This website is dedicated to Don Bosco’s method of education interpreted for teachers, parents and youth leaders of all faiths. It is written chiefly for a South Asian audience and contains RESOURCES in English for information, study and research.
 NEW uploads!
Journal of Salesian Studies: All volumes, Full issues NEW Keeping Don Bosco's Educational Method Alive in India NEWSee New Books in English for the bicentenary >>
New Article: Johnny Bosco's Communication Competence
Don Bosco the Educator (1997) by Pietro Braido (link)
Francis and Don Bosco (2014), by Alejandro León (link)
COURSES
BEST PRACTICES IN THE DBWAY
 Here are websites that provide innovating ideas for making learning fun, developing skills and helping retention last longer. >> Edutopia; Mind Shift; Ideas for Educators; Brainpop;
 Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi received the Nobel Peace Prize Award during the ceremony that took place in the Oslo City Hall, Norway on 10 December 2014. Speech to the Peace Prize Laureates >>
Nobel Lecture by Kailash Satyarthi >> Kailash Satyarthi's Nobel Diploma >> Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai >> Malala Yousafzai's Nobel Diploma >>  DON BOSCO'S WRITINGS IN ENGLISH ONLINE
More than 1300 pages of Don Bosco's most important writings on one easily searchable page. The collection covers selections of his works categorised broadly into texts belonging to history, pedagogy, spirituality. Original italian compilation, Fonti salesiane, by Aldo Giraudo, SDB, Francesco Motto SDB & José Manuel Prellezo SDB. English translation and conversion to TEI-conformant markup by Julian Fox
To go to the webpage (that may take some time to download) click here >>>
 Pope Francis is a Jesuit who has roots in Salesian tradition. His grandparents are from Piedmont, Don Bosco's birthplace. He was baptized in a Salesian-run Basilica in Argentina by a Salesian priest. He credits the same priest as having a strong influence in shaping his priestly vocation. He attended a Salesian Elementary school and grew up to be a fan of Argentina's San Lorenzo de Almagro football club founded by a Salesian. His past pupils looked up to him as an excellent educator, which is why he is our best practice in the DBWAY for 2014.
Download his words on Don Bosco and Education, his connections with the Salesians (1 & 2), photos of his School, and photos of some touching moments as Pope. A Salesian reading of the Pope's Evangelii Gaudium by the Rector Major. Here's his moving account of his vocation story - on how he felt called to be a Jesuit through his contact with a Salesian priest. NEW BOOK: Francis and Don Bosco (2014), by Fr Alejandro León, sdb.
 Having difficulty in teaching your child at school or at home? Learn from this free, student-centred website. With a library of over 3,800 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and hundreds of skills to practice, Salman Khan and his team are on a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.
Welcome to the future of education world-wide!
Visit the site,
or see a brief Forbes video on his work.
or a 2013 presentation of Khan's work:
 FOCUS 2013: DON BOSCO'S WAY OF EDUCATING At the end of each year, the Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco explains the theme he has chosen for the year that will follow. It is called the 'Strenna' or the guiding slogan to focus the energies of the entire Salesian Family across the world.
This year, the Rector Major, Pascual Chavez, has focused on the Pedagogy of Don Bosco. To make the most of this educational opportunity, kindly click on the following resources:
2. The video presentation by Fr. Chavez himself.
3. Articles on DB's 'expressive education' (to be uploaded soon)
 Episode 2. Break the Silence: Child Sexual Abuse (see the Bill)
Episode 6. People with disabilities
Episode 9. Think before you drink (includes Teen-drinking)
 NURTURING PRESENCE - A Spirituality for Education
by Kenneth Pereira, SDB.
The growth-oriented vision that this book offers is a blend of insights from Don Bosco and Carl Rogers. The common thread that runs through the book is the theme of nurturing presence.
DON BOSCO'S WAY - A South Asian Perspective
by Peter Gonsalves & DBCL, Kurla
This is a self-study manual for teachers, parents and youth leaders. It contains the essentials of Don Bosco's Way of Educating adapted for a South Asian context.
For details click here.
 Education is not merely the imparting of knowledge or the enhancement of skills to read, write, calculate and memorize. True education aims to improve the quality of life in any given society. 'Quality Life Education' does just this. It is an education at the service of life. It stenghtens the learner's ability to think, question, discuss, experience and create solutions within contexts.
Some examples are:
MEDIA EDUCATION in the Solomon Islands: Photos
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION in Mumbai: GREENLINE
HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION in Andhra: PARA
For publications promoting QLE click here.
 RESEARCH ON ISSUES CONCERNING YOUTH AT RISK
Ten years ago a Research and Development Centre was opened to study, document and reflection on the situation of Youth at Risk in Mumbai city. The aim was to improve the effectiveness of the service offered by Salesians of Don Bosco to street children, as well as to Government and Non-governmental organizations dedicated to their care.
