Dear Readers

Welcome to the July 2003 Issue. We have a slightly different format this month, which allows you to read the complete newsletter within this email, instead of online.

In this month's issue:

• SSEHV Summer Camps
  As the summer holidays have arrived, we take advantage of the break to give you an update on the numerous SSEHV summer camps that are taking place around the UK.
  
  
• Feedback
  We take a look at some of the recent feedback received from practitioners of SSEHV in the UK and abroad.
  
  
• National SSEHV Day
  Keep your diary free for 13 September 2003!
  
  
• Quote - on personal change.
  
  
• Story
  This month we include a story entitled 'The Co-operation Game', which we hope you and your children will enjoy.

The next cross-curricular lesson plans will be published in the September newsletter, and quarterly thereafter, as there are now already 24 lesson plans available in the newsletter section of the SSEHV website.

Please do send us an email if you have any feedback about this newsletter, or if you'd like to share your experiences of SSEHV, to: feedback@ssehv.org.uk.

Kind Regards,
The Editorial Team:
Jo Pratt, Gay Sayer, Carole Alderman, Sundeep Nayar

Unsubscribe information

Feedback

AIDS

"…I work with a youth organisation and when we held a continental Youth Alive Leaders Conference, I felt so touched when it was discovered that the issue of HIV/AIDS is more of a value issue than anything else! I remember I had adopted some of the teaching manual components of the Sathya Sai Education in Human Values topics in the seminars which inspired the director of our organisation. From that moment, I am always asked to give an in-put on Human Values every training…"

Mathias Tezikuba
Youth Worker, Uganda
18th June, 2003

Improving behaviour

"I would like to recommend the Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Programme, which has proved to be an invaluable addition to our curriculum. It has helped the teaching staff to follow a programme of social and moral education which is well supported via a published scheme of work that includes songs, stories and a series of questions that together form an integrated approach that teachers can easily follow.

We have noticed that the programme has had a considerable effect on improving the behaviour of our pupils. Their interaction and co-operative skills have been enhanced by the weekly opportunities involved in the circle time approach required by the scheme…We hope to be able to continue working with our Sathya Sai colleagues for many years to come."

Head Teacher of a Wandsworth Primary School, 3rd July, 2003

Reducing Incidents needing Head's intervention

"Since 2001, the school has had valuable input in the teaching of good values through the Sathya Sai curriculum….Since 2000-2001 when the behaviour in school was poor, we have noticed a steady ongoing improvement. We were able to develop a Peer Mediation system because the children became ready to appreciate that conflicts could be resolved without recourse to physical confrontations. Now…there is a huge reduction in incidents which need Headteacher intervention. Children are more considerate and caring towards each other. The school community is a much happier place.

Many factors may be responsible for bringing about this change, but I have no doubt that the input from the Sathya Sai team has contributed hugely and we are very grateful for this wonderful support."

Representative of a Roman Catholic Primary School in Bristol, June 2003

Top

Quote

"I talk of change and transformation. But the change is not of circumstances that surround you. I talk of the change in the way you will perceive circumstances.

The change I talk of is not of the world, but the change in the attitudes in each one of you. Within each one of you lies the strength to change the world, not by any mutiny, war or revolution, but by the dedication and willingness to change yourselves." - Sathya Sai

Top

STORY

The Co-operation Game
by Gay Sayer

S-l-u-r-p, b-u-u-r-p, slurp, slurp, b-u-u-r-p. "Oops…pardon me! Hmmm, maybe that was too many beans this morning."

Scratchy Bear was just finishing his breakfast. Luckily he lived on his own. His den was high up the valley. Big mounds of bilberry bushes and lots of tall, yellow flowers hid the entrance. This morning all the flowers had their leaves in their ears, as was usual when Scratchy Bear had had beans with his honey.

"He has no manners that bear," said one flower, shaking her petals.

At that moment Scratchy Bear sauntered out, had a big stretch and gave himself a shake saying, "Good morning flowers, perfect morning isn't it?" nNot waiting for a reply, he set off for the woods.

"Well!" said one exasperated flower. "That bear just does not have a care."

Now Scratchy Bear, for those of you who haven't met him before, is a cool dude of a bear with golden highlights in his fur. In fact, to be correct, the Bear Barber had called them, not highlights but glossing. Glossing was cool. Scratchy sauntered and swaggered everywhere and this gave him great rhythm, on account of him having a large bottom on short legs. In his opinion there was never any need to hurry, and he never did - except at times when the trees got so unaccountably angry with him, they chased him out of the wood.

