Balaji Vidya pitham Religion Class Religion Class Syllabus

WELCOME TO THE BALAJI TEMPLE RELIGION CLASS! CLASS OVERVIEW

This course will provide you with a firm understanding of the Hindu religion as well as a communicate an admiration for our culture and various traditions. By the end of this year, you will be knowledgeable in many areas of the Hindu religion. In addition, this enjoyable and exciting class will: o Increase your knowledge of historical India o Enhance your understanding of Hinduism o Develop your ability to sing bhajans and recite slokas o Assist in your development of social interaction o Increase your knowledge of Indian stories and traditions o Enhance your understanding of why we do certain things

CLASS EXPECTATIONS PARTICIPATION: Show initiative for your learning. You are the center of the learning process. You live this everyday by
fully participating in class and being attentive to all classroom activities and by singing loudly. LISTENING: We all want to be heard! Listening is a major part of this and any class. Students should give their full attention to the teacher during class and be ready to learn and understand. RESPECT: Respect is the foundation to any relationship. Respect your teacher by listening in class and not talking until you are called upon. Respect your fellow students by not disrupting the class and causing distractions. Listen to all instruction from your teacher and the priests. ATTENDANCE: Attendance to this class is imperative to the learning process. This class is taught as a story in chronological order. Missing classes will make you miss important information and turning points in the story. Inform the teacher when you will be absent. The teacher will let you know the chapters being covered in class so you can stay caught up. PRACTICE: As with all things, practice is very important. Practicing bhajans and slokas will help you remember pronunciations, notes, rhythms, and words. Check the website for updated recordings and copies for this class.

GENERAL INFORMATION CLASS TIMINGS: This class meets every second and fourth Sunday in the temple main hall. Note that we will not meet on
the occasional 5th Sunday and the following 1st Sunday. The class will start at 1:00 and end at approximately 2:00pm. Please note that the teacher will dismiss the class and NOT THE CLOCK. CLASS MATERIALS: The following materials are needed for this class: o Your Balaji Vidyapitam binder o All handouts and copies (If you lose any, you are responsible for reprinting them from the website) o Pencil o Your full attention o Your voice and smile WEBSITE: Please check this website regularly for important announcements concerning cancellation of classes and other information! Class documents will also be located under the appropriate tab for reprints. In an effort to help the temples quest to go green, we will be providing each student with one copy of each handout. If a handout is lost for whatever reason, please check the website and print it out. We will try and update the website and keep all information current.

 ANNUAL DAY: The Youth Committee Annual Day is an event in which all classes showcase their knowledge in their
respective classes. As a part of the Religion class, you will have an opportunity to perform in the religion performance. The date for this event is still to be determined and more information concerning annual day will be given when the date comes closer. OTHER PERFORMANCES: This class will allow you to perform in front of gods, goddesses, or even in the temple auditorium. At many of these performances, you will be singing bhajans or reciting slokas. Attendance at these performances are not mandatory but are strongly encouraged. Event date and times will be posted on the website and an email will be sent out.