Rafsal Muhammed, Humanities teacher, explains why today’s students need more than just textbook learning to succeed. With the world changing quickly, they must build skills like problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork. Using interactive and real-world methods helps them learn in ways that suit their styles. This makes classrooms more engaging and prepares them for future challenges.

Beyond textbook engagement is essential for 21st-century learners, as they can learn more by using interactive methods. The 21st-century learners are entering a phase where not only education but every sector is developing or growing very fast. Be it economics, industries, technology, or media, everything is evolving rapidly. So, education is also not an exception, as it is rapidly changing and undergoing transformation. We as teachers have to remember that just focusing on traditional textbook-based learning alone is not enough or sufficient to engage the 21st-century learners. We have to bear in mind that the whole world is changing rapidly and is being driven by technology, creativity, and we need to remember that the students will be facing real-world problems, and it is essential that they know how to solve them. So, today’s learners should know a dynamic interactive method that caters to their diverse learning styles. We have to encourage their critical thinking and faster collaboration. These two are the main 21st-century skills that students are always expected to have. Many of the world’s famous companies or MNCs, like Google or Microsoft, do not focus on the university or school where the students have studied. But they want to know if the students are capable of solving an issue, a real-world problem, and the solution for it. Problems are found everywhere, and so companies and institutions always look for problem solvers. In this way, the 21st-century learners need a different treatment. We, teachers, should bear in mind that learners are everything, and they are the centre of all our actions. This is very important when it comes to teaching and learning.

Why should we move beyond the textbook? Textbook learning is something we have been following for centuries and decades. Our learning should move beyond the textbooks because learning styles are changing. Today’s students are different from the students of yesteryear. They are digital natives, collecting and processing information in different ways. They focus mainly on processing information, ideas, and concepts in visual methods or hands-on activities, or using technology-driven content. There will be conflicts, such as textbooks versus gadgets. Keeping in mind that learners are the centres of everything, we have to focus on their learning style, which is very important. We have to change our method of delivering content to the students, which will help change the learning style. That is why we have to move beyond the textbooks.

Secondly, real-world relevance makes the teachers question whether the textbooks traditionally followed are enough to solve today’s problems. Students are more connected with real-life experience. For example, when we teach poverty or population, or pollution, the students should be able to connect with real life by connecting with real-life experiences. For example, when we teach about pollution, we can take the example of Delhi pollution. If we are teaching about the impact of high population, we can take the cities as examples where the population is increasing every year, and the possible outcomes and issues that may arise because of this.

Thirdly, we have to work on encouraging higher-order thinking instead of memorization. Earlier, teachers were focusing on whether the students wrote exactly what was given in the textbook, but today, open textbook exams are very common, where the examiner is looking into the higher-order thinking of the students. Even if the students open the textbook, it is very difficult to answer the question because it requires higher-order thinking. To achieve higher-order thinking, students have to develop skills like creativity, analysis, and problem-solving. The 21st-century skills are completely different, and memorization is not needed anymore. The students need not memorise the facts as it is not needed for 21st-century learning. But the students have to develop problem-solving skills and creativity to succeed in their academics.

Connecting class to reality

The effective interactive learning strategies are the main solutions to solve the problems of the students. I have been following the strategies in my school with my students, and I have achieved great results. The students get a lot of encouragement, appreciation, and they are completely engaged in the work they do. For an interactive method of teaching, we can try project-based learning, or PBL. It is one of the most important methods compared to teaching from a textbook. For example, if we give a sustainability project to the students after teaching them what sustainability is, we need to help them connect with the school. They can compare how the society around them, the real-life situations around them, are connected to sustainability. In my school, we had a unit called sustainable energy sources. After discussing what it means, the importance, and the significance of sustainability, I gave them an activity. The students visited the main departments in the school, such as the transport department, and identified what are the sustainable practices they can implement in transportation, discussed with the authorities in the school, and they also suggested things that could be implemented in transportation. Similarly, they visited the school kitchen and suggested practices that could make the dining area more sustainable. They visited the school farm and worked on how they can make use of solar panels, etc. We can take them to places and explain how they can collect materials related to their topics. PBL encourages students to explore real-life problems. The students will get more insights.

Next comes gamification in education. We can use Kahoot, an educational app, to explain the concept or content. We can completely transform the summative or formative learning in gamification. The students will be engaged in learning more through this. Technology integration is another important aspect. Everything is connected to technology now. When we teach, for example, about the Indus Valley Civilisation, which is located in Pakistan, it is difficult for us to go there and see it. But we can have a virtual reality tour, which is available on the internet. We can integrate technology into education and thus use interactive methods in education.

Collaborative learning is equally important. We can conduct group discussions or peer teaching interactive debates to promote teamwork and communication skills. The students have to research a given topic, interact with each other, and we can include peer teaching by asking one of the students to take the role of a teacher for a day, which they will do happily. Experiential learning, which can be achieved by field visits, brings subjects to life. We took our students to Kutub Shahi in Hyderabad so that they could explore the details. It is not just visiting a park, but we can plan some short learning trips. We can ask students to represent different nations in the United Nations model, and they can present the problems faced by each country.