The flowers were quite right when they said Scratchy Bear just did not have a care. His trouble was, that he seemed to think everything was for his benefit, particularly when he was looking for a good scratching post. Scratching, you see, was at the very top of his list. Nothing, but nothing, was more important.

So Scratchy headed for the woods because trees, as everyone knows, are the best scratching posts. Unfortunately the trees did not share this opinion but would make allowances if asked nicely first. This of course Scratchy Bear never did, as all he wanted was to get on with the scratching business.

Now that morning, it wasn't long before Scratchy Bear had made a lot of the trees in the wood very angry indeed, especially old Mr. Scots Pine. He threatened to bombard Scratchy with all his pinecones, or fire all his pine needles at him if he did not get out of the wood immediately. Scratchy knew he meant it and having suffered the pine needle attack before, left the wood as fast as he could.

Feeling disconsolate he began to wander back up the valley with his head low, wondering where ever he would find a good scratching place today. He shuffled his feet and all his swagger had gone out of him. Eventually he sat down in a heap feeling very sorry for himself.
"Hello," came a high pitched voice. "Hello, who are you?"

Startled, Scratchy Bear sat bolt upright and looked around for the voice. There to his left were, not one, but three little hedgehogs, all looking up at him.

"Goodness," said Scratchy. "Well, I am… I am…umm… I am…. Scratchy Bear," he stuttered at last. "And, but…who are you three and where did you spring from?"

"We three?" they said in unison. "We are called Pip, Pop and Poo and we are from the hedge over there."

"Oh well! What…? I mean who…? Oh dear… but which of you is which?" asked a confused bear, rubbing his eyes as if that might help.

"Oh that's easy, I'm Pip, this is Pop and that's Poo."

"That is no help at all" Scratchy said. "You all look the same to me."

"Well, I'm Pip and I talk a lot. Pop is always bouncing around trying out new games and Poo is always full of ideas but spends most of the time chasing worms. Is that any easier?"

"A little," answered Scratchy.

"You look all sad sitting there,' said Pip. "Can we help?"

"No, not at all. I'm looking for somewhere to have a good scratch. The trees in the woods are angry with me, and won't let me scratch there today."

"Well, we are looking for somewhere to play. Can you help us?" asked Pip.

"No not at all," said Scratchy again.

"Oh yes, you can!" came a shrill excited voice. It was Poo, who was looking a little surprised that he had spoken. But his eyes were all sparkly, which was a sure sign that an idea was hatching. "You can help us and we can help you."

Even Pip looked a little taken aback at this announcement. "Whatever do you mean by that Poo?" he asked.

"Well, think about it. It's so obvious!"

"Not to me it isn't," grumbled Scratchy Bear.

"You're just not thinking properly."

"I don't do much of it properly or even not properly," came the grumpy reply.

"Well," said Poo. "What do we have a lot of ?"

Everyone was silent. Then Poo shouted triumphantly, "Prickles, you sleepy heads! What do we do with our prickles?" he looked directly now at Pip and Pop.

"Well," offered Pip tentatively. "We curl up and they scratch who ever tries to touch us."

"Exactly!" shouted Poo, bouncing with excitement now. "And what is it that Scratchy Bear here wants most of all right now?"

"A bit of clarity from you, young man," said a confused and grumpy bear. But Pip and Pop had cottoned on and were now just as excited as Poo.

"Oh yes," bounced Pop" "Scratchy Bear needs a scratch … and we want something to play on. That is brilliant Poo! But how do we do it?"

"Easy. Let's call it a Prickle Massage or even better, Scratchy Bear's Prickle Massage."

At the mention of the word massage, clarity began to dawn on Scratchy. He lifted his shoulders and looked around at Pip, Pop and Poo. "Now I do like massages, young Poo, but you had better explain how three little hedgehogs think they can massage one big hairy bear, prickles or no prickles."

"Easy," said Poo, and they all gathered around him as he explained his idea. Then, moving to a nice soft patch of moss, Scratchy Bear lay on his tummy with his nose flat on the ground in front of him with his toes pointing backwards and his arms by his side. Next the fun began. Pip, Pop and Poo scrambled over his toes and up his back legs to the top of his tail, on to his bottom, which being rather large, was a good deal higher than his head and formed a perfect slide all the way down to his nose. So there they were, one very large and contented bear relaxing on his tummy and three hedgehogs, squealing with excitement, as they slid down Scratchy Bear's back, all rolled up and prickly. Each time they got to the bottom of the slide, they would ping off the top of Scratchy Bear's head and, landing on their feet, scuttled back, as fast as they could, for another go.

