Humane Education's Workshop 5-6 September 2014

Louise van der Merwe The Humane Education Trust PO Box 825 Somerset West 7129 RSA International: +27 21 852 8160 Tel: 021 852 8160 Fax: 021 4131297 avoice@yebo.co.za

Please contact behavioural consultant and therapist directly: Yossi Vissoker Tel: 011 802 5817 yossiv@hixnet.co.za www.yossivissoker.co.za

Humane Education's workshop CARING CLASSROOMS Franschhoek, 5 - 6 Sept 2014.

Totally Awesome!

– the way one delegate described Humane Education's workshop CARING CLASSROOMS On 5 & 6 September 2014 , some 43 educators attended our LOTTO-sponsored two-day workshop, entitled Caring Classrooms, in Franschhoek, Western Cape.

On the agenda: OUR COMBO WORKSHOP Becoming Proudly Human in the way we treat animals and Bringing an end to the scourge of bullying. Aimed at teachers and educators in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases of the National Schools Curriculum, every delegate took away with them our 180-page Teacher's Guide to Humane Education, our booklet Knocking down the barriers to learning by behavioural consultant & therapist Yossi Vissoker, and a big bag of DBE and WCED-approved, curriculum-compliant readers, workbooks, posters, felt-packs and pin boards, and badges to be earned by young learners, called “I'm a Caring Kid”.

Humane Education wishes to thank all those who made our Workshop such a rip-roaring success.

Thank you LOTTO. Thank you Maggi Marjoram, head of the SPCA in Franschhoek who made it happen.

Thank you to Errol and his team at Travellers Lodge for the wonderful venue, accommodation and hospitality.

Thank you Yossi Vissoker, behavioural consultant and therapist, for presenting the workshop on 'Knock down the barriers to learning'.

Thank you to the all 43 delegates who attended, some of them having travelled long distances to be with us.

Thank you to Humane Education donors, and last but not least...

Thank you to Humane Education's own fantastic team, Vivienne, Zwivhuya and Louise.

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Behavioural consultant and therapist Yossi Vissoker conducts the workshop 'Knock Down the Barriers to Learning'.

Delegates were requested to write down what they would take away with them from our workshop (apart from our Big Bag of Resources). These were their replies...

“This was a very interesting workshop. It empowered us to take care of our animals at home and also to relate better to our kids in the classrooms.”

“The workshop was very educational and relaxed. Thank you for enabling me to learn more. I will now look at the children and animals with new eyes. Thank you for the new insight you have created in me.”

“Enjoyed it so much. Learned how to enjoy animals. There's lots you've given me to take to school and teach the children.”

“It was very interesting. I learnt a lot.”

“Excellent, informative workshop. Thank you!”

“What I would like to say is that as a SPCA inspector, I felt, at the beginning, that this workshop was not intended for me but, would you believe, I now feel that I am exactly in the right place. It is very inspiring and I feel that I will be able to make a difference in the communities in which I work after all.

Thank you very much.”

“Informative, Different and Totally AWESOME.” “I thought it was wonderful, very interesting and a great delivery. You have given me a lot to think about. Thank you.”

“I think the workshop was very insightful and encouraging. It really gives you a new way of how to bring caring into the classroom. Thank you.”

“The workshop was very good and educational. The facilitators are very, very good.”

“Very thought-provoking, inspiring and educational. A lot of material to take back and apply in our area. Thank you!”

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“What an amazing and interesting session. Keep up the excellent work!!”

“The workshop was wonderful, exciting and interesting.”

“What a wonderful afternoon. I never thought I would stay focused. But congratulations on a wonderful presentation. Amazing. Thank you very much.

An eye opener.”

“The presentation was very educational. I have much more insight.”

“I have learned that I can stop and prevent the abuse of children and animals.”

“The problems that we, as teachers, face in our classrooms – I will follow up, but in a good manner and professionally.”

“I realise from this workshop that I can make a very big difference in my community. Attending this workshop was worth it.”

Vivienne Rutgers demonstrates the way to use the Teacher's Guide to Humane Education 4

“Abuse takes place in the lives of animals as well as people. Adults as well as children. I wish I could attend more of this kind of workshop.”

