Gobind Sarvar School has a unique character education program called “Mere Bare”. The words Mere Bare in Punjabi translates to All About Me. Our Character Education focuses on building students’ emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing through this program.
The Mere Bare Character Education Program is composed of five different components which are collectively known as Gobind Sarvar’s Wheel of Wisdom. The five components of the Wheel of Wisdom are listed below:
- Soul Time
- Core Values of Sikhi
- Zones of Regulation
- Mindfulnesse
- Mind-Up Curriculume
Soul Time
Soul Time is a class that happens twice a month, and focuses on practical approaches for students to connect to their inner beings through the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Soul Time focuses on helping students to develop a deeper connection with themselves on a spiritual level. Students are taught using hands-on activities, real-life applications and inquiry based thinking.
Core Values of Sikhi
Gobind Sarvar School Calgary has a unique character education program that focuses on the eight core values in Sikhi. These Core Values are built into Gobind Sarvar’s everyday classroom activities and school events. Every month students and staff focus on a different Core Value. We have taken a collective approach to teach these values. Homeroom teachers and the Religious Studies teachers work together to create lessons so that Gurbani can be integrated into the Alberta curriculum. The Core Values are taught under three different sections: Transformation within (connecting to your inner-being), Transformation Outwards (Connecting with others), and Transformation as a whole. Students are learn about the Core Value and then are encouraged to apply their knowledge to their own lives to foster positive emotional and mental wellbeing.
In our classes and at school assemblies, the staff make every effort to recognize the positive attitudes and achievements of students. Each month, we hold a Core Values Assembly, in which teachers recognize students who worked hard to learn and follow that particular month’s core value.
The Core Values at Gobind Sarvar are as below:
Transformation Inwards: Connecting to Your Inner-Being
| Core Value | Definition | In simple words |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Awareness | Introspection allows us to understand our thoughts, habits, and emotions. This gives individuals the ability to self-regulate and strengthens their emotional intelligence which is critical in all aspects of life. | Being aware of who you are.It means conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives and desires. |
| Integrity | Integrity is foundational to the Gobind Sarvar community. We value truthfulness, sincerity, and ethical work. Those who remain true to their internal guide are shining examples to the rest of humanity that we can live a nobler way of life in this world. | Remaining true to yourself/inner being. Doing the right thing even when no one is watching. |
| Humility | We value humility as it opens doors for discussions and a willingness to learn from each other. It teaches us to learn from our mistakes, take success in stride, and to work in the collective best interest. | Humility means the state of being humble. More about others and less about me. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, its thinking of yourself less. |
Transformation Outwards: Connecting to Others
| Core Value | Definition | In simple words |
|---|---|---|
| Respect | We value the inherent worth of individuals and strive towards building an attitude of professionalism and kindness throughout the Gobind Sarvar Community. | To be kind to everyone. Treating others the way you want to be treated. Respecting people, places and things. |
| Unity | We value the common spirit within the hearts of all humanity. Recognizing this enables us to have more mutually enriching interactions and to create a more connected community. | To be one family. Appreciating differences and working together. |
| Gratitude | We value an attitude of appreciation. By exemplifying this to students we endeavour to equip them with the necessary tools to live a content and happy life. | Attitude of Gratitude To be thankful for everything and have an attitude of appreciation. |
Transformation as a Whole
| Core Value | Definition | In simple words |
|---|---|---|
| Uniqueness | We value that everyone has unique character traits that makes him/her special. We all are special in our own way. | Embracing your uniqueness and celebrating your individual qualities. Being humbly proud of who you are. There is only one of ME! |
| Resiliency | Resiliency is important in the constant changing pace of life. Persevering in the face of external and internal stressors is learned by directing one’s energy towards positivity and productivity. | Remaining calm and positive in difficult situations. Resiliency is the ability to bounce back from frustrations and to recover from setbacks. Learning from the challenges and to Never Give Up! |
Zones of Regulation
The Zones of Regulation is a set of zones that indicate the different levels of self-regulation. The Zones help students to gain skills in consciously regulating their actions to help increase control and problem solving skills. Students use these zones on a daily basis in their classrooms with the support of their teachers.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an introspective approach to better understanding yourself and others. Gobind Sarvar uses mindfulness as a tool to help students to build positive relationships with themselves and their peers. Mindfulness is an approach which helps students to identify and become of their emotions.
Mind-Up Curriculum
The Mind-Up curriculum includes brain-focused strategies for learning and living. Students are taught these strategies in classes that occur monthly. These classes focus on teaching students strategies to improve their self-regulation skills, build resilience to stress and develop a positive mindset in both school and life.