SATHYA SAI EDUCARE
W-A-T-C-H Programme
“The word WATCH has an important message to convey. WATCH means:
W-Watch your Words.
A-Watch your Actions.
T-Watch your Thoughts.
C-Watch your Character.
H-Watch your Heart.”
Each time we look at our physical watches we can be reminded of this “Watch” acronym. “The watch we have may break some time or other but this “WATCH” is unbreakable.”1 It can become the simple basis of our lives upon which we can judge the rightness of our thoughts, words and deeds. “We can WATCH whether we are speaking good or bad; whether we abuse others or appreciate them. We cannot escape the consequences of our actions and they build up our Character. Everything has reaction, reflection, resound and comes back to us in some form or another.” 2
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Implementing the W-A-T-C-H Programme
Week 1
The overview of W-A-T-C-Hand the Big T for Trustare introduced and WORDS are taken as the first focus. We explore the Power of words for good and bad:
PositiveNegative
Speak softly and gently.Don’t raise your voice – it can cause
Speak with confidence, not arrogance. arguments.
Always speak the Truth. Don’t speak when angry – Words are
Speak the Truth Kindly.spoken which cause pain & hurt and
Find a way to encourage, support others withcannot be taken back.
Words.Don’t talk ill of others – gossip. It can
Speak only what is our business and use cause pain.
pleasant Words.Do not tell a Truth which will hurt.
Allow others to have their say, listenNo Putdowns.
attentively.Do not criticise.
Speak with manners and respect.Do not spread rumours.
Speak what will benefit others.Do not make accusations – Remember
If in doubt remain SILENT.one finger points out – three fingers are
pointing back.
An Ancient story of the “Feathers” is used to emphasise the Power of Words –
*see attachment.~
1. Sathya Sai Baba. 2 Sanathana Sarathi July 2002 p198
10/05/2004
Week 2
We all share our Positive and Negative use of WORDSfor theweek and explore the prelude and consequences to these words and how we feel.
The next focus is ACTIONS : We explore the Power of ACTIONS for good and bad in our lives.
PositiveNegative
Respond with good for evil.Do not make unkind gestures, facial
Do not respond to unkindness.Responses.
Think about the outcomes before you Act.Do not make rude, disrespectful
Look and see what Kind Acts you can do.Gestures.
Plan caring ACTIONS.Don’t act out of anger-go away and calm down.
Don’t push in to be first or put others
down.
Don’t physically hurt anyone.
We experience: what we give out we receive eg. Bounce a ball – it comes back; hit hand on bench – experience discomfort.
We present the students with a plate of food and they realize that when they don’t take the cake it REMAINS with the GIVER. This teaches that Bad ACTIONS can Remain with the Giver if we Don’t accept them. They are not ours when we Don’t REACT.
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Week 3
We share our Positive and Negative ACTIONS of the week and again explore prelude and results and How it can be done differently. The focus now is THOUGHTS.
We explore the Power of THOUGHTS:
PositiveNegative
THOUGHTSWORDS ACTIONS
THOUGHTSTHOUGHTS
Positive Negative
ACTIONSWORDSACTIONWORDS
Think Good of Self and OthersDon’t Think ill of Others
Change Bad THOUGHTS to Good.Turn off B Grade Movies in your mind
Think of Good things in Your Life.Don’t Re Run old hurts.
Be Grateful.Don’t project bad times.
We use fine examples of great world ACTIONS as a result of one person’s THOUGHTS
E.g. Ian Kiernan – Keep Australia Beautiful. Hiroshima Survivor – World Peace Poles.
THOUGHTS Continued.
~We can CHANGE our THOUGHTS ~
We realize that there is always a small space when we have a CHOICE of our Response to any set of circumstances.
When I’m hurt with WORDS or ACTIONS there is that moment when I decide -
THINK – how I will respond. I can CHOOSE to walk out of class, swear at the teacher, hit the other person OR I can CHOOSE to remain silent and not Respond.
I am in Control of WORDS AND ACTIONS through my THOUGHTS.
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Week 4
We share how we WATCHED our THOUGHTS this week and changed them when we needed to and observed the results of our THOUGHTS. We explore CHARACTER and its Power on our Lives.
CHARACTER
THOUGHTS WORDS ACTIONS CONSEQUENCES
Consequences of Behaviour = CHARACTER
OUR CHARACTER BANK
PositiveNegative
++
++
++
______
=Good =Bad
A Role Play of obtaining a CHARACTER Reference when leaving school, from the Deputy Principal, helps to bring understanding of the concept of CHARACTER.
We explore how our CHARACTER is built up over our lives and we can call on our Deposits of Good CHARACTER in difficult times. We learn we are Judged by our CHARACTER in School and Society. We examine the High Profile members of our Society whose CHARACTER is exemplary or under threat to establish the importance and Value of our CHARACTER.
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Week 5
We share examples of CHARACTER we observed last week in ourselves and others. We begin to understand why we admire some people and not respect others. We focus on HEART or LOVE and explore its Power. “A Compassionate HEART is the natural feature of a human being.”1 Love is the basis of all there is, so it must be the basis of all interactions. We explore how we must always test from the HEART before we speak or act. There must be Unity of HEAD, HEART, HAND.
1 Sathya Sai Baba
HEART Continued.THOUGHTS WORDS
ACTIONS
We use Stories to enforce the Power and Magic of Love. We do activities to show how Love makes a difference in Life.
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Week 6
We share examples of HEART we experienced this week. We focus on TRUST as an integral element of W-A-T-C-H. We explore the place of TRUST.
Fulfilling of TRUSTBroken TRUST
Feeling of Love and AcceptanceFeelings of rejection, pain, sorrow,hurt
Feelings of Self Confidence, Motivation,Feeling of Anger, Frustration, Loss of
Encouragement.Faith.
We realize how important it is to Keep our WORD, fulfil the promised ACTION. This will lead to Good CHARACTER development and belief in Self and Others. We must also learn Acceptance and Forgiveness of Self and Others.
Each week we revisit the elements of W-A-T-C-H moving more deeply into these aspects and gaining more Awareness, Choices and Power in our Lives.
An integral part of the W-A-T-C-H Programme is SELF ASSESSMENT. Each week the Student assesses his or her Self in relation to each of the elements of W-A-T-C-H as they are understood. This allows for observation i.e. WATCHing of behaviour and becoming personally aware of Good and Bad conduct and the resulting effects and consequences. This W-A-T-C-H is a personal tool for Self Monitoring, Reflection and Change.
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The Goal of the W-A-T-C-H Programme is SELF CONFIDENCE. Thisis the cornerstone for All regardless of age. With CONFIDENCE in the SELF we can lead Meaningful, Compassionate Lives as caring members of our Families and Societies.
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“True education, which moulds Character, has no limits. So, the end of educationis the development of the highest Character which is without any limits. Our Character is reflected in our Words, Behaviour and Conduct in daily life. So, we should speak pleasantly and should not hurt others with our harsh Words. It is true we cannot always oblige but we can speak always obligingly. All our Action are related to Character.”1
Sathya Sai Baba
1 Sanathana Sarathi Dec. 2001 Page 376
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