Salesian Educative and Pastoral Project

School/VTC ¹

(long or short term, 3-5 years)

Operative Model – Proposal 1

PRESENTATION (Rector)

[Contents and aims]

Example

The Educative and Pastoral Project is the framework for salesian education. It offers the institutional purposes of our school / VTC "_____". It is the central inspiration of all training activities and forms part of the fundamental documents of the school / VTC, according to the varied educational legislation. Contains an educational and pastoral proposal that puts into practice the salesian educational philosophy; it guides the institutional programs; supports the principles and standards of community living; gives direction to the decision-making process of the members of the educational community; starts from an analysis of the reality and is the means by which the school / VTC makes explicit the way in which it responds to the challenges and needs that derive from it. […]

The present Educative and Pastoral Project states the identity and shows forth the style and pedagogical method that gets its inspiration educative system of Saint John Bosco. To the students and their families is asked to adhere wholeheartedly to this Project. […]

The present Project is nothing short of making sure that we Salesians put into practice the charismatic project of don Bosco: helping the young to be “honest citizens and good Christians” or “honest citizens because they are good Christians”. Therefore, it aims at achieving a careful reading of the youth and family situation in the area (point 1), the salesian educative proposal as an answer to the challenges (point 2), the Educative and Pastoral Community (EPC) as the agent of education (point 3), the dimensions of the Project (point 4), the salesian style (point 5) and the evaluation (point 6). […]

[Motivation]

Example

The formation of the SEPP is not a bureaucratic demand. It represents a fundamental moment of the identity of each salesian school, a reference document, a process that engages all the stakeholders of the school. […]

[The sources: the model proposed takes into consideration the choices made by the Congregation in the SYM Frame of Reference, the Province SEPP, the local SEPP, etc.].

[How is it formulated: the SEPP is the fruit of a collegial effort of study, ownership and sharing. The local SEPP of any sector or pastoral animation setting should activate processes of convergence and co-responsibility: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 298-301]

9. THE CONTEXT OF THE SALESIAN SCHOOL/VTC (the place we are in?)

[An educative and salesian understanding of the context of the salesian school /VTC with its challenges, needs and proposals in 2 or 3 pages, the work develops in concentric circles:

• the starting point starts from getting to present our work, in a way to understand what answers can be given to the various educational needs of the young in the area, through the specific style of the salesian charism (1);

• the following circle is to have a deep look at the area with it richness, resources, educational demands and new opportunities by way of getting a clearer picture of the youth scene (2);

• follows the educational and pastoral salesian vision (3)]

1. A historical presentation (origins – development of our school /VTC “_______”)

[1.- History, origin and development of the school: offer some historical events regarding the school);

2.- The overall context of the salesian presence: briefly present the various sectors of the salesian presence;

3.- The curricula offered: present the various curricula of the school /VTC or that are available within the Catholic school of the area]

2. Careful observation and knowledge of the context and the «type» of young people that are there (what is happening in our surroundings?)

[Briefly describe and analyse the challenges and trends in the area; the approach that is put in place to deal with the young: who are the young we desire to serve in an educative and pastoral way? In what environment and society they find themselves, in what kind of social and cultural processes are they engaged or may be they are carried by? It is an attempt at reading the reality, not really an exhaustive analysis of the situation]

3. Educational and pastoral interpretation of the situation (Why certain things take place? In what way are we educationally challenged by what happens?

[It requires not only the analysis of documented information but the vision of a believer, that is more necessary to discern and interpret the reality in which we live. Some interpretative keys are needed to help us read the reality around us from the educational and pastoral perspective of our mission. Questions by the young and the families are very important: what are their expectations in relation to our school? What is the image of our school in the city? What are the expectations of the local Church?

The analysis of the local context has an impact on the whole project. It is the starting point that characterizes the choices that follow]

Example

Young people who choose our school present different situations and needs. At times pupils who attend the first section of the school, it is typically the families who choose our school. They will opt for it recognizing in it a pedagogical and affirming environment, offering more guarantees that are both didactic and educational.

Young people who continue their schooling generally choose our school. Besides, the educational environment, there is the quality of education in view of a good cultural preparation that is expendable in the university and in the workplace.

Young people and families are asking the following from the salesian school: a safe, moral and educational environment that helps the pupils to commit themselves in a serene way. Good and positive relationships between students themselves, between students and teachers, between family and school, consistent with the Catholic and salesian ethos, in fulfilment of a positive outcome of studies. [...]

2. IDENTITY OF THE SCHOOL /VTC “_____” (Who are we?)

[This section, just one page, presents the basic elements of the project: why do we educate? What is our mission and our educational principles? These questions shed light on those elements that give sense to all our projects and to all our didactic activities that take place in our salesian school/VTC].

