The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view of promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
Fundamental in this approach are the core values of the Olympic philosophy which are the joy of effort, fair play, respect for others and international understanding, pursuit of excellence and balance between body, will and mind. Along this vein, the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), will embark on the second leg of its Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) from January 17th to 20th 2011.. Intrinsically, OVEP utilizes versatile processes to educate students on Olympic values through workshops designed for educators, youth sport and club leaders, coaches and anyone interested in helping young people to develop positive values through participation in sport and physical activity.
“The OVEP programme is a refreshing path for schools in T&T. We at the TTOC believe that once good values are taught at an early age through formal education, children will carry these values throughout their lives,” asserts Larry Romany, President of TTOC.
The first OVEP Workshop was held last year August where several Curriculum Officers from the Curriculum Division of the Ministry of Education attended the one week workshop and were trained in strategies to teach and learn the educational values of Olympism. The second workshop will be held in the county of Victoria . For four days school principals and teachers will be introduced to the Teaching Values: An Olympic Education Toolkit designed by Canadian Curriculum expert, Dr. Deanna Binder. “The symbols and ceremonies, sports and cultural events of the Olympic Games are inspiring and motivational. They provide a relevant context for learning and teaching activities,” declares Binder, the facilitator in the first OVEP Workshop.
Included in the toolkit are ways and means of socializing the child into a value system which is in line with Olympism and positive development. As the teaching material is designed for learners from 8 to 18 years, the activities target various age levels.
“OVEP can help transform the social fabric of our country. It is our desire to extend this workshop to other regions of Trinidad and Tobago as teachers and educationalists are the crucial to our education system and they are the ones who must infuse the minds of the youth of the nation with positive values and morals,” said Romany.
For more information on OVEP contact the TTOC at 625-1285 or log on to www.ttoc.org.
-Brian Lewis