Education for Life News: August 2008

In India Plans are full speed ahead for the new Education for Life school in Gurgaon, India. Priti Issar is in the process of having a state-of-the-art school built that will include 12 classes, a bookshop, cafeteria, kitchen, amphitheater and swimming pool. Plans are to open next April with 180 students . Here in the U.S., Sandy (Priya) McDivitt is heading up the administration of the school and recruiting American teachers who want a real adventure in teaching a year or more in India. Sandy plans to retire next June from her job as Executive Director of Forest Charter School and move to India to run the school full time.To contact Sandy, e-mail smcdivitt@forestcharter.com.  In Italy The Education for Life School at Ananda Assisi is starting its second full year. In addition to pre-school there will be elementary grades taught by Jan Lotichus ((Darshan). Eefje Kerremans, who spent last year at the Institute for Alternative Living, in the Education for Life curriculum, will be a full-time intern. In the U.S. Lorna Knox and Susan Usha Dermond are working with The Center for Progressive Christianity (www.tcpc.org) to develop a Sunday School curriculum that will be marketed to progressive Christian churches in the U.S. The center itself has nearly 400 churches in its membership.  According to Fred Plumer, President of TCPC, "We believe it is time for the world to recognize a different Christianity that is open, inclusive, and compassionate and we feel that there is no better place to start than with ourselves and our children." In July, Usha made a presentation on Calm and Compassionate Children to the national conference of Church and Synagogue Librarians. In the Northwest A year long Education for Life teacher training (one week-end per month) begins September 20, 2008. The program will be conducted jointly by the Education for Life Foundation, the Ananda Institute of Living Yoga in Seattle, Living Wisdom School in Portland, and Ananda Portland. For a schedule, scroll down. For detailed information about the training, please e-mail dermond@teleport.com. In Seattle Nivritti (Cathy) Steenstra, administrator of the Seattle Living Wisdom School, reports that they are adding second grade this year, and that they have two new teachers joining the staff:  Beth Frymire, who will be teaching primary, and Mary Perin, who will be teaching kindergarten. The school has just moved to a great new location in Shoreline. In Portland Melissa Heart (what a name for a teacher!), a former Head Start teacher, will join the staff as a paid intern and part time pre-school teacher. Lorna Knox will be joining the staff this year as a full time teacher, and Sandi Goodwin will be assisting Usha Dermond in an administrative role. Rose Neal will continue in charge of recruitment and parent events. In Nevada City Rosa Atwell, who attended Ananda's Living Wisdom High School and majored in drama in college, is teaching our kindergarten/1st grade class this year after finishing her internship last spring. Last year there were 8 underclassmen and 3 Education for Life students at the Institute; their study abroad was in Egypt, in connection with their study of the yugas, or cycles of time. In Palo Alto Rose Blake and Erica Glazzard will join the staff as paid interns training to be teachers. Both young women attended the first Living Wisdom School in Nevada City as children! Matthew Sloan is returning to as the K-1 teacher after a hiatus of several years. Matthew has a varied background in theater, movies, film, and comedy. The new school building is close to completion; it will house 2nd through 8th grade. Eric Munro, a school parent and board member, is joining the staff as the Development Officer.   Northwest Teacher Training Schedule September 20-21, 2008 (Portland)     Essence of Education for Life     History of Education for Life *October 18-19, 2008 (Portland; also, first half of Raja Yoga fulfills this requirement)     Principles of Yogic Living I     Energization & Magnetism     Meditation November 15-16, 2008 (Seattle)     Specific Gravity *December 6-7, 2008 (Portland; also, first half of Raja Yoga fulfills this requirement)     Super-Conscious Living     Affirmations     Principles of Yogic Living II  January 17-18, 2009  (Portland)     Tools and Stages of Maturity     Health and Diet for Kids February 21-22, 2009  (Portland)     Curriculum     Education For Life approach to subjects March 21-22, 2009     (Seattle)     Energy in the Classroom & Classroom Management     Teacher magnetism     Flow Learning April 18-19, 2009    (Portland)     True Teaching is Individual     Lesson Planning May 23-24, 2009  (Portland & Seattle)     Developing Intuition        Supportive Leadership     Individual consultation June 13-14, 2009     (Portland)     Review, Share inspiration, Exams *Cost $1595

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