Towards morality through spirituality
Secondary School No. 1 is participating in the republican project on spiritual and moral education “Implementation of the elective course program “Orthodox Shrines of Belarus”. In this area, teachers Elena Kuzmichonok and Lyudmila Misnik, as well as the Deputy Director for Educational Work in Primary Classes Zhanna Karpitskaya, are working productively with the junior grades.
It should be noted that the school pays exceptional attention to spiritual education. It is believed here that spirituality is one of the paths to a child's soul, that faith helps children and adolescents to understand themselves, to form as individuals, and to grow into full-fledged citizens and patriots of their Fatherland. This is precisely why the concept of spirituality at Secondary School No. 1 is considered not in a narrow sense. One aspect is its relation to religion, another is knowledge of the history of one's region, its national and cultural traditions, folklore customs and rituals. Spirituality here is identified with morality and is promoted as a lifestyle.
This year, the primary school organised a series of excursions. First-grade pupils visited the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, and second-graders went on a pilgrimage to the holy places of our town. Even in the junior grades, children are introduced to the letters of the Old Slavonic alphabet. They are interested in the state of books and printing in different eras, and they also familiarise themselves with the Bible as a monument of history and literature.
The work in this area is organised in blocks – “My Region: Traditions and Values”, “Orthodox Culture”, “Orthodox Churches”, “Churches of the Lepel Region”, “Moral Qualities of an Individual”, etc. The latter is given special attention, considering that school is not only an educational but also a formative institution. And the qualities that are instilled in a person here will determine their further development, education, and perhaps even their destiny.
Psychological development classes such as “The Art of Forgiveness” and “Look at Yourself – Compare with Others” are conducted in an interesting way. Orthodox book corners have been set up in the classrooms. Children enjoy reading the works of their favourite writer, Boris Gonago. Exhibitions of children's creativity, “God’s World Through the Eyes of Children” and “A World Created for Children”, have been organised in the primary school. It has become a good tradition to hold lessons on moral virtue, which are often attended by the rector of the Holy Transfiguration Church, priest Father Sergey Lyashkevich.
In general, children actively participate not only in school life but also in district events. They participated in the district festival “Bethlehem Star” and met with the artist family Alexander and Mar
In the third grade, within the educational block "My Home is My Family", the lesson "Family is a Good Friend" was held, and the traditional game "The Road to the Origins" took place. Much attention is paid to fostering thrift and economy, and the "Thrift School" is in operation. First-graders wrote the "Book of Good Deeds", where everyone talked about their good deeds: some participated in the "Clean Yard" campaign, tidying up at school and at home, some built birdhouses and hung feeders for birds.
The children learned about the church in Zaslonovo and the St. George's Church at the city cemetery, then listened to a story about the St. George's Cross and its full cavalier, a participant in the First World War, Dominik Kanopka, and visited the graves of heroes of the Great Patriotic War in the square in the city center.
While working on the project, teachers do not forget about self-improvement: they visit relevant exhibitions in Minsk, Christmas fairs, met with writer Boris Ganago, laureate of the presidential prize "For Spiritual Revival". Last year, teacher Zhanna Karpitskaya participated in the republican competition of materials on spiritual education and was awarded a diploma in the nomination "Best Traditions in the Formation of Spiritual and Moral Health". Together with the school principal Valentina Khatskevich, she took an active part in the regional seminar on this topic, where she presented a summary of the school's work experience. This year, Zhanna Dmitrievna will go to the Zhirovichi Monastery for a republican seminar.
Traditionally, "Easter Readings" are held annually at the school, bringing together like-minded people, inviting representatives of various interested structures, summarizing the results of the year's work, and generalizing the experience of spiritual education.
Vladimir MIKHNO.