Did you know that your child has the potential to be, "a mine rich in gems of inestimable value."
Did you know that we are all rich in gems and that our inner beauty can shine too?
These gems are human qualities which we can develop in ourselves and which can change our outlook on life and our place in the world.
Let me explain...
At Red Oaks we are running an empowerment programme over 10 weeks which is delivered through two experiences called the Tranquillity Zone and the Discovery Zone. This is part of the Swindon Young people's Empowerment Programme which is an initiative of the Baha'is of Swindon. Each week small groups of learners in Years 5 and Year 6 have a Tranquillity Zone session followed by a Discovery Zone session which last approximately 1 hour in total.
Have a peep inside our Tranquillity Zone isn't it so amazingly serene and peaceful?
While the Tranquillity Zone is a relaxing experience, it's aim is to inspire children with a vision of their potential as a "mine rich in gems of inestimable value." The gems being their good human qualities.
Qualities/gems such as these...
You see in the Tranquillity Zone the children learn to relax and breathe and use their imaginations with the assistance of music and a script that is read aloud. Whilst in this calm and peaceful state they go on a visualisation journey to their own island of tranquillity where they meet a wise person who helps them to see all the good human qualities that they have within them.
Then after in the Discovery Zone they reflect on their lives, their behaviour and they learn how to identify and apply these gems in everyday situations in order to make choices that are beneficial to them and to others. The children are given gems to remind them of the good human qualities that they have demonstrated during the sessions and these are then followed up by the class teacher and duly celebrated by other staff. By discovering and nurturing their gems of inestimable value this leads to improvements in self worth, motivation to learn and behave and an increased desire to make a positive contribution to society.
Children are subjected to all matter of pressures in today's society - family/peer pressures, the media, academic expectations, to name but a few. This programme helps them to foresee the consequences of the choices they make, to see the end in the beginning. Over time, this helps them to develop wisdom and the capacity to think for themselves. In essence it helps them to develop and sustain a healthy human spirit.
And of course this links and reinforces all the teaching and learning we have been doing in terms of Build Learning Power (BLP) and also Values Education.
We are in the early stages of implementing this programme but there is already a lot of passion and commitment towards it particularly from the trained facilitators and myself and most notably from the children and parents already engaged in it.
This is what the children say..
"The Tranquillity Zone helps me to feel peaceful, calm and happy..."
"The Tranquillity Zone helps me to get rid of my negative thoughts and worries...I worry about a lot of things."
"The Tranquillity Zone helps me to see all the good inside me."
"The Tranquillity Zone helps me to realise that I am a very special person."
"The Discovery Zone is helping me make new friends and calm myself down."
"The Discovery Zone is helping me concentrate more in class and I don't shout out and wander now."
"The Discovery Zone helps me to decide what is right and wrong and what choices to make."
"The Discovery Zone is helping me to show my inner beauty."
Don't we all deserve a moment of Tranquillity and Discovery in our all too busy hectic lives? Sessions for parents at Red Oaks? Well...watch this space!!!
In the meantime you can contact the Baha'i Projects Office at The Health Hydro
Milton Road
SWINDON
SN1 5JA
tel: 537454
and make enquiries about the sessions that they offer.
Let me explain...
Then after in the Discovery Zone they reflect on their lives, their behaviour and they learn how to identify and apply these gems in everyday situations in order to make choices that are beneficial to them and to others. The children are given gems to remind them of the good human qualities that they have demonstrated during the sessions and these are then followed up by the class teacher and duly celebrated by other staff. By discovering and nurturing their gems of inestimable value this leads to improvements in self worth, motivation to learn and behave and an increased desire to make a positive contribution to society. 
And of course this links and reinforces all the teaching and learning we have been doing in terms of Build Learning Power (BLP) and also Values Education.