1. Original characteristics of the salesian school/VTC (What is our original experience?)

[The charism that inspires our educative proposal: the reason why did it happen should continue to throw light today on what we do. SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 197-199. Being a salesian school/VTC it achieves its aims with the style, spirit, and educative method of Don Bosco: the Preventive System].

Example

St. John Bosco lived a typical educational experience among young people. Open to reality and immersed in the condition of youth, he acted with wisdom. His educational proposal has been characterized by a passion that simultaneously promotes human, Christian, individual and social inclusion of youth. He journeyed on looking at human existence in a global way, interpreting young people’s needs in accordance with the challenges of the time and in the light of the Gospel. We, today, we are trying to imitate Don Bosco in our time, thus we realize that […].

2.- The educative and pastoral proposal of the salesian school/VTC (What do we desire?)

[The SEPP represents our identity and our mission. Here we have the aims that we want to achieve in our educational action in the salesian school /VTC: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 201-205]

Example

To those who frequent our school/VTC “_____”, the Educative and Pastoral Community proposes an holistic educational experience that aims at the integral formation of the person. For this, it intends developing all dimensions in a complete and harmonious way. The students are gradually guided to discover an original life project open to gospel values ​​and attitudes . The priority choices of our educational and pastoral proposal are:

- Our school/VTC " _______ " aims to contribute to the building of a more just and humane society, not only through the training of individuals, but also through participation in the life of the area and the engagement in the educational and cultural challenges present in society. [...]

- Our school/VTC " _______ " , run by the Salesians of Don Bosco, proposes the integral formation of children and young people. Through the creation of a school environment signed by a clear and purposeful educational atmosphere and a careful preparation in the academic field, it enables the achievement of a balanced synthesis – culture, professional competence, human maturity, the Christian view of life. [...]

- We are a Catholic school/VTC open to all families who wish to share an Educational Project that involves teachers, pupils and parents. Our school is an ecclesial subject, which unreservedly assumes the educational and cultural experience of faith and gives young people the opportunity to approach to faith and ecclesial life. [...]

III.- THE EDUCATIVE AND PASTORAL COMMUNITY (EPC) OF THE SCHOOL/VTC “______” (persons involved?)

[The EPC: importance and persons involved: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 199-201. This is not the place to present roles and duties of the administrative personnel. All this belongs to the Internal Statutes or to the last part or Appendix to the document on organisation and management. This contains objectives (in line with those of the local SEPP) and interventions].

Example

Objectives:

1. – Favour the convergence of intentions and beliefs of all members of the EPC, guiding their efforts to the building of the educational community, which is both subject and environment of education.

2. – Stimulate and respect the roles and expertise of the Salesians and lay people, parents and young people, united by as a "community for education," which sees them engaged in joint formation process.

The EPC identifies problems, analyses situations, identifies goals to be achieved and criteria for action; periodically checks the validity of the programs in terms of the objectives, content, methodology, and the impact of education at the level of the local Church and territory.

So we propose the following actions:

[...]

The community structure is essential to the educational process, especially in the Preventive System of Don Bosco, which tends to involve young people, parents, lay and salesian teachers, past pupils and support staff in a climate of shared responsibility as a family.

a) The young: active participants in their own education

Young people, bearers of the right/duty to knowledge, education and education in the faith, are not so much the object of attention and concern of educators, but those responsible for the choices, and then real protagonists of the cultural, educational and Christian experience proposed by the school.

They therefore undertake to:

[…]

b) The parents are the first educators and share responsibility with the school

Parents have the first responsibility for the education of children. They are called to be coherent with the reasons why they choose the salesian school. As members, with equal dignity, of the educational community, they participate in the research and implementation of the educational proposals, strengthening, together with the other teachers, the formation and educational approach to problems of young people; through their experience they enrich of the educational experience.

To parents, as directly responsible for the growth of children, belongs the responsibility:

[...]

c) The teaching staff, animators of the educational process

Teachers, religious and lay, are inserted fully in the educational ministry, according to the identity and the Salesian project and according to their professional competence.

Therefore it is the duty of the teachers:

[...]

d) The Salesian community

In the words of Don Bosco, the Salesians, priests or lay, create with young people a "family", a youth community where the interests and experiences of young people are the basis for and accompany the educational experience.

They therefore undertakes to:

[...]

1. Administrative/auxiliary staff

The auxiliary/administrative staff contributes to the educational experience through:

[…]

IV.- THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PROJECT (what is the integral educative proposal to be achieved?)

[Every educational practice implies a way of understanding human reality. It is our responsibility to investigate some questions: what idea of "person" emerges from our charismatic sources and current anthropology? What is our vision of society, Jesus Christ, the Church? In this process are simultaneously present, interrelated and complementary, four fundamental dimensions: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 150-162.

