Dear devotees,
Welcome to Iskconeducation.org, the official website of ISKCON's Ministry of Educational Development (MED). We would like to express our gratitude to all of you who helped us create this website by contributing your valuable materials, time and resources.
Twenty-one students successfully completed another academic year at Bhaktivedanta College, and a graduation ceremony took place on June sixteenth. The room became crowded. The tired but satisfied undergraduates and staff were joined by cheering temple devotees, friends and supporting members, and a few proud parents.
The evening celebration began with a bhajan led by the students. This year's honored guests were His Holiness Lokanath Swami and a former student, Lilasuka Dasa. Jaya Krishna Dasa, the Administrator Officer, coordinated the agenda and spoke about the successful seventh academic year. Yadunandana Swami, the Principal, reminded students of their accomplishments and described the skills gained in the devotional, vocational and academic modules.
New Book Reveals Fundamental Flaw in Darwin's Theory
Torchlight Publishing, Badger, CA - When he published his Origin of Species, Darwin gave his adherents hope that the wonderful complexity of living organisms could be explained without appealing to an intelligent designer. He proposed that biological complexity and diversity could be explained by variations in population. One hundred and fifty years later this promise has failed to come true.
Nature's IQ - Extraordinary Animal Behaviors that Defy Evolution confronts us with
many wonders of nature that Darwinists fail to explain in any strictly scientific fashion. Using 200 fascinating color photos, Nature's IQ cites over 100 behavioral phenomena from the animal kingdom that are unexplainable by evolution.
If the children were to go to karmi school and watch television there are two things that they would be exposed to, namely sex and violence, and we all know what that exposure can do to young, impressionable minds. Whether or not we read the Bhagavatam, all children will ask these questions. But through the Bhagavatam they see a different perspective – sex for a higher purpose, for producing God-conscious children.
In the Bhagavatam there are many references to sex life, but all of them recommend sex only according to religious principles - for procreation . We have many examples of personalities who produced exalted children due to proper use of sex life. For example, the progenitors such as Daksa and Kasyapa Muni produced thousands of children in order to populate the earth. The Bhagavatam does not view sex negatively; rather it shows how to use everything in Krishna's service.
The Sri Mayapur International School's holistic approach to education engages the body, mind, intelligence and words of devotee children from all over the world. It prepares them to fulfill their life's purpose spiritually, at the same time providing internationally accepted skills, training and academic education.
SMIS immerses students in an alternative educational system that balances traditional, eternal spiritual values and contemporary international academics. This equips students to follow a Krishna Conscious lifestyle whilst pursuing a career in commerce, science, academia and other disciplines.
Introductory session: 13.9.
Bhagavad-gita 1-9: Laxmimoni Dasi (14.9.-11.10.)
Nectar of Instruction: Mangala Candrika Dasi (12.10.-25.10.)
Sri Isopanisad: Yadunandana Swami (26.10.-1.11.)
Nectar of Devotion: Sudevi Dasi (2.11-22.11.)
Bhagavad-gita 10-18: Ramakesava Dasa and Dina Dayala Dasa (23.11.-20.12.)
End of Bhakti Sastri: 22.12.Come and experience this enlivening Vaishnava education in the peaceful setting of Radhadesh, Belgium. Please register by the end of August 2009.
Package price: 1.108 Euros
Covers the course costs and accomodation and prasadam. For more information and course registration, please contact the College Secretary:
Tel: +32 (0)86 32-32-77 / E-mail: college@pamho.net
For accommodation and prasadam, please contact the Radhadesh Guesthouse:
Tel: +32 (0)86 38-71-31 / E-mail: radhadesh.guesthouse@pamho.net
by Prana dasa
Hare Krishna School in Auckland has a position vacant for a qualified and motivated devotee educator. Our school is a Primary school catering for students up to 12 years of age. We have a current school roll of 86 students and is rapidly increasing in size.