After a while, Scratchy Bear rolled over onto his back and with his huge paws in the air he juggled the three rolled up hedgehogs. This, Poo called 'Tickle the Bear', because if he dropped them, they landed on his tummy and then they slid down to the ground tickling his tummy all the way. This made Scratchy Bear shake with laughter and the more he shook the more he dropped them and the more fun Pip, Pop and Poo had tickling the bear!

"This is the best days scratching I have ever had," announced Scratchy Bear. "Great idea of yours, young Poo."

"It's a pleasure, Sir," mocked Poo. "And you thought you could not help us!"

"Yes, I believe I did," smiled Scratchy Bear.

"Perhaps we should call this the Co-operation Game. We helped you and you helped us and we've never had such fun playing anywhere like this. Can we do this again Scratchy Bear?"

"You bet! Tomorrow?" And they all laughed.

And then they all curled right up together, happy and contented, and fell fast asleep after the best fun and games any of them had ever had. That's the fun in co-operation.

____________________________

What would your co-operation game be?

Top

Summer Camps Blooming!

Five summer camps are taking place around the UK during July, each lasting five days. To date they have been an enormous success with the children, parents and Heads and Deputy Heads of the schools whose premises we have used.

In Fitton Hill, Oldham, 20 local children attended the first of two camps from 21st to 25th July, where they had the chance to experience SSEHV lessons and also produce a puppet show performed to parents and guests on the last afternoon. Another 20 children will attend the second Fitton Hill camp on 11th - 15th August. Children from this area suffer many of the problems associated with poor inner city areas, and have few facilities available to them. Sheila Swift and Barbara Edmonson, the organisers of these small, intimate and loving summer schools, hope and believe that the SSEHV experience will really touch the lives of the children who come.

Also taking place between 21st to 25th July was the Croydon Summer camp, where 60 local children attended SSEHV classes, played sports and games and took part in a treasure hunt to 'search for truth'. Camp organiser Bina Valsan was particularly pleased by the ethnic mix of the children attending who are mostly pupils of two local primary schools. The Mayoress of the borough also visited the camp to find out more about SSEHV in practice.

At the Tottenham camp organised by Shumi Somasekeran, which also took place 21st to 25th July, there was a visit form Stephen Twigg, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, and MP for Enfield and Southgate. Around 60 children attended, and activities included drama, games, sports and of course SSEHV lessons. Parents and guests watched a performance and presentation by the children on the last afternoon.

The Harrow camp, also taking place from 21st to 25th July was over subscribed within two weeks of it being announced. "We had to limit the number of children to 100," says Joyce Power, camp organiser. "Last year we contacted seven schools, but this year we had more interest than we could handle after contacting just two schools!" A number of the children attending were returnees, but for many it was a wonderful new experience. Activities included SSEHV classes, drama, sports and music, and a final performance to parents on the last day of the camp.

The Stratford camp is taking place the week following the other four camps, from 28th July to 1st August. Up to 125 children are expected from across the London Borough of Newham, including some with special needs. Activities include SSEHV lessons, sports, karate and games. Children will also learn about recycling and make paper from used material, and a book from recycled paper.

Top

National SSEHV Day

This year's National SSEHV Day is taking place on September 13th in Stanmore, North West London from 9.30am to 5.00pm.

This annual event, now in its third year, is an opportunity for teachers, educationalists, volunteers, and anyone with an interest in SSEHV to get together, discuss their experiences and hear the latest updates from the British Institute of Sathya Sai Education about the practice and development of SSEHV in the UK.

The programme will contain powerful accounts from SSEHV teachers of their own experiences in classrooms across Britain and abroad. Speakers will include Dr Judo, a leading SSEHV practitioner in Thailand and an eminent child psychologist, who will give a paper on how to improve the attitudes and academic performance of disaffected pupils, and organisers of this year's holiday camps, who will describe the impact of the camps on the children that attended and the whole community.

You are warmly invited to attend, and to bring anyone you think would be interested. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. For further information, please email: feedback@ssehv.org.uk.

Top