Shri Sathya Sai Baba Concepts of Bal Vikas Concept

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching

The Balavikas course is based on two principles –

Existence of God Divinity in man

The ultimate aim of Balavikas is to let the child realize that Divinity dwells in him. The child is ignorant that he or she is Divine though pure at heart, soft in physique, tender in mind and nascent in intellect. What you sow, so you will reap. It is here that the teaching techniques assume importance. All the techniques are meant to achieve the two important goals mentioned above. Essence of education and knowledge have been clearly emphasized by Swami as

‘The end of education is character’ ‘The end of knowledge is Love’

Swami says –

“Man is endowed with knowledge, skill, balance and insight, but balance of man is upset today. The cause can be traced to the fact that man is killing knowledge instead of skilling it. As soon as balance is lost, man’s insight suffers a setback.”

The imbalance caused by the external education is balanced by the skill of human values and thus the imbalance is corrected and balance is restored. To attain the illumination level of the mind, balance is a pre-requisite. Education process that Bhagawan has designed is for the transformation of man into a human with a character of nobility, compassion and love for mankind. It is the Divine education (Brahma Vidya) not just the academic education (Bahya Vidya) which can achieve this. Balavikas aims to develop the five aspects of child’s personality i.e. Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Psychological and Spiritual aspects, by kindling the intrinsic human qualities, thereby achieving a complete, well rounded personality aiming at individual transformation. The skill, maturity, intelligence and commitment of guru lies in helping the child blossom into an excellent personality nurturing the five human values and developing the five attributes of an integrated personality.

Bal Vikas Teaching Methodology

The hall mark of Bal Vikas is that the programme is conducted by devotees who have tremendous commitment, faith and love for Bhagavan and children. The programme has an integrated plan for motivating parents’ participation and involvement of students who complete the 9 years course too. Since the values are inherent in the child, the guru has to gently encourage these values to emerge from within the child by adopting certain teaching methods and helping the children master their minds to become master minds. This task is accomplished by synchronizing the five teaching techniques of Prayer, Silent sitting and Meditation, Group Singing, Story Telling and Group Activities. The Bal Vikas Guru must follow the Divine Principle of “Be, Do and Tell”.

“Be, Do and Tell” – Leading by Example

Implementation of Bal Vikas curriculum lays stress on using the Five Teaching Techniques in a systematic and integrated manner. The Five Human Values are elicited through lessons based on the Five Teaching Techniques. A Bal Vikas Guru teaches through love. It is through love ultimately the desired transformation takes place. When the process of Educare is uppermost in the mind of the guru, the process of teaching and learning becomes experiential and joyful. For each age group, from young children to teen-age youth the Bal Vikas Guru takes on a specific role linked to psychological development of the child. For Group I, it is that of a mother: discipline established and good behaviour is positively rewarded. In Group II, the teacher takes on the formal teacher’s role and the children develop a sense of order and respect for rules. Finally in group III, the teacher is a friend helping the children to develop firm principles and become actively aware of their conscience. In Group I learning is attained through ‘doing and making’, in Group – II ‘doing and thinking’ and in Group III ‘Planning and Achieving’.

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching – Divine Wisdom For Positive Learning

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching is a sacred theme that explains how children can be guided with love, values, devotion, discipline, and good character. Bal Vikas means the blossoming of the child, not only in studies but also in heart, behavior, and spiritual awareness. The real aim is to help children become truthful, loving, peaceful, respectful, and service-minded human beings.

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching reminds us that education should not be limited to books, marks, exams, and career success. True education must bring out the goodness hidden within every child. A child should learn how to speak truth, respect parents, control anger, pray sincerely, help others, and live with humility. When learning touches the heart, it becomes wisdom.

The foundation of Bal Vikas is based on the five human values: truth, right conduct, peace, love, and non-violence. These values are simple, but they can shape the whole personality. Truth gives courage, right conduct gives discipline, peace gives balance, love gives sweetness, and non-violence gives compassion. When children practice these values daily, their character becomes strong from within.

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching also gives importance to the role of parents and teachers. Children learn more from example than from advice. If adults speak truth, pray regularly, serve others, and control anger, children naturally absorb these qualities. But if adults only preach values and do not practice them, children become confused. A living example is the strongest lesson.

Bal Vikas teaching should be joyful and simple. Children understand values better through stories, songs, prayers, bhajans, games, activities, and small acts of service. Moral teachings should not feel heavy or frightening. They should feel natural, loving, and inspiring. When children enjoy learning values, those values stay in the heart for life.

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching helps children develop devotion in a gentle way. Prayer, silent sitting, and singing the divine name calm the mind and soften the heart. Children who learn to pray sincerely also learn gratitude, faith, and inner strength. Spiritual habits should not be forced harshly. They should be introduced with love, meaning, and patience.

Stories are a powerful part of Bal Vikas. Through stories of saints, devotees, noble leaders, and great souls, children learn courage, honesty, sacrifice, kindness, and faith. A good story can guide a child during difficult moments. Stories make values easy to understand because children can feel the lesson through characters and situations.

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching also includes service as an important practice. Children should learn that life is not only about receiving, achieving, and enjoying. It is also about giving, sharing, and helping. Small actions like helping a classmate, respecting workers, feeding birds, caring for plants, or speaking kindly to someone sad can awaken compassion in the heart.

Discipline is necessary, but it should be taught with love. Children can learn to wake up on time, keep things clean, complete duties, speak politely, avoid waste, and use time wisely. Discipline should not create fear. It should create confidence, responsibility, and self-control. Loving discipline helps children grow without losing joy.

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching teaches respect for all religions and cultures. Bhagwan Sathya Sai Baba always emphasized unity of all faiths. Children should understand that God may be called by many names, but divine truth is one. This teaching removes narrow thinking and helps children grow with love, harmony, and respect for everyone.

Bal Vikas also helps children handle emotions. Life will bring success, failure, praise, blame, joy, and sorrow. Children must learn patience, forgiveness, gratitude, and courage. They should be taught that anger can be controlled, sadness can be understood, and mistakes can become lessons. Emotional strength is an important part of true education.

A teacher in Bal Vikas is not only an instructor. A teacher is a guide, example, and loving support. The teacher must be patient, sincere, disciplined, and compassionate. Children feel inspired when teaching comes from love. They remember not only what the teacher says, but also how the teacher lives.

Parents also have a sacred responsibility. The home is the first school, and parents are the first teachers. A peaceful home filled with prayer, respect, kindness, and good habits becomes the best environment for value learning. When home and Bal Vikas teaching work together, the child receives strong moral support.

Concepts of Bal Vikas Teaching finally reminds us that every child carries divine potential. The aim is not only to create successful students, but noble souls. A child with good character will not cheat, hurt others, speak harshly, or misuse knowledge. Such a child becomes trustworthy at home, in school, and in society.

When children grow with truth, love, discipline, devotion, and service, they become blessings to the world. Their thoughts become pure, their words become gentle, and their actions become helpful. Value-based teaching creates not only good children, but a sacred future filled with peace, unity, and divine grace.

Shri Sathya Sai Baba Bal Vikas Aims