Veera Rodrigues
Mumbai, October 8, 2024: Marking silver jubilee of a school, Salesians invited educational stakeholders to to a symposium on Salesian pedagogy in the age of Artificial Intelligence.
The symposium held on October 5, 2024 centered on the Preventive System of Italian educationist Don Bosco, emphasizing innovative teaching, stress management, mental health, climate change and Artificial Intelligence Generative AI.
The occasion was Silver Jubilee Celebration of Don Bosco High School and Junior College, Naigaon, Maharashtra, the institution, under the Salesian Province of Bombay.
Some 150 participants from various educational boards and NGOs attended the event.
Former Vice-President of Training and Market Research at The Times of India and former Principal Advisor at Don Bosco Centre for Learning, Kurla, Mumbai, Conrad Saldanha, delivered the key note address on the theme Don Bosco: On Education.
Saldhana stressed the importance of teaching human-centered skills like digital citizenship, emotional intelligence, and values-based learning.
Salesian father Peter Gonsalves, PhD in Communications and professor of Media Education and Peace Communication at the Salesian University Rome, discussed Don Bosco’s Way of Education, emphasizing the goal of guiding students towards a happy and fulfilling life. He highlighted Don Bosco’s Preventive System, which centers on Rapport, Reason, and Religion, to guide educators in fostering strong relationships and spiritual growth.
Director at QuGates Technologies, Ms. Ritu Advani, spoke on the topic Reskilling in the age of AI. She highlighted the widening education-industry gap, where traditional methods leave students unprepared for modern workplace challenges such as stress and inadequate coping skills.
Dr. Mrs. Mabel Pimenta, PhD in Education, conducted a session on Teaching and Learning and Inclusive Education. She introduced interactive teaching techniques such as Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Team-Pair-Solo, Circle the Sage, and Gallery Walk.
Psychologist and Director of Premanjali Counselling Services Jesuit Father Tony D’Souza conducted a session on Mental Health and Wellbeing. He emphasized the essential link between emotional, cognitive, and social health for a child’s holistic development, highlighting Fear and Love as key motivators of behavior in an individual.
Middle School Coordinator at Don Bosco Naigaon, Mrs. Supriya Rodrigues, moderated an insightful On-Action Session, where educators were divided into four groups to share and discuss innovative practices, learn from each other’s strengths and challenges, and collaboratively develop strategies for evolving schools.
NGO worker, Mrs. Christaline Pinto provided an insight on the benefits and challenges of home schooling.
Fr. Joaquim Fernandes shared the story of Mr. Amin Sheikh, a street child through informal schooling and trusting divine providence, founded the Bombay to Barcelona Library Café for migrant youth and later opened a school to further empower them.