PEDAGOGY OF THE HEART

 

To educate is an “Art of Hope.” The main aim of education should be to foster competent, caring, loving and lovable people, says the educational theorist, Nel Noddings. She propagates the theory of joy and happiness among all. Noddings expresses that in order to develop an admirable character, we might consider life stages of spiritual growth, which include units of love, friendship, parenting, and also discusses about war, poverty, and tolerance, because this era is a e-man made world.

 

All human beings procure a ‘Quest for happiness,’ knowingly or unknowingly we are in pursuit of happiness. United Nations sustainable development solution network publishes a world happiness report annually to list the top 10 ‘Happy Nations’ every year. ‘SARVE JANA SUKHINO BHAVANTU’ is the mission for care and love as per Sanatana Dharma in India. 

 

Netherlands boasts of “Happiest children” in the world, Sweden talks about the ultimate standards of “social equality.” Finland is happy with the reverence for “teachers.” Denmark with its respect for the planet, Switzerland is on the apex of the happiness scale, a veritable “referendum nation” with a firm belief in their citizen participation in government decisions. Norway is responsibly happy managing its natural resources. Japan for the discipline among their school young children. And, India always believed in the philosophy of “Vasudeva Kutumbakam” - universal brotherhood and family.

 

To confront globalization of indifference and to create a welcoming society, a common home, matured individuals, and future artisans of fraternal humanity, we need to re-invent a global educational alliance of connectedness. Looking into the social dimensions of the global growth, the potentiality of a “Global Village” emerges, as proposed by His Holiness, Pope of Vatican city. Keeping this as a base, this institution has revised a dynamism in her policies, vision and mission. Leading the Annites towards a universal consciousness with a humanistic and a holistic approach guided by environmental stewardship with a concern for peace, inclusion and social

justice.

 

Political dialogue, public policies and welfare administration have to be necessarily returned to alleviate the real agony of the pandemic- Covid 19. The Covid impacted nation cannot afford anything that drains its political and administrative energies. This had happened in the history of Turin, 17 th century, when disaster struck due to world war, which re-directed the vision of the Founder of the Society Marquis Carlo Tancredi of Barolo, to boldly and unreservedly review, revise and repeal policies of education by focusing their energy towards physical, mental and educational services for the toddlers, thus restructuring the foundations for Early Childhood Education with a motto “Serve with Love” and “Pedagogy of the Heart” as a hallmark of wisdom.

 

This was a turning point for this teacher education institution, which has decided to hold and rejuvenate through a heart technology derived from popular contemporaries of our Founders and their philosophical ideologies towards the cultivation of “Heart.” All of which is emphasized upon emotional stability which is a crux for rebuilding the intellectual and economic growth of the country. Inner growth is not like having an epiphany, it takes work. It takes a steady, daily routine. The first lesson of St. Ann’s congregation in kindergarten and elementary schools, had to do with ‘kindness.’ –“do unto others” is our golden rule.

 

A teacher-pupil, teacher-parent, teacher-stakeholders relationship is profound to heal and this would reflect on the future canvas of the ‘Annites’ to remember their “ALMA-MATER” as a reservoir of goodness and well-being to the future generations.

 

“Pedagogy of the Heart” is the present Mantra…