KSC Children's Program

KSC CHILDREN’S PROGRAM

Mission Statement
The mission of the KSC Children’s Program is to plant the seeds of compassion and mindfulness in youth, as they begin their spiritual journey through the teachings of the Buddha.

Goals
Each child and each adult working with children will increase their ability to:

Feel compassion for self and others.
Be mindful of our thoughts, speech, and actions within each present moment.
Direct our own inner life, taking responsibility for our own well-being.
Increase our knowledge of our personal truth, as an individual and as a member of community.
Reflect on and evaluate the consequences of our action.

Program
The KSC Children’s Program is a dharma education program, under the direction of Lama Pema Clark. Inside a community of support which includes the whole sangha, a fun and peaceful curriculum, emphasizing mindfulness and compassion, will be followed, which will include, but not be limited to, meditation practice, stories, art projects, role play, games, and open discussion. Future components will include a library of age-appropriate books, and the formulation of a “Tools for Peace” summer camp.

The program is free and open to children, ages 5-12, whose parents or guardians attend KSC. We hope to offer a program to older children at a later date. Children must be pre-registered for participation. The program meets twice a month from 9-11:30, on the Tonglen and Calm Abiding Sundays. Registration implies a commitment to attend a minimum of 10 of the 12 sessions offered in each 6-month period. Pick up a registration form from KSC. In the event a weekly program is cancelled, an announcement will be posted by e-mail.

Our objectives are to:

Create a time and place for children to learn age-appropriate dharma practices.
Encourage children to feel compassion for self and others.
Create opportunities for children to practice mindfulness.
Introduce children to refuge, dedication, and other simple traditional liturgies.
Introduce children to key Buddhist concepts.
Create positive, long-term connections for each child in the KSC dharma community.
Support parents in their practice by providing day care during Sunday morning sits.
Support parents in their efforts to integrate practice into their family life.
Develop a physical resource base at KSC for the support of children’s practice.
Provide a smooth transition from the children’s program to the adult’s program for the children who choose to do so.
We encourage children to participate in meditation practices and the recitation of the liturgies, but they may also opt to sit quietly or play while others practice.

Curriculum
In Spring and Fall 2009, lessons were planned around the following themes. Other themes will be included as we expand to a longer program. Each session will also include mindfulness activities and readings, discussion, and other activities to encourage compassion.

Month 1: Life of the Buddha, and the Buddha’s qualities and discoveries.

Month 2: Refuge and dedication: What are they and practice in using them.

Month 3: The Five Precepts: What are they and what do they mean in our life?

Month 4: The Six Perfections: What are they and what do they mean in our life?

Month 5: The Bodhisattva Ideal: What is it and what does it mean in our life?

Month 6: The Material Supports for Practice: What are they and what are they for?

This is what a typical session might look like:

Start by sitting with the adults in the shrine room and listen to a small dharma talk from the lamas.
Go to classroom, learn meditation techniques, and sit in meditation.
Lesson in that week's theme, to include reading a story, role playing, games, discussion, etc.
Mindfulness activity and discussion.
Hands-on activity to support either the theme or the mindfulness activity.
Play and snack breaks where appropriate.

Communication Among Staff and Families
We know that children come to the Children’s Program at various stages of development and ability. We are ready to work collaboratively with you to ensure that your child has a positive experience. Please feel free to request individual meetings with Mary Ehlers or Lama Pema to explore how best to integrate your children. KCC as a community is committed to nurturing children as a valued part of our dharma community.

Parent Involvement and Commitment
The Children’s Program has been developed to extend the teachings of Buddhism to children but also as a support for the practice of the parents. Therefore, we ask that all parents who bring their children use that as a time to join the Sunday Calm Abiding and Tonglen meditations and teachings. However, we also feel that parent participation in the program will make for a more successful experience for the children and a stronger connection between the teachings and family life. With these points in mind, we ask the following:

Parents will attend meditations and teachings at the same time the children are in class.
Parents will bring their child(ren) for 10 of the 12 sessions.
Parents will provide snacks for all the children twice during the six-month period (12 sessions)
At least one parent will participate in the class as a helper twice during the six-month period.

Additional volunteer help is very welcome, although not required. This could be anything from simple tasks like preparing supplies, to more complex involvement, including co-teaching lessons.

Contact Information and Registration
Contact Mary via KSC: ksc@mind.net or 541-552-1769.

Lama Lodru met with the members of KSC's DharmaKids Program on May 16th, 2009. Offering scarves were given by the children, and lollipops were received in return!