Columbuthurai (Sri Lanka). On 26 and 27 September 2025, some young Daughters of Mary Help of Christians from different Communities gathered in Columbuthurai, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, in the Province of St. Thomas the Apostle (INM), for practical teacher formation, organized by Sister Lilly Rose Alexander, School Coordinator for Sri Lanka.
After the introduction of Sister Lilly Rose and Holy Mass, Sister Maria Nirmala Lazar, delegate for Sri Lanka, invited the Sisters to split into two groups for a shared meditation on article 66 of the Constitutions of the FMA Institute, which talks about apostolic work in the style of the Preventive System. The Temporary Professed read and meditated on Article 66 and shared what God had inspired in them.
Subsequently, Sister Maria Nirmala spoke to them about Blessed Maria Troncatti, close to Canonization (19 October), defining her as a “woman of hope” and proposing her lifestyle as a model to follow. She drew a good practice from her life, “Our method in the field of education must be based on encounter. When we are with children, our encounter with God must emerge and be passed on to them.”
This was followed by a presentation, by Mr. Emmanual Rajan, on Practical Advice for Teachers, in particular on the topic of “Effective Communication in the Classroom.” The speaker provided many practical tips to follow in the classroom and advised the young Sisters to follow the wing-wing theory in the classrooms.
In the afternoon, Sister M. Mary Paul gave a demonstration lecture on alphabets. She showed in a practical way how to present the lesson, manage the classroom, be prepared for the lesson with one’s own teaching materials, and how to interact with the children in class. Some students were invited for this practical lesson.
Sister Lilly Rose then divided the young Sisters into three groups and gave 15 minutes to prepare an example lesson to be applied to different classes. The Sisters did the teaching practice and the result was observed by Sister M. Mary and Sister Lilly Rose, who eventually provided them with feedback. They reminded them to pay attention to the way they write on the blackboard, to be clear in speaking, to master the language, to present the lesson step by step, to be sure of what they are teaching, etc.
Sister Lilly Rose Alexander then placed emphasis on drafting the lesson plan. She asked the Sisters to be faithful in presenting the lesson plan every Monday to the Superior, preparing the program for the following year, preparing the annual plan, and writing a report of the activities carried out in their school.
The meeting concluded by asking for guidance and blessing from Mary Help of Christians for the educational mission of each.
