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Jain Pathshala Teachers Conference
by Pallaviben Gala
The Jain Pathshala Teachers' Conference for 1998 was held in Boston during May 23-25, 1998. This was the first such conference held in North America. Jain Center of Southern California was represented by our JCYC coordinator and JCYC committee member, teachers and parent volunteers. They included Sailes Jain, Virendra Shah, Vijay Sheth, Dhiraj Dedhia, Chetna Savla, Smita Doshi, Amita Desai, Shayna Parekh, and Pallavi Gala.
The goal of this conference was to come up with a standard curriculum for all the Pathshalas in Northern America. During the first general session, Pathshala coordinators from different centers gave an overview of educational and other activities going on at their centers.
The most well received presentation was made by our own teachers - Smita Doshi and Amita Desai. They showed using presentations and examples the innovative techniques of teaching complex Jain principles to youngsters. Their presentation was simply awesome and left audience wanting for more.
In summary, this meeting allowed us to network with Pathshalas coordinators and teachers at other centers. It gave us an opportunity to share what we are doing about Jain education here in Los Angeles area, and learn about successful programs at their centers.
The interest that the young people showed in study of Jainism was quite impressive indeed. Seeing their zeal, dedication and the ability to stay focused left the adults feeling quite confident about the future of Jainism in America.
I am proud to be a Jain and be able to follow the stuff that is good and stop the bad stuff.
- Darshak Shah (13)
Jain Education Intemational
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