Empowering teaching with tech

There are a few challenges that teachers face. They have very limited resources. But they can make use of the resources available on the internet. They can use Google Classroom or ClassDojo. They can also use Canva, Padlet, Grammarly, and Google Scholar. We can use Cohort Google Forms, and these are the technologies available to us. We have to make use of them to the fullest potential. The learning needs of 21st-century students are totally different, and it is a challenge for teachers. They need professional development and training. They can plan the method of assessment, which is fun for the students, such as skits on a particular topic, and based on their performance, we can give scores. We are not eliminating the traditional way of teaching and learning, but we are working on making education more interactive and student-centred. There are lots of opportunities available to make use of. For this, the educators have to create more engaging, meaningful, and future-ready learning environments.

Creativity meets the classroom.

Now we are living in a technology-integrated society. People think that students misuse gadgets. The syllabus and the curricula we have been designing since the beginning are not giving enough space or scope for interactive learning. Teachers think certain things should be taught in a particular way. But they should understand that the main idea behind everything is learning. It can happen in any method, and we think focusing and learning should come in a particular way. We need to change this misconception. Differentiation should take place here. If a student is good at acting, we can use different assessment strategies. In IB, there is a lot of liberty for teachers. In a summative assessment, the students can submit their projects in different formats such as podcasts, posters, essays, etc. The main idea is for the teachers to be open-minded and understand that students have different learning abilities. The different types of students should be addressed differently. I have done many experiments in my classroom, and I keep looking for new methods of teaching. If a field trip is possible, I want to do it as the students are looking for a different learning environment. We have to connect it with any assessment. The parents may also feel they are learning a lot. The students will be focused and responsible about the purpose for which they are going on a field trip. In my classroom, I also use skits to showcase their talents. One of my students was good at writing skits, and I made her use her skill for a project related to feudalism. We can, in this way, discover the talents of the students. By following different teaching methods, we get creative, and students learn a lot, which is very important in education today. 

This is a summary of the talk given by the author on schoolreformer.com

Contact details

 Rafsal Muhammed

MYP Individuals and Societies and History Facilitator 

E:rafsalckd@gmail.com

M:919745499863

Dharmendra Dubay, from Trinidad and Tobago, currently working in Canadian International School, Bangalore, explains that Constructivism is a way of teaching that helps students learn by doing, discussing, and discovering ideas on their own. Lessons should connect with what students like and are good at, while teachers, with clear plans, activities, and support, guide them when needed. This way, students share ideas, learn from their mistakes, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics. 

The term constructivism has been widely discussed in education and is closely linked to several renowned educationists, particularly John Dewey. Dewey was the one who first proposed that students should be allowed to understand and figure out things on their own, rather than just memorizing content. He emphasized that learning is more effective when traditional subject matter is integrated with the student’s strengths, prior experiences, and interests. This idea remains extremely relevant today, as educators search for ways to make learning meaningful and engaging. 

In this approach, the teacher’s role is not to deliver lessons as a one-way transfer of knowledge but to guide students according to their needs. I often call this guidance metacognitive scaffolding. The term metacognition was introduced into education by John Flavell, and in simple terms, it means “thinking about thinking.” It is about helping students reflect on their own thought processes, understand how they learn, and make decisions to improve their learning outcomes. 

Constructivism emphasises that students are active participants in learning. They do not come to the classroom as empty vessels waiting to be filled with knowledge. Instead, they bring ideas, questions, and prior experiences that shape the way they understand new concepts. Teachers facilitate learning by providing guidance, encouraging discussion, and supporting exploration, which allows students to construct knowledge meaningfully. This has significant implications for lesson planning, classroom interactions, and assessment strategies. 

When learners are given a task, the conversations they have among themselves are often as insightful as the final product. Many times, if we pay close attention, we can see how students are reasoning, questioning, and negotiating solutions. For instance, a group working on a chemistry model might say, “I think the bond angle should be different” or “Maybe if we rotate this part, it will fit better.” These small discussions show that students are actively thinking, testing ideas, and reflecting on their learning. 

Mistakes are an integral part of this process. When students encounter errors, they rarely stop there. Instead, they discuss, analyse, and try new approaches. As teachers, we may feel the urge to intervene immediately, but sometimes the best support is simply observing and letting them work through challenges on their own. This approach helps students develop resilience, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Over the years, I have noticed that students who are initially hesitant often become more confident through these conversations. One quiet student in my class, for example, surprised everyone by suggesting a creative modification to a molecular model. Moments like these highlight how constructivist learning allows hidden talents to surface and encourages every student to contribute to collective understanding. 

For constructivist approaches to succeed, careful lesson planning is essential. Activities must be designed to encourage students to discuss, analyse, and identify key features of a concept. Students also need preparation and prior knowledge before they engage in the task. Simply handing them a science kit or a set of instructions rarely works. Without understanding the why behind an activity, students may follow steps mechanically but fail to engage with the concepts. Planning is not just about content coverage; it also involves deciding on timing, prompts, and the type of support to provide. Many activities may extend over several days, requiring ongoing guidance. For instance, during a multi-day chemistry activity, I realised that students needed regular checkpoints to stay on track. Without these, discussions sometimes wandered, or students became unsure about the next step. By planning and anticipating possible difficulties, teachers can provide support just when it is needed, without taking away the students’ opportunity to explore. 

Science is particularly suited to metacognitive scaffolding because it is hands-on, inquiry-driven, and conceptually rich. Researchers such as Mills have explored how to incorporate scaffolding effectively, although many educators were practising similar strategies long before it was formalised. Mills et al. provided an excellent example. Students were required to create a stop-motion animation illustrating how the Earth, once a single landmass, broke into plates that slowly drift apart. This did not require advanced technology; students used photocopies of images, cut them into shapes representing plates, and gradually moved them to simulate tectonic shifts. If devices like phones and tablets are available, then they can make this into a digital format with voiceover and annotations.

