living Values while
dealing with psychosocial barriers affecting learning. The participants
greatly benefited from the workshop and stated they found hope once again in
values.
A one-day Living Values Education program was held for 100 educators,
psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists in the North West
Province. The theme: Each child needs to feel loved, understood, valued,
respected and safe. The program was well attended and a lot of enthusiasm
was generated for a proper training in the province.
A one-day Living Values program followed by three workshops on various
Living Values Education topics was held in Kwa-zulu Natal. Many of the
educators who attended worked in schools where the socio-economic problems
are escalating at a fast speed. The program brought hope, and many schools
thereafter invited the Living Values Education team to address specific
issues in their schools.
July was the month Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday was celebrated. Various
activities were held in a variety of schools across the whole country using
Living Values to highlight how a great man is made by the values he holds.
Theme: Our Madiba: A man who lives his values.
These are some of the specific events that took place in the last short
while. Ongoing programs continue at specific schools across all provinces
and children's homes.
ZIMBABWE Prefects
at an All-Girl School Learn Leadership Through Living Values and Shared
Vision
At the Leadership Camp, the group quickly began working as a
cohesive unit as they all shared a common vision. It was also at
this camp that they were introduced to the first concepts of
Servant-Leadership. The girls unanimously agreed after many heated
debates that they did not want to be feared as leaders of the
school. Keys to having a successful year included the following:
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