Orientation Programme
An Orientation Programme was conducted at St. Ann’s English Medium School & Junior College, Lonand, with the teaching staff of both St. Ann’s School and Mount Carmel School actively participating in the session.
The programme was led by Mr. Siju Thomas Alencherry, MBA, ATP, an inspiring mentor and trainer. Through his engaging and interactive session, he shared valuable insights on personal growth, positive attitude, mentoring, and effective guest management.
Mr. Siju emphasized the importance of associating one’s name with positive attributes and reminded participants that “A person is not the problem; the person has a problem.” He encouraged everyone to spread smiles and positivity wherever they go.
The session highlighted the five “I”s of effective interaction:
- Introduction
- Involvement
- Inspiration
- Interaction
- Improvement
He explained that change begins with a positive attitude and discussed the importance of cognitive, emotional, and compassionate development. Stressing the value of relationships, he stated that family comes first and encouraged everyone to celebrate imperfections with perfection.
One of the key takeaways from the session was that correction is better, but encouragement is the best. He advised teachers to encourage first and then guide through correction. Participants were also motivated to be a part of the solution rather than the problem.
The mentor further spoke about Guest Management based on the tagline “Atithi Devo Bhava”. He emphasized that students are the most important guests in a school and should be welcomed warmly through:
- Greeting them respectfully
- Calling them by their names
- Maintaining eye contact
- Smiling genuinely
- Using appropriate positive touch and gestures of care
Mr. Siju beautifully described a mentor as a person who helps and heals others. According to him, a mentor constructs bridges, whereas a teacher may sometimes build walls. He encouraged educators to become mentors who connect, inspire, and empower students.
The programme proved to be highly motivating, enriching, and thought-provoking. It left the participants with valuable lessons on positivity, mentoring, leadership, and building meaningful relationships with students.