Through this exercise, students discovered that tectonic plates do not move rapidly; they shift slowly because they float on molten material. My role was not to provide the answers but to ask questions like, “What happens if these plates collide?” or “How does this movement affect the surrounding land?” By prompting reflection, I allowed students to refine their animations independently. They learned not only the scientific concept but also patience, attention to detail, and analytical thinking. Many students later commented that creating the animation helped them “see” the Earth’s movements in a way diagrams could never convey. These reflections reinforced the value of constructivist approaches, showing that learning is deeper when students are actively involved. 

Think, create, discover 

Not every activity needs technology or complex tools. For example, when teaching molecular structures such as BrF₃ or CIF. I give students simple materials like sticks, clay, and toothpicks. Inevitably, their first attempts are often incorrect. Instead of correcting them immediately, I offer prompts: “Does this bond angle seem right?” or “What happens if we rotate this part?” Students then discuss, test, and rebuild their models collaboratively. They compare approaches, debate solutions, and gradually arrive at the correct structures. This process encourages critical thinking, teamwork, and reflection. Digital resources like PhET Simulations complement these activities, providing an additional layer of understanding. 

In biology, traditional drawing exercises are now supplemented with digital and physical modelling. Students can take photographs of real flowers, label them, and create slides to explain processes such as pollination. Using a toy bee and a model flower, they demonstrate pollen transfer and insect interactions. Such hands-on, discussion-based approaches help students understand the concepts more vividly than memorisation alone. Activities like these exemplify the principle of “Think, create, discover.” They make learning active, memorable, and meaningful. Students often leave these lessons more engaged, confident, and eager to explore further. 

Students often struggle with complex topics, such as meiosis, genetic variation, and crossing over. Even with abundant resources, they may fail to make correct connections. Engaging with concepts at multiple levels — symbolic, model, and microscopic — is essential. For example, teaching the properties of water involves experiments and connecting observations to molecular explanations. Since students cannot directly see molecules or DNA, animations and simulations provide a bridge. Metacognitive scaffolding comes into play with prompts such as, “Why does ice float?” or “How does this molecular arrangement explain the observation?” These questions encourage students to reflect on their learning, helping them construct a deeper understanding. I recall a student who initially struggled with the concept of hydrogen bonding. After engaging in guided discussion and hands-on modelling, the student explained the phenomenon correctly, even using the animation as a reference. Moments like this demonstrate the importance of scaffolding and guided reflection in learning complex scientific concepts. 

Chemistry made creative 

Chemistry is often considered abstract and challenging. Principles such as Le Chatelier’s Principle are usually taught through memorisation. However, I found that creative, activity-based exploration can yield a better understanding. At the Canadian International School, Bangalore, I divided students into two groups. One group was taught the principle directly, while the other created an animation to explore the effects of heat on chemical reactions without prior instruction. Surprisingly, the second group developed strong conceptual understanding independently. They were able to explain why reactions shift with temperature changes and identify patterns in energy barriers. This experience showed me that students do not always need direct instruction to understand complex principles. Constructivist learning, combined with metacognitive scaffolding, allows them to arrive at understanding through exploration and reflection. It fosters curiosity and independent thinking, qualities that are essential for lifelong learning. 

Constructivist methods are not limited to science alone. In mathematics, for example, students can explore geometry by creating 3D models of shapes and discussing properties such as angles, symmetry, and surface area. When students build a model, test its stability, and reflect on how its dimensions affect strength, they are engaging in hands-on learning that is far more memorable than solving equations on paper alone. In language learning, students can participate in role-play activities or debate sessions that allow them to explore vocabulary and grammar in context. Rather than memorising lists of words, they learn through meaningful use, reflection, and discussion. In history, students can simulate historical events or debate policy decisions, which encourages them to analyse perspectives, make connections, and form evidence-based arguments. 

Quality versus quantity 

Students frequently report that activities, models, and animations help them understand concepts better. Yet, exam pressure creates a dilemma: teachers feel compelled to cover the syllabus quickly, leaving little room for constructivist methods. This raises an important question: should education prioritise quantity — covering more topics — or quality — ensuring deep understanding? For instance, rather than asking students to write essays on pollination, giving them models and role-play exercises encourages active engagement. They can demonstrate how insects interact with flowers, how pollen is transferred, and the importance of these processes in ecosystems. Large class sizes often make such approaches challenging. Ideally, smaller groups with additional assistants would allow each student to participate fully. Reflection, discussion, and hands-on practice take time but yield deeper learning and retention. 

Shaping minds, not just scores 

Ultimately, education should aim to shape minds, not merely produce scores. Many teachers attempt creative, constructivist methods at the start of the academic year, only to revert to traditional teaching as exams approach. This is not because they do not value these methods, but because time and systemic constraints limit their ability to implement them fully. To achieve meaningful change, all stakeholders — teachers, students, parents, exam boards, and education ministries — must collaborate. Assessment systems should evaluate creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, not only memorisation. When students are encouraged to explore, experiment, and reflect, learning becomes far more meaningful and enduring. 

Constructivist teaching requires teachers to reflect constantly on their practice. Asking questions such as: “Are my students actively constructing knowledge?” or “Am I guiding them enough without taking over?” helps refine teaching methods. I often keep a journal to record observations of student interactions, noting moments of creativity, collaboration, and discovery. Reflecting on lessons allows teachers to identify which scaffolding techniques work best, where students struggle, and how to adjust future activities. This reflection is vital because constructivism is not a rigid methodology; it requires flexibility and responsiveness to the unique dynamics of each classroom. 