The lines of action represent the way these aims are achieved. There is the need to indicate and write down the way these aims are translated in concrete practical actions]

1. The dimension of education to the faith

[The witness of the community and the teachers; the evangelization of culture and the educational process; the initiatives and proposals aimed explicitly at Christian growth; clear processes towards education to faith, etc.: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 150-153]

Example

The school offers an educational and pastoral proposal open to religious values ​​that inspire all its activities with the light of the Christian vision of reality, of which Christ is the centre; it accompanies its cultural content and educational methodology according to a vision of humanity, the world, inspired by the story of the Gospel; promotes openness and study of the religious experience and transcendence; rethinks the "gospel message", accepting the impact of language and of the questions that arise from culture.

Along this journey of faith through:

[...]

The educative and pastoral proposal is translated into experiences and activities that belong to the salesian tradition:

The Good Morning message [...], the moments of aggregation [...] salesian feasts […]

2. The educational and cultural dimension

[The areas of teaching; the teaching of the Catholic religion; formation processes – education of conscience, affectivity, social action, politics, professionality -; guidance; training and formation of teachers; interaction with the local area, etc.: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 153-156]

Example

Accepting the demand by the young to receive a series cultural and professional preparation, the school helps the young come to terms with the implicit quest for life’s meaning; it offers journeys, activities and initiatives that are In tune with this search for meaning.

In particular:

The school engages to:

[…]

The students will commit themselves to:

[…]

The parents will be ready to:

[…]

3. The social experience dimension

[SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 157-160]

4. The vocational dimension

[SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 160-162]

5. Other pastoral animation settings of Salesian Youth Ministry

[The SEPP indicates other educational choices cutting across all of Salesian Youth Ministry, rooted in our charism: animating apostolic vocations: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 163-165; mission animation and various kinds of volunteer activity: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 165-169; Social Communication: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 169-173; the Salesian Youth Movement: SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 173-177]

V.- THE SALESIAN STYLE OF OUR EDUCATIVE SERVICE (how do we go about it?)

1. The educative method (main interventions)

[SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 205-211: the educative environment, the playground, systematic content of the various disciplines, open and flexible methodology, a personalised educative and didactic method, creativity and the ability to express oneself, extra-curricular and complementary activities, etc.]

Example

The method of education is that of the Preventive System of Don Bosco in which educators meet the young with an attitude of sympathy and a willingness to enter in a personal rapport. In a spirit of family they are present among them in an active and friendly way that promotes any initiative for growth; a presence that encourages them to overcome constraints and realize their potential in freedom. Preventive education in fact does not only want to help the young to avoid negative experiences, but assures them of the presence of significant educators who guide them to make free and conscientious choices, helping them become an active agents of their own maturity and that of others.

In the spirit of the Preventive System of Don Bosco, in the educational and teaching rapport, the teachers:

- reach out to the young where they are to be found, welcoming them in their unique personality;

- help them overcome learning difficulties, of method, study and work;

- appeal to reason, helping the student to perceive that he /she is always welcome no matter what happens. [...]

According to the salesian tradition, people, time, space, relationships, teaching, study, work and other activities are organically interacting in an atmosphere of serenity, joy and commitment. For this reason, the aim is primarily to:

- give value to relationships in education and create a favourable environment, based on the reasonableness of the requirements, on the enhancement of daily life, and on charity as an educational method in view of accompaniment and growth;

- faithful to the duties of study, research and work;

- ensure personal discipline and that required by the school organization;

- maintain the respect and care for tools, equipment and premises;

- develop a sense of belonging to a school community;

- promote experiences of solidarity and cooperation in situations of hardship, marginalization and injustice. [...]

2. Structures of participation and co-responsibility

[SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 211-212]

Example

The structures of participation and shared responsibility are designed to create the ideal conditions for a greater democratization of school life, increasing the collaboration between teachers, young people, parents, who care about the cultural, human and Christian students.

1. The School Council

  The Council of the Institute carries out functions of stimulus and verification in the field of the challenges and methods of education [...].

2. Teachers/Staff Meeting

It is composed of the rector and all teachers and is chaired by the Head. Within the meeting is carried out the responsible for the planning of educational and instructional guidelines, their proposal, discussion, decision and evaluation. [...]

3. Commissions and departments [...] The team of youth ministry [...]

4. Class Council

[...]

5. Assembly of Parents and Teachers

[...]

6. Assembly Class

[...]

7. Students’ Council

[...]

VI.- ASSESSMENT OF THE EDUVATIVE AND PASTORAL PROJECT OF THE SCHOOL/VTC “__________”

[SYM Frame of Reference, pp. 297-298]