14. Faith Formation

15. Students support initiatives

(i). Orientation Programmes

At the beginning of the academic year an orientation programme is conducted for all the students for one day.

(ii). Bridge Course

For about 15 days in the beginning of the academic year bridge-course is conducted to enable the students refresh their learning.

(iii). Seminars and workshops to advance learning

Apart from the regular curriculum, we take different efforts to cultivate learning and understanding in the students. Special seminars are organised with the help of resource persons in the following diverse fields: ecology awareness programmes, English learning coaching classes, human rights classes, leadership training programme, media education, personality development workshops, psychological assessments and counselling, sex education, yoga classes.

(iv). Computer Education

Computer education is part of our curriculum to keep students abreast of the developments in information technology. In all our schools computer labs are well equipped with required infrastructure. So Computer Education is beneficial for our students as they step out into the world which has become techno-savvy.

(v). Establishing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Teaching Facilities

To support and facilitate teachers’ professional competence; To provide opportunities for the teachers to experiment with emerging technologies, thereby aid in the provision of interesting and creative presentation of content; To increase the opportunities for the teachers to collaborate and network with colleagues, thereby increase communication and exchange of linkages among themselves; To transform teaching and help teachers to be more efficient and effective, thereby increase their interests in teaching; To promote rethinking and revision of curriculum and instructional strategies; To help students to carry out more independent work and give the teacher more time to focus on teaching higher level concepts in the classroom; To engender a multi-media presence in the classroom.

(vi). Tuition and remedial classes

For the academically challenged students who are slow learners, remedial classes are conducted during weeks after/before regular class hours. Special care and attention is given to the weak students which is quite difficult in the general class room situation. The remedial classes have benefited the students and many students have a chance to pass and realize their potential. Remedial class has gone a long way in improving our results in the board exams.

TEACHER CENTERED ACTIVITIES

01. Orientation Programmes

At the beginning of the academic year an orientation programme is conducted for all the teaching staff at least for two days

02. Retreat for the staff

Once in a year two-day common retreat is conducted for all the teaching staff.

03. Refreshing Course

Once in a year two-days refreshing course is conducted for all the teaching staff besides the government - organized programmes. The following are the some of the programmes organized for the teachers in our institutions:

To improve teaching skills

Training programme on various subjects; Training programmes by the Department; English/Hindi/Kannada training; On development of life - A psychological approach; Personality development; Importance of team work; Human rights education; Mentoring the Mentors for science teachers; English Grammar classes; Effective methods of teaching; Communication skill, life skill and teaching techniques; Dealing with the deprived class of children; Efforts to be taken to give quality education; How to get better results?; Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) Training programme.

Seminars and workshops

Time Management, Goal setting in work and personal life, Media awareness, YSM Seminar and Ecology.

Spiritual formation to the Catholic Staff

• Once in a year two-day common retreat is conducted for all the teaching staff.
• Methodology of teaching faith formation
• Media awareness
• Effectiveness of catholic education being the spiritual formation of the catholic students
• Interfaith formation for youth
• St.Paul’s letters.
• To realize one’s own responsibility and accountability to God with regard to the children entrusted to care for

PARENT'S CENTERED ACTIVITIES

Parent Teachers Association exists in all the schools. The PTA is a platform for the parents to interact with the teaching faculty. Through the interaction teachers are able to get a feedback from parents regarding their home environment and the impact it has on the students’ performance. Based on this information and the personal case study made by class teachers, due steps are taken to improve the academic performance of students.

Also as and when needed parents are called personally to discuss about their ward. Based on that corrective measures are taken and many a time qualitative improvement for the better is seen in our students. In certain cases home visit are made by the staff members to look into their family background and render help if necessary

HIGHER EDUCATION

“The higher education so much needed today is not given in the school, is not to be bought in the market place, but it has to be wrought out in each one of us for herself; it is the silent influence of character on character.”

Thinking Big’ in terms of giving quality education that forms persons of integrity, intellect and innovation is the hallmark of Higher Education as it makes every student to make choices and engender a new society. Jawaharlal Nehru, in his address to the graduates of the Allahabad University in 1947 said,“Higher Education stands for humanism, for tolerance, for reason, for the adventure ideas and for the search for truth. It stands for the onward march of the human race toward higher objectives.” These words focus on the formation of character.

Higher Education ought to free young to be themselves with the power to discern, to challenge, to appreciate, to be positive and different and to be fully human and fully alive. The ultimate goal of higher education is the insertion of the young person into society as responsible citizen.

We consider always that education is a noble mission in which the students undergo all round formation. We take preferential option for the girls who hail from the marginalized sections of the society. It is with this intention, we establish colleges. We receive this vision from our Mother Foundress Thatipathri Gnanamma. She contemplated over the situation and empathized with women of her time in the 19th century who were deprived of education and thus marginalized. She lit the candle of education and enlightened the women to stand the challenges of life.

FINALLY

We impart to our students must make them conscious of the purposefulness in life, responsibility in creating homes that are based on eternal values, ethical principles and the teachings of Jesus, which in turn would create a more harmonious and just society. Only then God’s Kingdom will be established here on earth.

The role of teachers in influencing the minds and hearts of students is undoubtedly remarkable one and all generations have recognized this fact. The success story of our educational institutions is solely due to the team work and uncompromising conviction of the call of God and the vision of our Foundress Mother Gnanamma.While it is true that the whole world experiences all kinds of change, whether it is economics or social or political, the truth is that Education of Girl children do empower them with economic freedom, family responsibility and social commitment. Indeed it is heartening to note that students who have passed out from our institutions hold on to cherish the values they have inculcated during their formative years and are strongly convinced that these are the things that make them stand apart from the rest.