Author: Ahmad Amirali

I am an educator by profession, pursuing my career further in the field of teaching and learning. I love to read and even more, love to share of what I read

Peer Relationships and Social Anxiety in Teens

Fearful youth may prioritize competence with Peers and close Friendships.

As a secondary educator, I witnessed adolescence as a critical period marked by numerous physical, emotional, and social changes. It’s a time when peer relationships become essential as teenagers strive to fit in, establish their identity, and navigate the complex landscape of social interactions. Recently, I came across such confessions from one of my students whose social interaction with her peer became the source of immense stress and discomfort, leading to social anxiety. This article will explore the complex relationship between peer relationships and social anxiety in teenagers, shedding light on the factors contributing to social anxiety and ways to address and manage it. Continue reading “Peer Relationships and Social Anxiety in Teens”

The Significance of Peek-A-Boo in Early Childhood Development

It’s been a while since I wrote an article on my reflection. The past few months were a mix of, what I believe, challenging and amazing. I embarked upon a new journey called fatherhood. It’s a whole new journey, frightening at first but rewarding once you know what you’re doing. I am still learning in this fantastic yet incredibly adorable endeavour, and the very first thing I learn is the art of interaction with infants. In the realm of early childhood development, simple games often hold profound significance. Among these games, Peek-A-Boo stands out as a classic favourite that brings joy and laughter to children and adults alike and plays a crucial role in their overall growth and development. Continue reading “The Significance of Peek-A-Boo in Early Childhood Development”

Student Burnout | How Academic Pressure Causes High-Level Anxiety

Parents Beware: “If You Are Not Ahead, You Are Behind” Is Not a Good Mental Health Strategy

When it comes to high school, nowadays, students struggle to cope with their daily schedule. Recently, I had a parent orientation meeting at the start of a new school term. One of my student’s parents shares that her kid has fallen behind on other assigned projects due to her pending physics assignments. Although she has given up her summer holidays to finish the pending class tasks, she still lagged behind. All this havoc in her academic life made her less engaged with family and friends. She is not getting her timely sleep and even having anxiety attacks over small matters. However, her parents are still adamant that if they set her up extra home tuitions for physics in the evening, she might be able to compete with the class flow. Unfortunately, this kind of situation is becoming more and more common nowadays, and students feel less motivated than usual and more exhausted and irritable due to academic burnout. Continue reading “Student Burnout | How Academic Pressure Causes High-Level Anxiety”

Self-Disgust And Borderline Personality Disorder Among Teens

New Research Highlights Self-Dissatisfaction in Adolescents as A Possible Precursor To BPD

This article is a bit longer than I usually write and share as it contains recent research and its findings. Recently I engaged in a discussion with one of my previous students who is in her second year and doing her graduation in medicine. She shared her career goals with me, and it seems she is doing great. But then her mood suddenly changed. She always shared her aspirations and anxiety with me during her school days as a student. It seems she wanted to share something with me as she keeps expressing dissatisfaction with whatever she is doing. ‘I don’t like how I am or how my life is going…. It’s not what I expect…nobody understands me…… I messed up my life……in fact, I have no life.’ I patiently listened to what she wanted to share. We engaged in a conversation in which I tried to calm her down. After a while, she seemed relaxed, as if she was waiting to empty her heart out to someone. After this meetup, I wonder why a person develops self-dissatisfaction and how it impacts their lives? Continue reading “Self-Disgust And Borderline Personality Disorder Among Teens”

The Power of Deep Curiosity and The Fear of Asking Questions

Questions Are the Fuel to Our Never-ending Search and Enquiry – Then Why Sometimes We Are Afraid of Them and Consider Them Foolish to Ask?

Last week, during a topic discussion on the history of the pandemic, a parent came and sat in my class. I usually allow parents to attend classes to be a part of their kid’s learning journey. A student, after the discussion, asked a question that was too obvious for many, but for me, it was kind of rhetorical. “…Sir, in mediaeval times people do cover up their faces then what makes the virus spread so fast?” Although we have discussed in the start what makes the virus spread so fast by having the present world example of covid 19 and its spread in 2020. However, what puzzled me was that the parent suddenly has a sarcastic smile that every student has witnessed, including the one who asked the question. I let students answer this question collaboratively. After the class, the parent thanked me for allowing her to sit and observe the class. Continue reading “The Power of Deep Curiosity and The Fear of Asking Questions”