“TEACHER: THE SECOND PARENT”

(Value Education_ Prayer Service: 5th Sept 2010)

Materials required:
A Globe, a Compass, a Bowl of Ash, a Mirror, a Heart, a Clock, a Brick, a Tree
Sapling, A Lamp, Teaching materials
Bhajan Meaning of the
Bhajan:
Asatoma, Sat Gamaya Free us Lord from the untruth
and lead us to the truth
Tamasoma, Jyoti Gamaya Free us Lord from ignorance
and lead us to the light
Mrityorma, Amrutam Gamaya Free us Lord from
death and lead us to life
Introduction:
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was one of the most distinguished diplomat, scholar
and teacher, apart from being the President of India from May 1962 to May 1967. As
a tribute to this great teacher, his birthday is observed as Teacher's Day. As a
matter of fact when his students and friends asked him for the permission to
celebrate his birthday, he asked them to celebrate the day as Teacher's day.
We have gathered here today as a school to praise God for our School and to pray
for all our beloved teachers who are rightly referred to our ‘second parent’. It is
through their constant educative and friendly presence here that our school is also
a ‘second home’ for us to nurture and become all that God has meant us to be.
Lighting of the Lamp: (The lamp to be in the centre and surrounded by Teaching
materials)
Let us now attentively listen to the Word of God
Scriptures: (choose an appropriate reading from various religious scriptures)
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in my word, you are
my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you
free”...
A short period of Silence:
Prayers of the Faithful: (A Teacher and Student stand face to face and holding
the appropriate symbol)
Response: Lord, bless our Teachers
1. Potted Plant: One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but
with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so
much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the
growing plant and for the soul of the child. Lord bless our teachers as they
help us grow as individuals and as a school. Response:
2. A Globe: Creative powers can just as easily turn out to be destructive. It
rests solely with the moral personality whether they apply themselves to
good things or to bad. And if this is lacking, no teacher can supply it or take
 its place. Lord bless our teachers as they help us build a better world for
ourselves and our generations to come. Response
3. A Compass: Direction is more important than velocity. Where we are
heading to is more important than how fast we get there. Lord, just as this
Compass faithfully points itself to the True North, bless our teachers who
constantly show us the way to excellence guided by religious and moral
values. Response
4. A Bowl of Ash: Today is the Tomorrow we dreamed of yesterday. Our life
moves on, always dynamic never static. Like this ash that represents the
past, our lives too need to move on. In the face of discouragements, failures,
setbacks we often want to dwell in the broken past. Lord bless our teachers
who constantly brighten our lives with the call to move forward while learning
from our past. Response
5. A Heart: Love conquers all. The only lesson we need to learn in life is to
LOVE. To love God, to love neighbour, to love self and to love the world God
gifted us. This heart represents love – the ultimate lesson in life. To fail in
love is to fail in life itself. Lord, bless our teachers as they direct and mould
our hearts to be more loving in all that we do and are. Response
6. A Brick: Students are not meant to spend the rest of their life in school. We
will move on, but we will be able to build our future homes only with the
bricks that we now make. Lord bless our teachers with patience and strength
as they discipline us with care and the love of our own parents. Response
7. A Clock: The vocation of a teacher is always a 24/7 call to accompany
young students on their journey of life. In the busy schedule of a teacher’s
life, every student has a special place of pride. The classroom, the school, the
playground, the laboratory is a teacher’s second home. Lord we pray that you
bless our teachers for their constant availability and accompaniment and for
making us their very own sons and daughters. Response
8. A Mirror: Change begins with the person in the mirror. So often Lord we are
afraid to look at ourselves honestly. We hid in our shame, in our failure and in
our disappointments. Thank you for our teachers who like this mirror help us
to see ourselves more clearly. Bless the work of their hands as they
constantly guide us to change our lives for the better. Response
Commitment by Teachers:
(All the Teachers are invited to stand up together and say aloud the following prayer
of commitment)
God, the Creator and sustainer of the World
The Way, the Light and the Truth,
You invite us to the noble vocation of forming the Lives of Young people
Help us always to remember that we are their SECOND PARENT
Not by chance but by choice.
That the classroom is a sacred place for it is an extended Home
Where students learn a new way of living and loving.
May our efforts be blessed by your Divine Touch for we know that
To be meaningful, education must significantly touch the lives of students
and integrate thinking, feeling, and acting in such a way that individuals have a
sense of purpose in life.
Forgive us for our failings, and strengthen our resolve to
Work together in Faith, Hope and Love
Knowing that the seeds we plant today
Will bear fruits in plenty in the years to come. AMEN

Final Bhajan/ Song: (Choose an appropriate one that your students know well)
Conclusion: Students could present flowers/ presents to the teachers as a sign of
appreciation.
Fr. Glenford Lowe sdb