Tag: Student Development

How Reading Helps Students to Overcome Stress in a Time of Crisis

Researchers Believe That Adolescent’s Post Pandemic Stress Can Be Conquer Through Reading Habits

A new term began, and once again, a fresh lot started their new yet another virtual learning journey with me. Interestingly, this time around, I found some students who like to read books and are even interested in sharing their reviews during the class. You guys must be wondering why I am expressing such joy upon knowing that my students read books. According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Gallup and Gillani Pakistan, 3 out of 4 Pakistani students (75%) have never read any book at all except their course curriculum books. The average, only 9% of students are keen readers. The question is why, over the years, reading culture has drastically declined in our country, especially among teens? The definitive answers may be over-dependency on electronic and social media etc. But why one wanting to develop such habits when the majority of the world is now technology dependent. Does reading books is now becoming an ‘obsolete culture’? What role does a reading habit play in a time where people are bound to keep themselves physically distant? Continue reading “How Reading Helps Students to Overcome Stress in a Time of Crisis”

Mentor, Coach And Role Model – Which One You Needed Most For Your Career Guidance?

Are you approaching the right person to help you with your career aspirations?

Last week, one of my previous term students texted me to discuss her career aspirations. Students usually approach their tutors to discuss career and educational endeavours as they consider their teachers as their goal guides. However, when our discussion concluded, she complimented me as her mentor, and that was when I started reflecting on that comment and asked myself Am I a mentor or a coach to my student? I believe this question usually comes in our mind at least once in our lifetime that Role Model, Mentor, Coach, and Sponsor. What is the difference? Which do you need? Is it a single person or four different personalities? Which will help us to excel forward in our goals? Interestingly, each of them has a distinctive role that can help push our career and self-confidence differently.

According to Ruth Gotian, a keynote speaker and coach about optimising success, a Role Model is someone you look up to and respect. You may never meet the person, but there is something about them you wish to compete with. Perhaps it is how they have executive presence, public speaking skills, or the ability to connect with people. Consider who you watch on television, your favourite public speakers, people at work, in your family, community, or house of worship. What is it about them that you admire and respect? Continue reading “Mentor, Coach And Role Model – Which One You Needed Most For Your Career Guidance?”

The Goose and The Golden Egg – Inspirational Short Stories Series (Chapter: 4)

How Can We Shift Our Teen’s Habits from Greed to Gratitude?

Recently, I engage in a healthy discussion with my students while teaching them on Google Classroom. The topic was to how we can contribute to the social wellbeing of our neighbours and our surrounding people. Interestingly, may students come up with creative ideas like calling them, try to talk to them, listening to their issues and concerns, through time and knowledge etc. One student questioned, why sometimes people feel reluctant to share their skills and goodness with others? This idea of demanding less and sharing more makes me think why sometimes destroy our chances and valuable resources to an unprofitable action motivated by our greed.

In a world driven by consumerism and worldly desires, teens are much more demanding than the previous generation. The demands can be of any form, from securing more marks in an academic paper than earning more money in an average job. Whenever the word ‘a little bit more’ comes in our mind, it means we are not happy with what we are actually having. The urge to possess more always leads an individual to an uneasy path of greed and stress. Resulting in losing the resources that we already owned. The story of goose and the golden egg is the age-old Continue reading “The Goose and The Golden Egg – Inspirational Short Stories Series (Chapter: 4)”

5 Things Parents Should Not Say to Their Child in Front of Others

5 Things Parents Should Not Say to Their Child in Front of Others
By Ahmad Amirali

Recently, I have met one of the students for one-to-one sessions, where they want to discuss any queries and concerns regarding their academic development. She seems quite well while talking about her classroom performances until when she starts sharing her home tasks. Suddenly she asked ‘Sir, am I looking rude to you? It was an abrupt question; I said ‘No, dear certainly not but what makes you asked this from me? She shared with the lower voice, ‘my grandparents and even my parent always said that I am rude and I don’t care about my other siblings. I felt I am a bad person and I should have started working on it.’ We finished our one-on-one session on a happy note but I kept wondering what would happen to the kid’s mental wellbeing when we scold them or hit them in front of other family members? Continue reading “5 Things Parents Should Not Say to Their Child in Front of Others”

Coping with Teens: The Demanding Phase of Teenagers

Coping with Teens: The Demanding Phase of Teenagers
By Ahmad Amirali

Last week, a parent approached me after my class and shared one concern about her teen, which is of every parenting concern nowadays, that she is now becoming more and more demanding materialistically. She believes that her daughter, who is one of my students as well, always complains about the way they live in a ‘joint-family’, means she doesn’t have any privacy apart of her bedroom which is also shared with her younger siblings. However, the parent also appreciates that her daughter understands all these issues very well. Still, sometimes she argues too much with other family members and her siblings over small matters. The parent seems so desperate that she almost takes 30 minutes to share every bit of her mind with me. Once she finished, her daughter arrived, and she left without asking for a solution to her concerns. Maybe she only wants to share her worries to lighten up her emotions. However, while listening to her, several questions burst into my mind. First, if her daughter is that much reasonable, then what makes her react in such a rebellious manner at home? As per my observation, she is one of the obedient students of my class, and she hardly shows any sign of stress during the lessons. Is she really a demanding and attention seeker child at home or, maybe, her parent has misinterpreted her? Or perhaps all the assumptions are wrong, and the only issue is the communication gap between the daughter and the parent. Let’s find out. Continue reading “Coping with Teens: The Demanding Phase of Teenagers”