Educational Philosophy of Mother Seraphina CFMSS
A true follower of Jesus Christ and a loyal daughter of the church, Mother Seraphina
has left behind her a philosophy of education which will continue to guide us for
ages to come. In her educational philosophy, she has forcefully and vividly emphasized
the relationship between the teacher and the taught and the role played by the teacher
in shaping and moulding the personality of the pupils. To quote her, ‘‘One who does
not know how to educate while teaching and to teach while instructing, usurps the
name of the teacher.
To Mother Seraphina, school is the place where each child has to be cared for, loved,
understood, nurtured and guided in order to draw out her/his full potential. She
felt that relationship between the teacher and the taught should be that of a mother
and child. Every child has a goal to reach and for this the care of both the principal
and the staff is required.
According to Mother Seraphina the main duty of the educator is to study the character
and capacity of each child and direct him/her to the path of truth and goodness.
Quoting Denti, the Nineteenth Century Educationist, Seraphina says, ‘‘The educator
should be a mother, counsellor, facilitator and one who ignites the spark of creativity
in the student. A good teacher should be respectful towards superiors, modest with
equals, courteous to the inferiors, kind, impartial and just with all.’’
Mother Seraphina stressed that the teachers should always update their knowledge
so that their students do not lag behind inadequate and up–to–date education. She
advised the teachers that they should always be compassionate to the pupils, and
before punishing them, they must ascertain that no punishment is meted out to assert
one's own authority. She advised them not only to love their pupils and to be an
example to them, but also to pray for their well being. She cautions : ‘‘Remember,
if you do not precede your students in the path of virtue, emptiness will ring your
words.’’
According to Mother Seraphina, Education without religion is not true education.
Whoever desires to acquire knowledge should first commit herself/himself to the
study of virtue. Teaching dissociated from the inculcation of virtues and values
will not help in developing right attitude in pupils towards self, others, society
and different cultures.
Mother Seraphina also stressed the duty of the parents to create a family atmosphere
inspired by love and devotion to God and their fellowmen which will promote an integrated
personal and social education to their children. The family is the principal school
of social virtues which are necessary to every society and in it the children have
their first experience of a well balanced human society. It is through the family
they are gradually initiated into association with their fellowmen in civic life
and as members of the people of God.
Mother Seraphina can truly be termed as a mother and a model to be imitated by an
educator in any century. She will always be a Beacon to guide all
those who are in the field of education. She has paved the way — ‘the Seraphinian
way’ to God through education. Following the philosophy of Mother Seraphina we aim
at helping our pupils to orient all their faculties and all that they do in the
field of education — towards attaining the ultimate goal for which God has created
man.
CFMSS VISION
The CFMSS vision of education is value based and aims at the formation of the human
person with respect to his/her ultimate goal and simultaneously with respect to
the good of those societies of which she/he is a member and whose responsibilities
as an adult she/he will share. The Society considers schools as an effective agent
in promoting the integral formation of the child in the Gospel Spirit of love and
freedom — a love that excludes no one because of religion, region, nationality or
race — in order to shape a just human society where dignity of the human person
is upheld, where unjust social structures are challenged, where our cultural heritage
of non violence, religious harmony and national integration are cherished, where
the poor and the downtrodden are specially taken care of. Hence all our efforts
are oriented to form the students to be intellectually competent, morally sound,
psychologically whole, spiritually responsible, growing in friendly and harmonious
interpersonal relationship, imbued with a deep sense of noble values and concern
for the less fortunate, and ever open to further growth.