The successful applicant will have experience in teaching primary level students up to twelve years of age. Personal specifications include dependability, flexibility and adaptability. You must be able to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of primary school curriculum and how to meet the needs of the learner
With numerous colourful pots filled with lovingly prepared chipped rice, festive flags and banana leaves, sweet kirtana sounds in the air and a large gathering of vaisnavas around SriSRi Gaura-Nitai, the Sri Mayapur International School was transformed into the village of Panihati on the banks of the Ganga.
Inspired by the wonderful “cida-dadhi-mahotsava,” the chipped rice festival as described in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Krishna-Prestaya Mataji, the Cultural Progam Manager of the school, tried to follow step-by-step the instructions given by Lord Nityananda to Raghunatha dasa Goswami:
Krishna.com, the largest Krishna conscious website in the world, is launching an eLearning effort.
Our new Bhakti Academy encourages devotees from all around the world, and those interested in learning more about Krsna Consciousness, to study Srila Prabhuapda's books online in the association of devotees.
We invite you to take advantage of these facilities, and inform others they are now available.
Our first project is a Bhagavad-gita As It Is eCourse; studying One Chapter each week for 19 weeks, with a short mid-term break.
Several tools enhance online learning of Bhagavad-gita, the book Srila Prabhupada declared "the essence of Vedic knowledge"
"Welcome, everyone, to the opening ceremony of our library at Bhaktivedanta College," said Jaya Krishna Dasa, the Administrative Director of the college, on Sunday, May 17th. "We are very happy that after one and a half years, we can now use this part of our building and give our students a nice place to concentrate on their studies."
The ceremony marked a big step in the college's history, which was reflected on the happy faces at the inauguration. Recently, the college staff began using its new offices, which are on the floor below the library. The library, with 6000 books, provides an orderly environment for study, and the offices provide space for nine staff members.
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by Parsada devi dasi
The Council for the Indian Secondary Certificate of Education (CISCE) released their final exam results recently and Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School (BGIS) students in the 10th and 12th grade had a 100% pass rate.
Ramachandra Gaire, who graduated from 12th grade, was first in the Mathura district in the highly-competitive science stream with 92% overall average.
Other 12th graders who received excellent scores between 85% and 90% were Rahul Gupta, Nikhil Mehta, Madhava dasa Javeri and Shivam Yadav.
The ISKCON Studies Institute is pleased to invite you to the second ISKCON Studies Conference, "The Guru: Person, Position, Possibilities", to be held at Villa Vrindavan, near Florence, Italy.
The Conference is a forum for presentations of research and open discussion among the participants.Presentations include:
- On the Definition and Authority of the Guru (Dvijamani Dasa)
- Sitting at the Guru's Feet: Teachers, Students and Didactic Roles in
the Upanisads (Gopinathacarya Dasa)
- Gurus, Charisma, and ISKCON Religious System (Kimmo Ketola)
- From Father to the Lord Himself. Roles of the Guru in Chaitanya
Vaishnavism (Mans Broo)
- 'Culturing the wisdom of Devotion: Developing ISKCON's Vision for
Spiritual Guidance' (Krsna-ksetra Dasa)
- Acceptance, Guidance, Transcendence: The 'Guru' in Classical South
Asian Legal Texts (Frederico Squarcini)
- The Guru in the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition (Ravindra Svarupa Dasa)
- Guru Training Course: Lessons Learned (Anuttama Dasa)
- ISKCON's Zonal Acarya period (Arya Dasi)
For updates to the programme, see http://iskconstudies.org/?page_id=4
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The BBT will be holding their third annual art seminar in Vrindavana, India, from October 20 to November 9, 2009. At last year’s seminar, taught by veteran ISKCON artists Dhriti Dasi and Ram Dasa Abhirama Dasa, sixteen international students learned practical techniques as well as the mood essential in producing devotional art.
This year, the course is once again free for the fifteen most-qualified applicants, who will learn BBT Art Department procedures, how to approach painting spiritual subjects, and of course, new techniques. It’s also a unique chance to learn from artists trained in the standards Srila Prabhupada taught, and to paint Krishna in His holy birthplace.
