HEART Program

INCLUDE

Overview:

The INCLUDE program prepares Champion Teachers, necessary for the sustainability of the program. This is to ensure that the program is handed over to the school to take forward as the Heartfulness volunteers gradually disengage from regular participation in the school. In the INCLUDE program, 1 or 2 teachers will be trained throughout the year as champions (self-nominated and/or selected by the school during or immediately after INSPIRE). They will have the responsibility of ensuring teachers in that school meet weekly to practice skills and tools picked up in INSPIRE. The schedule of gradual handover from volunteer to champion teacher is described below

Objectives:

1. To facilitate regularity of practice by the teachers, so that they become more adept at Heartfulness practices and hence start to derive real benefit.
2. To explore essential life skills that enhance personal development
3. To explore heart-based teaching skills, and their application in the context of school curriculum coverage.

Outcomes:

Teachers who continue with a regular ongoing practice of Heartfulness will:

1. Experience calmness, peace and stillness in their minds and hearts, and start to manage their emotions more effectively;
2. Develop a clearer decision-making capability, better communication skills and the poise to manage classroom situations without stress;
3. Find changes in their behavioral traits, allowing them to have better quality of life and become more effective teachers.

The Champion Teacher process is the sustainability plan of the program. Once champions are trained well, they can be the change agents within the school and can conduct weekly ongoing group sessions for all their teachers, staff and students.