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Summary of Question:	Re: What To Teach...
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Wednesday, 5/21/2003 1:38 AM MDT

waheguru jee ka khalsa

waheguru jee kee fateh

In responce to the Sikh Veer who wishes to start some form of Gurmat lessons/classes in derby.

A year and a half ago I started the same sort of thing at my local Gurdwara. There is a small Sikh community but problems such as Sikh girls running away with certain boys, drugs, youngsters cutting their hair and elders staunched in manmat practises in Gurdwara and home made me want to teach the youngsters about Sikhi and what Guru Jee says. 10 kids regularly number and sometimes more.

Here are some brief points to help you:
MISSION
1/ To inspire children about living a Gurmat life (not to command or tell but to "inspire")
2/ To make youngsters feel a part of the Gurdwara (this can only be done through kids being given a chance to participate and be active ie. sewa)
3/ To give hope to the youngsters and to make them feel important (reminding them of their great sikh ancestors, proud to be sikh, we are all guru's children etc)

WHAT TO TEACH?
- BASICS TO BEGIN WITH - 10 gurus names, what does Guru mean, what is Guru Granth Sahib, what is a Sikh, what does Kesh mean etc
- ISSUES AFFECTING YOUNGSTERS - sikh perspective on drinking alcohol, cutting hair, abortion, going to clubs/pubs, who is a Sikh, importance of Amrit, parent-children conflicts etc
- GURBANI - get gutkas with Gurbani written in English (Romani) so that people can sing along to shabads and feel the power of Gurbani and then translate for them - translate ardaas into English (we read ardaas in english but the main ardaas from the beginining to "sri tegh bahadar..." must be said in gurmukhi)


HOW TO TEACH?
- DISCUSSION - "YES, NO, DON'T KNOW" discussion whereby people sit on one side of the room if they think "yES" to a question, other side if "no" etc and then they discuss whey they chose to move
- QUIZES - group work - something similar to pub quizes - a game like "who wants to be a millionaire" based on Sikhi... colouring competitions etc
- SIMRAN - get kids to contemplate and to meditate
- KEERTAN - singing along with shabads and accompanied with a story etc
- LECTURE - get people to come in and give a talk or give a talk yourself for 20 mins each lesson about something - ie. different topic each week to inspire kids
- STORY TIME - stories of Sikh warriors, saints, and gurus

i have loads of handouts, quizes, ardaas leaflets in english and also programme layout - if you wish a copy or anyone else please email: [email protected]

Veer, Manvir Singh

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REPLY
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THANK YOU for posting! Guru ang sang,
-DKK