“We’d like prospective students to submit a portfolio of art work they have done,” says teacher Dhriti Dasi. “Also, write us something about how you see your career in devotional art, a paragraph about yourself and your devotional interests, and a short paragraph explaining why you should be chosen for the seminar.”
Applications should be submitted as soon as possible but no later than August 31, 2009. Students chosen for the seminar will be contacted within two weeks of submitting their apploication. For email addresses and online registration, visit: www.friendsofthebbt.org/artseminar
To view a video on the 2007 seminar visit: http://blip.tv/file/1238476
By Parsada devi dasi
The Amar Ujala, a daily Indian newspaper ranked 34th in the world in circulation, has selected ISKCON's Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School in Vrindavan (BGIS) as the top school in the Mathura district and the second best school in the State of Uttar Pradesh.
The selection was released in the Newspapers' Education and Career section on 6th May.
The Director of BGIS, Ananda Vrindavanesvari devi dasi, was overjoyed upon receiving the news. "This is a tribute to Srila Prabhupada who opened this school in 1976. I take this as recognition of his genius in wanting schools that not only taught academics, but also focused on the moral and Krishna conscious needs of students."
Following are the details of the upcoming courses and retreats in Sri Vrindavan Dham for your information. Please inform your friends and make it known on your temple notice board.
Bhakti Sastri July 1, 2009 - Oct 18, 2009
(Systematic in-depth study of Bhagavad gita, Nectar of Instructions, Nectar
of Devotion, Sri Isopanisad).
Here you can download Bhaktivedanta College's Newsletter Spring 2009. In this edition you can read:
- Our Eighth Academic Year Is Coming: 2009–10
- Students Visit Three Faith Communities
- The New Library Club Needs You!
- A Cold Weekend for Distributing Books
- Burke Rochford: “The highlight of my career!”
- Student Teams Cook Community Breakfasts
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Recently, I was asked by a young parent if I had any ideas for her regarding raising a happy, responsible, Krsna conscious child. Reflecting back to the late 70’s and 80’s when my own three children were young, I thought about the essence of my own experience as a parent. Of course, things have changed and most devotee parents today do not live and work at the temple like we did. In many families, both the husband and wife must work outside the home in order to make ends meet. By the end of the day, most admit they have little time or energy left to devote to their children. At best, they try to ask them about their day and, those who are able to, eat a family meal together. So how do we perform our Krsna Conscious duty and still balance our everyday lives? The following points may be helpful for those parents who are trying to be both good devotees and responsible parents:
The IVS, a new Krishna Conscious educational program offered at ISKCON Gainesville, will be graduating its first class of ten students this May.
Applicants must be 18 to 29-years-old and may be at any level of Krishna conscious experience. The curriculum includes in-depth studies of Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto One), Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the Nectar of Devotion and the Nectar of Instruction. In addition, students may participate in ongoing vegetarian/vegan cooking and kirtan workshops. Marriage preparation skills and personal financial management classes will also be available.
Under the direction and inspiration of the GBC Succession Committee, Indian Regional Governing Body Members and Zonal Secretaries met with top ISKCON educators in India on numerous occasions since November 2008. This resulted in the birth of the ISKCON LEADS training program. ISKCON LEADS is an acronym for ISKCON Leadership Education And Development System.
ISKCON LEADS gives current leaders an excellent opportunity to identify potential leaders within their temples, regions and zones. Selected candidates enter a comprehensive training program of seventeen courses of four or five days each. This totals 89 days to be completed within a period of three years. The program covers
Inter-Personal Spiritual Development, Missionary & Family Spirit Development and ISKCON Institutional Development. Please see attached document for details of the ISKCON LEADS program.
This series of leveled readers is specifically designed to enhance
reading skills, expand vocabulary, and teach knowledge of Vedic
culture, philosophy, and values. The reading and phonics level is based
on the UK government's Phocis system and on world standards for
classifying reading levels.
In this video, three Bhaktivedanta College students share their
experience of undergraduate study in a Krishna conscious setting.