Constructivism and metacognitive scaffolding emphasise that students learn best when they are active participants. Whether creating stop-motion animations of tectonic plates, building molecular models, or demonstrating pollination with toy bees, students engage more deeply when given space to explore and guided prompts at the right moments. Challenges such as exams, time constraints, and large classes are real, but careful planning, creativity, and reflection allow teachers to facilitate deeper understanding. Constructivism fosters curiosity, problem-solving skills, collaboration, and independent thinking. Education should focus on developing capable, reflective minds rather than merely preparing students for exams. By supporting students in thinking, creating, and discovering, teachers shape not only their knowledge but also their confidence, creativity, and lifelong learning skills. This is the true promise of constructivist education: learning that is meaningful, engaging, and enduring. 

Contact details

Dharmendra Dubay

Secondary Science Teacher, Canadian International School, Bangalore

Phone Number: 7349252651

Email: dubaysaspx@gmail.com

Ganesh Srinivasan, an educator and motivational speaker, explains the students’ struggle to adapt when learning takes them beyond their comfort zones. Edutainment integrates engaging methods, simplifies complex subjects, and enhances retention. Many subjects, often seen as difficult, become more approachable when taught through interactive and enjoyable techniques, according to Ganesh Srinivasan.

Encourage

·       The very word “encourage”, when split

·       The last 3 letters are age

·       The last 4 letters are rage

·       The last 7 letters are courage

·       Full 9 letters are encouraged

At this age, when someone comes and tells you to move out of your comfort zone of teaching, you get angry. But if you dare to overcome the rage at this age, then the whole world could encourage you. Dr. Kolbe and his team conducted research for the United Nations over 20 years, spanning more than 70 countries, in an effort to define what constitutes a child. They concluded by describing a Child as a learner. If a child is a learner, then why make learning difficult? According to you all, which is the most difficult subject for the majority of students? Maths. Why? English 26 variables, maths 10 variables, logically should be 300% easier than English. No grammar like nouns, adjectives, adverbs, past tense, present tense, participles, prepositions, etc. No pronunciation problems, no grammar like tenses, nouns, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections, prepositions, etc, and one letter silent, etc. Then why is Maths difficult? Because it was not taught in an edutainment way. So, how to make all subjects easy and interesting

As we all know, there are four types of students.

• Visual learners: Benefit from visual aids like diagrams, charts, pictures, and color coding. 
• Auditory learners: Learn best by listening to lectures, discussions, and audio recordings. 
• Reading/writing learners: Prefer text-based information, taking notes, and writing summaries. 
• Kinesthetic learners: Thrive through hands-on activities, experiments, role-playing, and physical movement.  

We all love anything entertaining, from books to shows. That is why students love it when education is entertaining. Edutainment caters to all 4 styles of learning. Edutainment merges education and entertainment to make learning fun and effective. It uses tools like games, videos, and virtual reality to engage students and improve retention. Edutainment is transforming education, making subjects more interesting and enhancing personalized learning experiences. 

Edutainment has its roots in the 1950s, when the Walt Disney Company started producing educational content for children. The company used animation and storytelling to teach lessons about science, history, and culture. The term “edutainment” was coined in the 1970s, when educators and researchers began to explore the concept of using entertainment to enhance learning. However, the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education has been a great boost for this methodology. Learning does not follow a linear pathway. This was the concept of our early Gurukula system of education.

Many children are accessing the Internet at younger ages. Some preschoolers are introduced to Internet-enabled devices before books.  Children are engaging online for entertainment, communication, and learning. Edutainment techniques like gamification, storytelling, Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) can create immersive learning experiences that help students explore and interact with real-world environments. 

• AR and VR can help students collaborate in virtual settings, which can foster creative thinking and teamwork. 
• AR and VR can help students practice techniques and procedures without the risk of errors in real-life situations.  

Educational games, especially in subjects like mathematics, language learning, and coding, are transforming traditional education by making complex subjects accessible, enjoyable, and aligned with digital age skills. Edutainment, “education” and “entertainment,” the term itself was coined in the 1970s by Robert Heyman during his work with the National Geographic Society, the idea of making learning enjoyable. The advent of educational technology, multimedia, and interactive gaming has created dynamic learning environments that were once unimaginable. This evolution has not only made learning more enjoyable but has also opened up new possibilities for personalized, immersive educational experiences that cater to diverse learning styles and needs. 

By presenting educational content in an entertaining format, learners are naturally drawn to participate more actively in the learning process. This increased engagement leads to improved concentration and a remarkable enhancement in the retention of information. When students are having fun, they are more likely to stay focused and absorb knowledge effortlessly, making the learning experience both enjoyable and effective.

The advantages of edutainment are not limited to mere engagement; it has other advantages that improve the acquisition of knowledge, competencies, and skills, such as:

• Enhances Cognitive Skills‍
• Fosters Creativity and Imagination
• Increases engagement with practice.
• Supports Diverse Learning Styles
• Encourages Active Learning
• Builds a Positive Attitude Toward Learning
• Improves concentration and retention of information.
• Encourages Social Interaction and Collaboration
• Provides a Safe Space for Experimentation
• Facilitates Lifelong Learning Habits‍
• Supports Emotional Development‍
• Works on spontaneity.
• Drives cognitive and emotional development.
• Develops interpersonal skills.
• It is compatible with hybrid education that combines in-person and remote learning.
• Facilitates personalized learning journeys.
• The game dynamics encourage the student to verbalize their thinking in addition to providing a precise objective.
• Combining education with entertainment works from a psychological perspective, as it activates different areas of the brain, facilitating the assimilation of data and encouraging long-term retention of information.