“I have gained more insight into how to help children in my community and to understand the importance of animal welfare too. Also I now have a greater understanding of why abuse happens and I now have a good guide on how to handle it all with a little more sensitivity, rather than by being too authoritative.”

“This workshop has aided me in my job because I understand things better.

Keep up the good work and thank you for all you do.”

“I now have a far greater awareness of the factors affecting a child's ability to learn and have learned methods with which to deal with these factors.”

“I will take from this workshop an understanding of how to deal better with a child's problems.”

“The magnitude of the social problem affecting all aspects of our lives... we see only the iceberg above the water. We are not addressing the iceberg that is unseen and dangerous below the water. We may not be able to solve it all in our life-times. But we can play our part now for a future solution.”

“I feel now that I can help break the cycle of abuse that creates bullies in children. More workshops like this are needed. We need to do our best to bring change and stop the bullying among the kids.”

“I've had a lot of fun here. It was very nice and I have learned so much. I must respect children and animals.”

“I will take away with me much more open-mindedness. I will check situations from the other person's side.”

“In the future, I will remain calm, take a moment to assess the whole situation and then start at the root of the problem and work slowly but surely towards a solution. Be patient! Look deeper. Don't take things at face value!!”

“I want to make a difference in someone's life; to take the message forward. I really enjoyed this course.”

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Which of the Five Freedoms are taken away by cages?

“Violence towards an animal is often the result of violence that the perpetrator has experienced”.

“Fabulous. Would like more workshops please.” ”I will be better able to help children with problems and understand my learners better.”

“I know now never to make a child feel that he/she is 'useless'. Always look at children with greater insight.”

“I will teach children to care for things that can't take care of themselves, such as our pets.”

“I would like to learn more.”

“Always acknowledge the reason for fear. How to deal with conflict.”

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“As a teacher I know now how to act with children who present problems. I know how to react and help the learners.”

“To teach with compassion and to teach compassion.”

“The future of humankind depends on our children being taught compassion for the defenseless.”

“Find the problem behind the behaviour of the child. Deal with that. Not the symptoms.”

“I know now that we are part of the solution for the future.”

“I have learned here how to handle a naughty child at my school and to think a bit deeper about why the child is like that.”

“Respect should also be given to animals. Please do visit our school in order to help us help the learners.”

“I will take away with me an understanding that we should go with boldness into the schools even when we feel that we are rowing the Atlantic with a teaspoon.”

“A very interesting way of integrating Life Skills with other learning areas. Thank you.”

“I learned about the chain of violence that must be broken in order to teach children compassion and caring for others.”

“Let the child know you are on his/her side and understand them! And never ever raise your voice! Get to the background of everything.”

“I learned here how to deal with learners with different case studies especially those learners with bad behaviour in the class.”

“Rewarding. I need more.”

“I learned that people battle with personal fear and anxiety which has an effect on how they treat others.”

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“I understand how to approach people, children and animals much better.”

“Not what I expected. Made me think! Enjoyed it.”

“The workshop opened my mind as a parent. Because I'm dealing with a lot of it (bad behaviour). I know better now how to deal with my kids at home.”

“Thank you. I enjoyed the workshop. I would like it to continue as I feel we did not cover enough regarding solving the problem of assisting us to get adults and children to show respect for themselves, each other and animals. It is a long road. Please help.”

“The workshop was very instructive. I have a lot more insight into how animals have the same needs and feelings as ourselves.”

Delegates fit together the Five Freedoms for all Animals

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Acknowledgement and Support from the WCED

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Humane Education’s cutting edge Workshops show teachers the way to use our 180 page Teacher’s Guide ...

... and help bring an end to the scourge of bullying and abuse.

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THANK YOU to all the delegates who attended our workshop in Franschhoek

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Book a Workshop at your school

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Louise van der Merwe The Humane Education Trust PO Box 825 Somerset West 7129 RSA International: +27 21 852 8160 Tel: 021 852 8160 Fax: 021 4131297 avoice@yebo.co.za

Please contact behavioural consultant and therapist directly: Yossi Vissoker Tel: 011 802 5817 yossiv@hixnet.co.za www.yossivissoker.co.za

Humane Education's workshop CARING CLASSROOMS Franschhoek, 5 - 6 Sept 2014.