Educare for Teachers

At the Heart of Sathya Sai Education in Human Values are the Teachers

At the heart of SSEHV are the teachers. They not only expose children to academic knowledge, but convey moral, ethical and spiritual knowledge as well, while encouraging their pupils to discover their hidden potential and to endeavour to bring it to light.  It is in this spirit that SSEHV teachers support children and young people in cultivating aptitudes and a variety of skills, but also noble ideals, for “The teacher’s first duty is to cultivate the virtues of the pupils’ hearts.” (Sathya Sai). Being aware of how important motivation and purpose are in life, they strive to inspire their students and to explain that health and happiness are the outcome of a strong and wholesome character.

Good teachers are those who realise the worth and importance of their work and treat their students as if they were their own children. A teacher who is caring and kind, who is patient and filled with humility, will play a vital role in building the character of the student. This is why the most powerful influence of the teacher lies in the ‘hidden curriculum’ of one’s personality and behaviour, and in the silent messages conveyed through one’s thinking processes, frame of mind and taste. All of which the children assimilate and imbibe.

In order to perform their role in a consistent and exemplary way, teachers themselves need to be mindful about cultivating good habits and self-awareness. If they lie, how can they talk about truth to children? If they are frequently tense and agitated, how can they expect their students to remain calm and focused? Children absorb manners, behaviour and attitudes from their teachers, so if teachers wish to implant values and ideals in their hearts, they need to excel in simplicity, morality and integrity. Such a teacher can be a beacon whose wisdom and spiritual wealth will guide students along a path of excellence. 

First Be, then Do, then Tell

“To develop human excellence in the growing child, love is of fundamental importance. If the teachers are full of love, whatever they teach will touch the child’s heart.” ~ Sathya Sai

To sum up, teachers who wish to adopt a value-based educational programme and, specifically SSEHV, need to necessarily live according to the values of the programme. They will need to know that Human Values “cannot be taught from behind a desk”. No book or lecture can explain them. When the teachers are coherent with the values taught, they assume authority and gain respect. When they are respectful, caring, observant and good listeners, the pupils will become appreciative to these same virtues and learn to express them in every act of their own.

Teachers, proficient in SSEHV and its EDUCÆRE philosophy, aim at teaching with love, for if the goal is ‘information for transformation’, (i.e. to uplift and transform character), it is only through love that transformation may occur. In order to be real leaders, who motivate and inspire their pupils, they should never forget that they should be students themselves, willing to evaluate their own performance by taking time for questions such as: “Am I communicating with love? Are my words too harsh, or are they kind and caring? Do I encourage my pupils to be self-confident? Am I a good example for them? Do I truly believe in the inherent goodness of my students and recognise it as the very nature of myself?”