By presenting information in novel and exciting ways, edutainment encourages learners to think outside the box. It helps students to quickly adapt to new situations and think on their feet, which is an invaluable skill in our rapidly changing world. Edutainment prepares students for future challenges both in their academic journey and beyond. Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of edutainment is its ability to facilitate personalized learning journeys. In traditional educational settings, it is often challenging to cater to the diverse needs and learning styles of every student. 

The impact of this approach is tangible; AI-predicted educational outcomes using edutainment techniques have saved over 3 million students from failing by identifying at-risk students early and providing tailored support. This remarkable statistic underscores the power of edutainment in not just making learning fun but in fundamentally transforming educational outcomes. Three popular methods are noteworthy: gamification, storytelling, and the deployment of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Each of these techniques brings unique elements to the learning process, fostering engagement, motivation, and immersive experiences. 

Stories, games, and knowledge 

Gamification has emerged as a powerful edutainment tool, revolutionizing the educational landscape by integrating game-like elements into learning experiences. This technique taps into the innate human desire for competition, achievement, and reward, making the learning process more engaging and motivating. In educational settings, gamification often involves systems of:

• points
• badges
• Rewards for task completion
• leaderboards to highlight achievements 

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have introduced a new era of immersive learning experiences, radically changing how we engage with educational content. These cutting-edge tools create captivating, three-dimensional environments that allow learners to explore, experiment, and engage with subject matter in ways that were previously impossible. By blending the digital and physical worlds, AR and VR provide hands-on learning experiences that are not only fun and educational but also risk-free, enabling students to practice skills and explore concepts without real-world consequences. 

Imagine a geometry lesson like calculating the circumference of a circle, becomes a 3D act showing how circumference is related to radius and how pi is a constant, irrespective of the radius or circumference, that impact of Augmented reality would be permanently etched in the mind, or seeing human skeletons come to life and explaining about the different bones and their functions, retention of knowledge, is achieved, since seeing is believing. These immersive experiences not only make learning more engaging but also help to contextualize information, making it more memorable and impactful for learners of all ages. 

From mathematics to language learning, and from coding to science subjects, educational games are revolutionizing how we approach various disciplines, understanding the principles that make complex concepts more accessible and enjoyable for learners. Mathematics, often perceived as a challenging subject, has found a new lease on life through the world of educational games. Language learning games have revolutionized the way we approach foreign language acquisition, turning what was once a daunting task into an engaging and enjoyable experience. These games cater to learners of all levels, from beginners to advanced students, offering a diverse range of activities that build vocabulary, improve fluency, and enhance problem-solving skills. 

Play, code, create 

In our increasingly digital world, coding and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) skills have become essential. Recognizing this, edutainment has stepped up to the plate, offering a plethora of games that introduce young learners to these crucial subjects in a fun and engaging manner. Edutainment gives a new opportunity to acquire knowledge in an interesting way, allowing students with different abilities to acquire information on the same level as the number of traditional students.

Edutainment is a lifesaver for teachers, too, because using smart technologies for planning, detecting students’ habits, and assessing the results of learning is easier. Also, the same material could be acquired in different ways: with videos, multimedia, games, field trips, online museum visits, VR technologies, etc. A learning management system (LMS) combines administrative capabilities for tracking and reporting student-related data. LMS also provides communication between students, teachers, and administration. They also offer a space for delivering and maintaining interesting instructional resources and everything required to establish an academic course.

LMS platforms foster open and flexible learning environments by transferring teaching outside the conventional classroom. How can we make education more engaging and entertaining?

• Treat education as a service to be offered rather than a mandate to be imposed.
• Treat students like customers: Give them what they ask for, not what you believe they need. Discontinue educational offerings that garner little interest.
• Entice students to learn new topics in the same way advertisers entice us to buy products we never knew we needed.
• Education is the passport to the future.

Edutainment can support students of all ages with learning new languages, science, coding, exploring life, satisfying curiosity, and just keeping their minds in shape. Positive emotions during studies are one of the crucial aspects of remembering the material and understanding it.

Blending play and learning

The advancement of technology and demand for interactive learning experiences have made edutainment a promising solution to enhance traditional education. 

• Students Understand that Education Is Not Boring
• This Method Improves the Communication between Teachers and Students. Entertaining lectures position the teachers as more human. The students are allowed to laugh, comment, discuss different matters, and engage with the lectures in other ways. This makes them more comfortable, so they can ask the teacher about anything they are interested in.
• Fun Learning Improves the Student’s Information Retention
• Through fun-filled activities, the students remember more of what they figured out. 
• Edutainment Keeps Students Excited about School 

Effectiveness of edutainment 

Edutainment has proven to be significantly effective compared to traditional teaching methods, as it can increase engagement, improve information retention, and enhance problem-solving skills. It is important to integrate edutainment with traditional methods rather than completely replacing them to maximize its effectiveness. While edutainment offers many benefits, it is important to maintaining a striking balance between entertainment and educational value is crucial for meaningful learning outcomes. Educators can incorporate edutainment by using educational games, storytelling techniques, and augmented reality tools, while also gamifying lessons with point systems and leaderboards. It is important to choose user-friendly tools that align with the curriculum and allow for content customization. Consider user-friendliness, content customization, assessment features, integration with existing systems, user support, and adaptability to specific needs. Also, try different tools and gather feedback from users to make an informed decision. Edutainment is researched less, although it can be an effective tool for the development of foreign language communicative competence. Consequently, the question of methodological significance and values of modern learning technology as Edutainment requires further theoretical and practical investigation. 

