SPIRITUAL GREENERY IN FIVE

SCHOOLS OF SAMTSE, BHUTAN -

AN ENQUIRY.

Karma Gayphel, Jose K. C, Yangdon, Nandu

Giri, Sangay Sonam, and Ugyen Dorji
College of Education, Samtse, Bhutan
 Spiritual Thrills in Poets
This earthliness goes by,
And we behold the spitritualness
Of all that cannot die.

(ll. 50-53: ‘A Walk by Moonlight’ by H. L. V.

Derozio,1830)
…my brain
Worked with a dim and undetermined sense
Of unknown modes of being; …

(ll.391-93: The Preludes, by W. Wordsworth, 1805 )

SEVEN BLUNDERS OF EDUCATION - T S Powdyel

RESEARCH METHOD
Research paradigm - TOOLS
• 1. semi-structured interviews
• 2.observations
INTERPRETIVISM
• 3. study of school documents
Research Questions

1.How are the concepts of ‘Green School’ and ‘Spiritual Greenery’

understood in five schools of Samtse Dzongkhag?

2.What strategies do schools adopt to promote the idea of ‘Green

School’ and ‘spiritual greenery’?

3.What are the implications of the activities that the schools conduct
on the promotion of spiritual greenery?
 Sampling
School Classes Principals Teachers
(all males)

SHSS, (Samtse HSS) IX, X, XI and XII (M-2, F-2) 1 M-1, F-1

SLSS (Samtse LSS) V, VI, VII and VIII (M-2, F-2) 1 M-1, F-1

KCPS (Khandothang IV( M- 1, F-1), V, VI (M-1, F-1) 1 M-1, F-1

CPS)
NLSS (Norbugang IV (M-1, F-1), V, VI, VII and VIII 1 M-1, F-1
LSS) (M-2, F-2)

YMSS (Yoeseltse IV(M-1, F-1), V, VI, VII, VIII, IX 1 M-1, F-1

MSS) and X (M – 3, F -3)
 GREEN
VALUE
GNH
EDUCATION
= SCHOOL
EDUCATION

PRE-CURSOR CONCEPTS
Greenery domains overlap as teachers perceived them

Equilibrium, Friendliness, Co-

health, beauty operation
Solidarity
(social greenery)
(Aesthetic
(Cultural
greenery)
greenery)

Growth
(intellectual/
Respect, Joy, Beauty environmental
Service greenery
(moral (Spiritual
greenery) greenery)

Critical thinking
Success (Intellectual
greenery)
(academic/ social
greenery
 The morning prayer and value talks in the assembly
Level of Operation Former Sherig Lyonpo’s Practical impact
operation words
Above the Arousing a feeling that “The acknowledgment of a power Students learn humility;
student powers higher than us above and beyond ourselves moderate their ego; feel
control our lives: ‘There's a allows us to moderate our ego convinced that
divinity that shapes our and makes us more humble. Our Jampelyang’s blessings
ends, Rough-hew them seats of learning must create are necessary for better
how we moments for children and learning.
will.’(Hamlet,V,II) teachers for creative spiritual
experiences that enrich and
ennoble them..”
Within the Exploring higher levels of “That dimension of our life that
Students derive inner
student consciousness; learning to leads us to look into ourselves
contentment – ‘Who rises
relax and live the inner life and that lifts us above our
from prayer a better man,
of silence and mundane selves and connects us
his prayer is answered.’
contemplation. to a higher level of consciousness
Meredith (1909) Students
is our spiritual self.” feel rejuvenated so as to
re-focus and re-dedicate.
Beyond the Learning to be more “Being mindful in thought, Gradually, students gain
student disciplined and mindful in speech and action is a the “strength to make my
relation to others. fundamental tenet of GNH.” love fruitful in service/...
never to disown the poor
or bend my knees before
insolent might.” (Tagore )
 Mind training
Duration Object of Frequency Anything
concentration per day special TEACHERS
Practice at No of
home: teachers
Frequency
2-3 •Guru, Every lesson Students Never 2
minutes in •A flower (3 schools) take a
the •Gaze on own promise
Assembly nose Every post- for the day Whenever 5
(all •Own breath break period (one there is time
schools) •Nothing (blank) (1 school) school)

Left to the Regularly 3

teacher (1
school)
 Behavioural benefits of ‘Spiritual greenery’
(mind training to be specific) to students
(teachers’ perspectives)
IMPLICATIONS

“Unlike before, I need not use the cane.” Students’ grasping power increased

Timely submission of
Less noisy than before: assignments
Silent even in the absence of teachers

More helpful than before Disciplinary problems are fewer these days.

In school-5, the teachers found a considerable rise in More concern for

the score in a post- mind training class test against the sentient beings;
low score in a pre-mind training test. students take care of
ailing dogs, for example.
 Cute honesty (pleasant + unpleasant)
Implications

Frequency Number of students Number of students who

who meditate at home motivated others to
(out of the 12 meditate at home (out of
interviewed) the12 interviewed)
Never 6 6

When 4 1 Motivated his/her mother

under stress to ease the fatigue after the
field work

Regularly 2 1 Motivated his/her younger

sister who is academically
poor
Green school practices.doc
Recommendations

1. More clarity on the concepts both of ‘green school’ and of

‘spiritual greenery’ need to be created among the students and
teachers. The school principals suggest a Nation Based In-
service Programme (NBIP) or a Training of the Trainer (ToT)
for the school heads.

These, along with centrally designed ‘green manuals’ for

schools, clear grey areas in conceptualization.
Recommendations

2. It is recommended to study whether ‘spiritual greenery’

means beyond religiousness.

Tolson’s (1966) words are worth a

consideration: “It's easy to love God…It's easy
to pray for the heathen African ten thousand
miles from the house where you live. It's hard
to call a lousy tramp your brother and set him
down at your table.”
Recommendations

3. Teachers need to be trained adequately to conduct

basic meditation practices in schools.
Recommendations

4. Different clubs can emerge from the different domains of

‘green school’ and information pertaining to each domain can
be disseminated during the club time.

The colleges of education could initiate the eight different

clubs to prepare the student-teachers in introducing these clubs
in the schools later.
Recommendations

5. The school can designate a

day once a week to each of
the eight domains of green
school and activities or
discussions can revolve
around that domain.
Recommendations

6. “A green School builds and promotes an active

involvement of the parents and the community in
education of the children. It also prepares children for
the world of work as well as life.” (EPGI, 2012) This
action is yet to happen actively in the schools.
Recommendations

7. Teachers/students from sister schools can be

invited to deliver talks on how their school conducts
different activities revolving around green school
(inter-school exchange programme)
Recommendations

8. The green school activities need to be better

streamlined nationally, as the Principals see that
time and budget constraints stand in the way of
properly implementing such activities.
Let’s conclude…

‘Spiritual greenery’ is at the heart of the effort called,

‘educere’ – bringing out, that is, the unfolding of
the enfolded, which is in brief called ‘education’.

For, of all the eight domains, ‘spiritual greenery’

acts as a centrifugal force that makes the
development of the other seven domains of ‘green
school’ possible.

TASHI DELEK