PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I welcome you to our March edition of the Lhagkar Newsletter bringing to you our monthly updates on what’s happening in Tawang. I was very happy to witness the inauguration of Tashol Tengyur School on March 15, our much awaited heart project. We welcomed thirty wonderful children to our school this year and everyone is excited and shares our joy about this wonderful beginning. It is so inspiring to see the results of our team’s hard work and I continue to appreciate and support them in their hard work.
As I complete my first year at Harvard University, I am coming to Tawang for a month in summer to offer my service to our administration and teaching faculty as well as meet our first graders. I will also be teaching a one-week beginner’s course on Introduction to Buddhism about the history and principles of Buddhism to college students in Tawang. We are also planning a workshop on leadership skills and secular ethics pedagogy for Tashol Tengyur School faculty members.
With lots of prayers and good wishes,
Tengyur Rinpoche
VISIT OF CECILIA BUZON AND HER WORKSHOP ON SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND SEE LEARNING
FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 8, 2023
Ceciclia Buzon, a long term facilitator for SEE Learning and 16 Guidelines and experienced educator, visited Tashol Tengyur School for two weeks during which she conducted workshops on school administration and secular ethics education. The school administration and teaching methodology workshop was attended by the administration and faculty members of TTS. It helped our faculty members gain experience in lesson planning and how to teach children skillfully. Besides our faculty, teachers from other schools in Tawang also attended Cecilia’s one week workshop on SEE Learning and on how to teach children in a compassionate and skillful way. Her workshop was very much appreciated by all attendees. TTS remains indebted to Cecilia for her kindness and we look forward to her return soon.
INAUGURATION OF TASHOL TENGYUR SCHOOL ON MARCH 15, 2023
TTS was inaugurated by Shri Tsering Tashi, the local member of the state legislative assembly, along with Emi Sangey, the eldest member in Tengyur Rinpoche’s family and Amala Tsering Dolma, Rinpoche’s mother. It was also attended by TTS administration and teaching faculty as well as students’ parents and guardians. Shri Tsering Tashi appreciated the school facilities and the student-oriented and practical design of the classroom. He has been very supportive of our projects from the beginning and TTS is grateful to him for his kind support. The first day was emotional and overwhelming for everyone at the school.
SCHOOL ADAPTATION WEEK AND ACTUAL CLASSES
MARCH 25, 2023
The first week was designated for the adaptation period when students were introduced to the new environment of the school building and also new ways of learning at the school. Our principal and Tibetan language teacher worked hard to manage everything including spending many hours after school everyday in order to plan the next day. The first two weeks showed that a very important skill for making learning effective is a good planning of the activities in and outside of the classroom in order to cater to children’s short attention span which normally is around thirty minutes long.
The school day usually begins with morning assembly followed by forming circles to greet each other. At the moment children are studying Tibetan language, mathematics, and English. They are provided with hot milk and snacks during recess and we plan to introduce hot meals next year.
We also celebrated Lham Tsering’s birthday during the first week – the first birthday at school!
ARCHHANA FROM DHARAMSALA VOLUNTEERED TO TEACH ENGLISH
MARCH 28, 2023
It is our goal to invite experienced volunteers to teach special classes at our TTS and this time we are fortunate to have Archanna Kombrabail from Dharamsala who will teach English and meditation. Archhana has many years’ experience in project management in different industries as well as the education sector. She also has taught English and meditation at schools. Archhana served as the director of Tushita FPMT center in Dharamsala for three years. We are happy to have Archhana at Tashol Tengyur School for the next three months.
HOW YOU CAN HELP TASHOL TENGYUR SCHOOL
Sponsor a child: The annual cost per student is approximately $1500, which includes teachers’ and other staff salaries, nutritious mid-day meals, free uniforms and books, and a portion of general operations expenses. All sponsorship donations go into a general fund that enables the school to cover fees and partial tuition for needy students.
Sponsor a hot meal: It costs $10 per student every month to provide hot refreshments and snacks and $30 every month to provide warm meals. Sponsor a warm meal today and make a difference.
Sponsor our volunteer teacher’s visit: Inviting teachers outside the state involves expenses for the school and it is one of the most beneficial ways to support the expenses of a volunteer teacher.
Wisdom Bridges is partnering with the Thubten Shedrubling Foundation to support the Tengyur School in Tawang, India. The School’s culturally appropriate curriculum integrates Buddhist values with modern Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to prepare students for success in today’s rapidly changing world. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has endorsed the project and in 2017, personally blessed the site of the school.