Contact details 

Ganesh Srinivasan
Interested in education
 Sringeri
 Mob: 89211 36675
 Email: vu3gen@gmail.com

Monica Khanna, IB-PYP Coordinator II, Curriculum Coordinator-K12 II, Design thinking practitioner, Indus International School, Bangalore says that the rise of AI is reshaping education, requiring educators to adapt to new roles, challenges, and opportunities. With changing expectations from students and parents, staying aligned with the times has become essential, and by embracing unlearning and relearning, teachers can remain relevant and create meaningful learning experiences in the classroom.

All these years, we would never have imagined that the two words educators and intelligence would come together in our times, at least. But technology is evolving so fast that we are expected to work with AI now, and we are doing it. The entire landscape of education is changing with AI, and the educators are taking up new roles, facing challenges, overcoming them, and following AI. Along with this, the expectations of students and parents have also changed. It becomes mandatory for all of us to change with the times and re-roll, as it is important for us, educators. We have to keep unlearning and relearning to bring out the best in ourselves for the students in the classrooms.

The word AI is being discussed everywhere nowadays and is impacting most of our lives in both positive and negative ways. AI is the use of computer systems to stimulate the human brain to interpret and generate language. A few years ago, it was not taken very seriously by us, but it has taken the stage now. This has happened because technology is evolving very fast, and we are also expected to keep pace with it when using the same. It is said that within 18 hours of a new phone or television coming up in the market, another newer version is already in the market. Such is the speed of technology now.

Some of the examples of AI are chatbots, which we use for conversation every day now. Smart assistants are helping us in our everyday lives. We have electronic payments, search algorithms, smart devices, media, text editors, social media, etc. Whatever we use today has some relevance to AI now. We can even say it has become almost an extension of ourselves. We have all become used to looking at the mobile phone every 10 minutes in the midst of our work, checking for calls or news updates. We cannot fight against this habit anymore. But we must go with the tide. We may be surprised to see how a video released in the year 1960 had some elements that we are using in today’s world. This video of The Jetsons contains many elements, such as virtual conversation that resembles our Skype or video calls we make today, the flying cards, treadmills, etc. Many such inventions are coming up. Whatever we said many years ago is becoming a reality now. As educators, we must be prepared for the future and add value-added experience for the students.

In yet another image, we see that there is no school building, but students are learning by themselves using a VR set and tablets. They are learning many new things, such as science, math, the solar system, and even astrophysics. It may not be an exaggeration to say that this type of schooling will be started in the future. There may not be any teachers, but the children will be getting the content knowledge through the teachers working on the technology. This scenario is not too far off for us. So, we, as educators, should re-roll ourselves; we can no longer afford to be the ones who used to do a bit of research and deliver lessons to the students. We have to reconsider our future, changing the education scenario, AI, etc. We may not know if jobs will exist in the future, as many jobs have become obsolete now and are no longer in existence. AI has taken over content creation. An architect, when asked how AI was impacting his profession, said that previously he used to discuss with the customers about their requirements, the colour finishes, and the materials to be used. But now AI has taken over all these, giving a visual representation of their requirements. Earlier, there were fewer avenues to know exactly the requirements of the customers, and so there were lots of errors. But now the architect has lots of opportunities to present various views of the house using AI, and it is easier for him to work on the customers’ requirements. He is using AI to his advantage.

Classroom partner

In the same way, we, as educators, can also use AI for the benefit of education. We often feel that AI is something ethical, as educators are expected to be creative in coming up with content that benefits the students. When we have AI, it can be used for the betterment of the content. We can collaborate with AI to improve differentiation and feedback. We have to understand that each classroom has students of diverse needs at various levels. It is not very easy to cater to all of them. So, it becomes essential that we collaborate with AI to add more value to the lessons and get feedback from students. The content delivery can be done by AI. So, it becomes important for teachers to change their roles from being an educator to a mentor and to be a guide for the students. We have to work on their social and emotional needs, help them learn through inquiry-based learning, kindle their curiosity, and make them ask questions to get a better understanding, which only a teacher can do. We should know that students also work on AI and the internet, as they have to know about digital literacy. AI presents content to them without any bias, and there is always scope for improvement. We can focus on changing the curriculum design, inculcate creativity and critical thinking by making use of AI tools. AI can do many more things for us, and it is up to us to make the best use of it rather than moving away from it.

Study buddy

This is very important. The AI-powered tools or apps can work on the students’ writing, analyse it, and help to develop it further. Since technology is moving at a very fast pace, it is important to keep pace with it. We should also ensure that students are learning. There are many AI tools that teachers can use to improve their understanding of AI and use them. We can attend workshops, read materials, and make every effort to keep abreast, which is not only essential for the students but also for the teachers. We can make use of ChatGPT, Claude, to generate lesson plans, assessments, and learn various learning methods. Magic School AI and Fluenzo are also tools useful for teachers.

