Category: Teacher Development

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Why do Adolescents Sometimes Cave into Peer Pressure?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Especially In This Plight of Pandemic Dealing with Teenage Peer Pressure Now Becoming a Huge Problem During High School

When I think back to my teenage days, I can probably remember the feeling and the fear that everyone will think I am not cool or do not hang out with the coolest gang of my high school. That fear leads me to do a lot of stupid stuff that I might not do otherwise, from adopting a new lifestyle and clothing sense, whether it suits me or not, to deciding the future career pathway based on my friends’ preferences. It seems when I step into that teenage bubble, my parents’ approval starts mattering less, and friends’ approval starts counting more. Although it sounds weird and so reckless or rebellious to many of you, that was when only I could feel the fear of disapproval from my peers, which eventually led me to cave into peer pressure. Recently, I encountered a situation where a parent shared the routine of her kid and while hearing her take me back to my teen days as I can relate to some of the stuff that parent shared with me. Continue reading “Why do Adolescents Sometimes Cave into Peer Pressure?” →

How Service Learning and Community Engagement Impacting Students during Pandemic

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

A Creative Approach Where Students Learn Theories in The Classroom and At the Same Time Through Community Engagement Reflect and Deepen Their Understanding of What Is Being Taught.

Last week, one of my previous students approach me to share the recent school project that he opted to work on in the summer holidays. The project was all about community engagement of how to volunteer your time and expertise to engage with the people surrounding you and improve their living who can’t afford to develop themselves during the height of the pandemic. Once the project completed, the student then reflects upon the change that he/she made after their volunteer engagement with that community or an individual. My student was very excited and wanted to share and discuss some basic ideas on how he can participate in community engagement. This idea fascinates me, especially when we are bound to stay away from each other physically. Community engagement can be one of the ways to engage our students to experience whatever they learn in the classroom Continue reading “How Service Learning and Community Engagement Impacting Students during Pandemic” →

Teen Depression | Are You Feeling Suicidal?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Adolescent suicides are preventable. What parents and educators should know about the reasons, the warning signs and the preventive steps that can protect their teens?

Last week, one of my friends shared an unexpected incident with me about her twelve-year-old niece. She used to maintain a diary in which she takes notes about her daily activities and reflections. One day, her mother was shocked to read some of the entries from her diary where she mentioned that “…I think my life is empty as nobody, even my mother, understands me…I think I should kill myself.” This journal entry of a twelve-year-old gives us a clear look at what kind of stress our teenagers are going through especially when they are confining to their homes, socially distant from their friends and relatives. However, the much-needed question is, are parents aware of how to handle such kind of circumstances? Or what steps parents should take to mitigate the risk? Continue reading “Teen Depression | Are You Feeling Suicidal?” →

Do We Need to Re-examine Our Teaching Philosophy During This Pandemic?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Many Teachers Are Now Thinking That Their Teaching Philosophies Are No Longer Matching Their Work. Is Simplifying Teaching the New Normal for Future Teachers?

Yesterday, I had an engaging dialogue with one of my former colleagues on how our teaching philosophies are now shaping in a virtual learning environment. Interestingly, she shared some of her critical classroom incidents where students unwilling to open their cameras, keep themselves muted throughout the class and even does not appear in later classes. Most of the time, she felt there is no one in the class as most students keep themselves muted, only a handful of students shared and participates in the lesson. She confessed that sometimes she was discouraged. Although she knew where she needed to go, but she couldn’t see how to get there. Listening to my colleague’s concerns gives me a sense of what kind of stress teachers are going through globally to facilitate students’ learning during this devastating situation. However, this conversation also makes me reflect, are we still following the same pre-covid teaching philosophy in planning our lessons? Continue reading “Do We Need to Re-examine Our Teaching Philosophy During This Pandemic?” →

What It’s Like To Be A Teenager During The Times Of Pandemic?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

What new challenges young people face in the era of Covid? What parents (adults) should know about these challenges?

Many of the students recently shared their post-Covid experiences with me during their new term orientation last week. However, the majority of them share a similar phrase, ‘Parents just don’t understand’. Although, this phrase is an old refrain, in present time it has a new definition. I sensed from my students’ reflections that they think their parents should be aware of their challenging moments. As most teenagers are now cut off from schools, their friends, sports, hobbies and everything else that filled their pre-pandemic days, the parent-child relationship is now under more stress than ever.

Jessica Grose, a journalist and novelist at NY Times, writes about parenting adolescents’ challenges in one of her articles ‘ The Hardest Fight to Have With Your Teen.’

‘I have long thought that it might be the hardest for parents of teenagers when it comes to being a parent in the pandemic. Parents of little ones can meet most of our children’s social needs, and our kids still kind of want to be around us. Not so for parents of teens….’ Continue reading “What It’s Like To Be A Teenager During The Times Of Pandemic?” →