Ramachandra Kaviraja, a first-year student, speaks about his first two
trimesters. Braja Biharini, a second-year student, compares her
education at Bhaktivedanta College to her previous university study of
philosophy. Finally, Patrick Nickisch, who will graduate this year,
shares his plans for the future and evaluates how he is already
applying the knowledge and skills he gained at the College. 
A new three-month course in Mayapur
on Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sanskrit Bhagavata-sparsa is a
new three-month course offered to you under the direction of Sri
Gopiparanadhana Prabhu by the Srimad-Bhagavata Vidyapitham.
The course is designed to
(1) help students become familiar with the Bhagavad-gita and a portion of the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
(2) introduce them to Sanskrit writing, pronunciation and basic spoken Sanskrit
(3) teach them Sanskrit through the text of the Bhagavad-gita as recommended by Srila Prabhupada.
The course will be conducted from 1 June to 31 August 2009. Tuition is free for those who have been admitted as students. There are separate classes for men and women.
For more information, see the prospectus.
Devotees interested in becoming students of the Bhagavata-sparsa program can e-mail Vidvan Gauranga dasa at vidvan.gauranga@gmail.com for an application form and further details.
A textbook compiled for use in the Vedic education at Bhaktivedanta Swami Mission School
CHAPTER I
BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF SRILA PRABHUPADA
In a little house in the suburbs of Calcutta (now known as Kolkata), a baby boy was born to Rajni De and Gour Mohan De. He was named Abhay Charan, or ‘one who is fearless having taken shelter at the Lord’s Lotus Feet’. It was also Nandotsava or the day Nanda Maharaj observed a great feast and celebrations in honor of Lord Krsna’s birth. Abhay Charan’s uncle also called him Nandulal. He was also later called Moti, Nandu and Kocha lovingly by his family...
by Gandhari Devi Dasi
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I recently attended Mother Aruddha and Radhika Raman's (her son, who has PhD from Oxford University at age 23) seminar on homeschooling. It was very inspiring for me and my 10 year old. They gave so many practical ideas. They explained so vividly that it does not matter if you are homeschooling or not, kids learn most from parents. I truly wish I had attended such seminar 10 years ago. Anyways, please forward this information to parents/devotees who may benefit... There is also a DVD of this seminar. I believe some parents started homeschooling after they watched this DVD.
Your Aspiring Servant
Nisha
This article gives an example of a curriculum planning process that focused on first situating an academic unit in Krishna consciousness, before then proceeding to cover the government Board of Studies' syllabus outcomes. This led to better outcomes for the students, more inspiration for the devotee teacher and appreciation from the Board's inspectors.
Our Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula school in Murwillumbah, Australia, is a government registered and funded school. Therefore we periodically have inspections by the Board of Studies to ensure that we are achieving the outcomes set out in the Board's syllabuses. During the initial meetings with staff, in the year prior to our recent inspection, the Board's inspector made the comment that he could see how the planning documents had the philosophy of Krishna consciousness sprinkled throughout, but he didn't really see how the whole curriculum was being presented through the cultural vision of Krishna consciousness, as distinct from other non-Krishna conscious schools.
The curriculum for Sunday School is available for purchase online at www.harekrishnasundayschool.com
This comprehensive Sunday school curriculum provides a well-rounded, fun approach to learning Krishna consciousness. Children benefit from the program's hands-on approach that includes art, drama, games, puzzles and preaching activities.
The program is divided amongst 3 age groups:
Madhava (6-8) years old
Damodar (9-11) years old
Madan Mohan (12 - 14 years old)
The Learning Community International (TLCI) www.tlci.us is a
The Learning Community International consultants work individually with families and students in a homeschooling relationship. TLCI also works with schools around the world in an affiliate school relationship to offer services to > K-8 students as well as high school students who will graduate with a
Please click on Upcoming Courses – a new section on our website which provides comprehensive information on courses held worldwide.
We would like to encourage you to send us ads for the upcoming courses in your respective educational institutions and yatras and help us to update and expand the list.
Thank you!