We can create quizzes with the help of AI, flashcards to be used, and formative assessments using AI. We can make use of Khanmigo from Khan Academy, which is a wonderful tool in personalizing students’ support. We can deliver math lessons and concepts in a differentiated manner. We can use Synthesia and ElevenLabs, which are very good tools to create videos and useful content. Often, we are not able to take the students on any field trip due to various reasons, and in such cases, the AI-generated videos can give the feeling of being on a field trip and understand things better. We can create videos and engaging content. All these things are possible only when we re-roll ourselves, do training and courses. We can stay updated when we attend workshops. Coursera and Microsoft AI for Educators are excellent tools for teachers to do the training and learn to use AI for their benefit. We can join AI education communities on LinkedIn or Twitter, etc. We will know about the ethical use of AI, biases, and responsible usage, and teach the same to students. When we use the tools often, we will realise how we get better at using AI, and we should know that education is moving in that direction only. It will be very difficult if we do not update ourselves.

Beyond technology

We can rest assured that AI will not replace educators. AI can provide ideas to students to make use of AI tools effectively, and educators can teach them the new tools, as the students will also be using them in the future. We have to talk to them about digital literacy, provide gradual support, and help them use AI more efficiently. We can monitor their work and give feedback. We should not take their work at face value, but we should encourage them to analyse the work if any errors are found, and based on the feedback, improve the work. Instead of thinking AI will replace us, we have to find ways to understand AI and work with it. We have to accept the fact that AI is part of our teaching industry, accept AI, and work with it easily. Schools should also realise that AI has to be accepted and will be part of the classrooms. The schools should encourage teachers to get trained and keep up to par with the industry. A student should never feel that they can use AI better than the teacher at any point in time. So, a teacher needs to strike a balance. When the teachers start using AI, there is no competition. We have to make use of AI to the best possible levels. With AI considered as a generative model, it is taking information from our end and developing it further to give smarter solutions to humans. We often feel that data privacy is going to be a big concern in the future. To ward off the fear of being replaced, we have to focus on learning AI, working with it, and keep trying to outsmart it.

The strategies and tools being used in recent days have helped teachers a lot. The teachers are using AI to create lesson plans. The workload of the teachers has come down a lot as they are often overworked. Now, they can plan for a lesson, resources, and deliver better content to the students. When it is going to be so helpful, it is advisable to make use of it for the benefit. The reduction of workload is a highly successful impact AI has had on teachers. This will keep the teachers healthy and happy, which will surely benefit the students at the end of the day. Things are definitely moving in the right direction for the teachers when they re-roll themselves to make an impact on society. We have to understand how to use the tools and technologies for our benefit, rather than getting scared and keeping away from them. 

Contact details

Monica Khanna

IB-PYP Coordinator II, Curriculum Coordinator-K12 II, Design thinking practitioner

Indus International School, Bangalore

Chitra Venkatesan, Principal, Indo Scott School, based at Pune, explains how in a classroom, students learn in different ways, and why teachers need to use many teaching strategies. These strategies make lessons easier to understand and more fun. From lectures and visuals to group work and projects, each method helps students learn in their own way. Using different methods also makes learning more inclusive for everyone.

By diverse teaching strategies, we mean the strategies that make the students understand the content and learn with fun. There are many strategies. Lecture-based learning is the one that we use in classrooms to discuss the content. The visual students learn through flashcards or charts, experiential learning is done through field trips, and active learning is about having group discussions to generate ideas with different perspectives. Collaborative learning is when children are involved in inquiry-based learning. We should encourage the students to ask questions because students learn by working on experiments and activities. They use online resources and projects to understand a concept. The differentiated instructions help educators to change the teaching methods to cater to all kinds of learners.

The reason we need a variety of teaching strategies is well explained by the Learning Pyramid. It shows that different methods lead to different levels of knowledge retention — from passive activities like listening and reading, to active ones like discussion, practice, and teaching others. The more actively students engage, the deeper and longer-lasting their learning becomes. Hence, multiple strategies are essential to cater to diverse learners and maximize understanding.”

By teaching others or through collaborative learning, children retain 90% of the content taught in the class. By hands-on activity and demonstration, they retain 75% of the learning. By way of demonstration and audiovisual, because by seeing a flashcard or audio, the retention is up to 20%. By reading content, the retention level is 10% and only 5% is retained through the lecture-based method. Such strategies are needed as different learners will learn using different styles, and these make the students actively participate in their learning. They also promote problem-solving skills and critical thinking to analyse the situation, evaluate, and generate new ideas to solve problems, involving the students in the learning process rather than being passive listeners. Inclusive education for diversified learners will be offered with equal opportunities for all. The children will be treated equally with equal access to all learning materials. The percentage of retention is higher when we use diverse teaching strategies. They promote engagement and equality for children from various backgrounds.

Engaging every student

Differentiated instruction is essential for catering to the diverse needs of learners with varying learning abilities. It helps us to vary our teaching methods and use materials to suit the needs of the students, give equal access to learning content, and engage with learning. We need to assess the students by using a written assessment to know about their strengths, weaknesses, and we have to plan the instructions accordingly, including activities in our plans, and implement them in the classroom. There are a few aspects of differentiated instruction. The first one is content, which is what the students learn in the classroom, and which they may not find easy to learn. Here, we have to break the working level according to the students’ learning capacity. Next comes the process, which is how the students learn. Depending on the learning ability of the students, the tasks can be allotted, such as writing an essay, reading the content, or using technology to create a presentation and access the materials. Then comes a product that talks about how the students demonstrate. Content is delivered in the class.