For publications promoting the DBWAY and QLE click here
Or visit the BOOKSHOP
BATTLING CHILD ABUSE (links)
The Indian Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill approved in March 2011 is a path breaking legislation intended to stop the sexual exploitation of children, provide them protection and punish offenders. Although controversial in some respects, and questionable in its enforceability, it is a milestone in favour of children's rights in India.
Indian Salesians for children at risk (a visitors' perspective)
BOSCOREE (links)
The National Boscoree is organised by Salesians in India every three years. It keeps alive the belief of two promoters of youth empowerment, Don Bosco and Lord Baden Powell: that young people have tremendous energy to impact changes in the world. This eleventh edition held at Dimapur, Nagaland, North East India, brought together nearly two-thousand participants from 18 states across the country – 1,700 scouts and guides and around 300 scoutmasters and guide captains, teachers and volunteers.
News: Inauguration, Theme: 'Peace on Earth', Platform for National Integration, Peace Rally, Concluding Ceremony.
CHILDREN'S PARLIAMENTS (links)
The Salesians of Don Bosco run about 300 Children's Parliaments in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The numbers are growing as the concept is catching on. It all started in 2005. Today the project is supported by JDW, Bonn, Germany.
 CHILD LABOUR AND SALESIAN ACTION (links)
Nearly 160 million kids aged between five and fourteen are trapped in child labour
world wide.
They are everywhere but invisible, toiling as domestic servants in homes, labouring behind the walls of workshops, hidden from view in plantations, handling chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, working in mines, or operating dangerous machinery.India has the most challenging environment for business
Labour Index. The country has the highest number of child workers in the
world, says the report released on August 16.
THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT (links)
With its new law that made education a fundamental right on April 1, 2010, India joined a small group of countries with such a statutory provision. Finally, all children in the 6 to 14 age group can exercise their right to Free and Compulsory Education. An estimated one crore children who do not go to school are expected to benefit. See original RTE>> India joins list of 135 countries >> Indian Prime Minister's appeal for promotion of RTE>> NDTV Videos: Savita's story>> Kapil Sibil explains the RTE>> RTE Debate>> Slide show >> Stumbling blocks>>  FRONTLINE: Don Bosco Roga is a children's refuge in Paraguay. The home is located in the capital, Asuncion, in one of the poorest neighborhoods, where many runaways congregate. In this interview with reporter Monica Lam, Padre Emilio Fernandez describes how he works with young boys who often come to the home traumatized, malnourished and with little or no education, after spending years on city streets. He also talks about the home's open-door policy, the importance of music in the boys' lives and the life skills the teachers try to impart. Interview with Padre Emilio Fernandez >> Slide show >> 
REACHING OUT TO STREET CHILDREN (links)
FRONTLINE: "A child on the street is what we call a roofless and rootless kid. He's an unprotected child," says Father Thomas Koshy as we walk through the southern Indian city of Vijayawada. It is the middle of the night and still hot, and there are children sleeping in every nook and corner of the city. As an Indian American who has lived and worked in India, I am not surprised by the scene, but it is disturbing nevertheless... more>> Salesians in India for Street Children>> Bangalore (pdf), Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Missing Child Search >>
SEAN DEVEREUX 1964-1993 - A LIFE FOR AFRICA (links)
On 2nd January 1993, Sean Devereux was shot dead – assassinated by a hired gunman whilst working for UNICEF in Kismayo, Somalia. Sean died coming to the aid of children. He gave his life for a new ethos to the world, one that responds to the international community’s responsibility for innocent civilians who are trapped and traumatized by terror and conflict. His mission statement: “While my heart beats, I have to do what I think I can do, and that is to help those who are less fortunate” more>> photos>> facebook>> youtube>> His letter from Somalia written two months before he was murdered >> WHAT'S DBWAY?
If you are an Educator, a Parent or a Youth Leader, try these questions:
INSPIRATION
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The man who adopts unwanted babies. An amazing story of human courage, love and perseverance,
See the video.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the speech by 12 year-old Severn Suzuki to the Plenary Session at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio Centro, Brazil: "At school, even in kindergarten, you teach us to behave in the world. You teach us: not to fight with others, to work things out, to respect others, to clean up our mess, not to hurt other creatures, to share - not be greedy. Then why do you go out and do the things you tell us not to do?" See the video.Also see Suzuki as a parent today. Watch Severn Susuki 20 years later
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be the best God has wanted us to be - even if we were not wanted by our parents. Listen to the story of Gianna Jessen - on how she survived the abortion attempt on her own life. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |         |
Don Bosco's Way: holistic education today for the leader tomorrow.