To assess how well students have understood a concept, flexible methods of expression can be adopted. Students may present their learning through a presentation, essay, video, diagram, or other creative formats. Such flexibility allows them to demonstrate their understanding in ways that suit their strengths and interests.

Equally important is the learning atmosphere. Some students may prefer working individually, while others learn better in pairs or groups. Providing these options not only supports different learning preferences but also helps students develop essential skills such as teamwork, collaboration, and appreciating diverse perspectives. In this way, assessment becomes both a measure of learning and a tool for building life skills.

Implementing strategies

We should know why the strategies should be implemented in the classroom and how to do it. Mapping the curriculum is important, and we must create a detailed lesson plan to meet the educational standards and content requirements. Based on this, we have to make it inclusive, which means we need to have diverse perspectives to be included in the lesson plan, keeping in mind the different learning styles of the learners and the equal opportunities for all of them. Implementing this in the classroom involves several key techniques. First, a positive learning atmosphere must be created by understanding students’ needs and offering continuous reinforcement, so good practices become part of daily learning. Second, flexible grouping should be encouraged—some students may prefer working individually, while others thrive in pairs or groups. Allowing them to choose based on their strengths and needs ensures a more meaningful and personalized learning experience.

Finally, an adaptive learning environment can be established by integrating technology, providing varied workstations, encouraging role play, and engaging students in diverse activities. These strategies make learning dynamic, inclusive, and better aligned with students’ individual learning styles.

At this time, it is important to make them feel valued and have, sense of belongingness in the classroom. We can understand their thought process, experiences, and empathise with them. They should be treated with respect. All these make the classroom a wonderful place to learn. We can follow different engaging methods, such as in a chemistry class where learning the formula is tough, we need to follow gamification to make it simple. We can make the students disguise themselves as a particular element; each of them has to learn the properties and demonstrate them for the class. We can also follow puzzles, a crossword game, which will reduce the difficulty in learning. It will also improve retention. Making them do a project and present it to the classroom will make the students understand the concept better, more interactive, and engaging.

As we know from the learning pyramid, about 90% of the knowledge is retained by the learners through peer teaching only. The group work, discussions, and peer tutoring help and support the learner to have a better understanding, interaction, and retention. They continue to have fruitful discussions, share knowledge, understand various perspectives, and support each other while learning. There should be a collaborative atmosphere with all students learning together, supporting, sharing knowledge, and achieving better retention.

We need technology in the classrooms for enhanced learning. Though it cannot replace the teacher, with all the different resources for learning and teaching, the learning levels improve a lot for both teachers and students. Many educational and interactive learning apps are available for students and teachers nowadays. Online resources are available in plenty to get a deeper knowledge of a concept taught in the classroom. The collaboration helps in improving communication and teamwork, team-building skills, etc. Most of the educational apps are free of cost, from which we can access lots of support materials and resources to support teaching and delivery in the classroom.

Measuring learning effectiveness

To know if the strategies have been implemented effectively, we need to have assessments, formative and summative. A genuine feedback comparing their learning and understanding, must be given to work towards improving their learning. Formative assessments are mostly informal to check the students’ understanding of a completed topic. Summative assessment is a structured assessment, with a comprehensive evaluation that includes all levels of thinking skills assessing the students’ knowledge, retention, and application of concepts. It is usually done after a specific period, such as a term or after three months. The students are evaluated based on the scores and their status by way of feedback. The feedback can be given in the form of a bar graph to compare the progress with the earlier summative exams to know where they are lagging, their strengths, and weaknesses. They can work on the weakness and improve further. The teachers can also get an insight into their teaching and modify the lesson plans if needed. They will know the challenges while doing so, to change the teaching methods according to the grades or scores of the students. They will know how to keep the students engaged and achieve in their curriculum.

For this, they have to monitor the students after the assessments and feedback. They should know if the student is attentive, participating in the class, interested in the class activities, and if not, they have to talk to them and find out their problems in being involved in the class. The teachers can support them after talking to them and help them bring out their strengths. The academic performance helps the teachers assess how effective teaching methodologies have been in the classroom, how to implement them better, and how to make the content easy for the students to understand.

Balancing benefits and barriers

The long-term benefits include improving critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability, which can be applied in various situations in life. The teachers have to identify the gaps in teaching, reduce them, and make learning more effective to promote global citizenship. Appreciation of cultures, understanding the social responsibilities, and global interconnectedness can be achieved by following the strategies. Diversity in strategies is important to improve learning outcomes, equal opportunities for all children. The educators have to keep updating themselves by exploring the methods, taking professional development, collaborating with colleagues, attending training, and workshops. They can also share the best practices with their colleagues. When they share their experiences, they also understand others’ perspectives, get to know about new teaching strategies others are following, so that they can also follow them for a better presentation in the classroom. The peer-to-peer teaching, mentors, and coordinators help in fostering professional development, a continuous one that supports the entire teaching community.

Some of the challenges educators face are restricted time, limited resources, and convincing the other colleagues who may not welcome any change in teaching strategies. These challenges can be addressed by making use of free resources, introducing the changes slowly so that the students and colleagues get adapted to the changes, and then it becomes easy to continue with the changes.

Contact details

Chitra Venkatesan

Principal, Indo Scots Global School

Pune, Maharashtra

Mob: 8412019209

Email: cvenk19791@gmail.com

Poornima Sasidharan is a trainer who teaches people important life skills, tells stories to help others, and has many years of experience as an English professor. She talks about why it’s important for children to be strong and bounce back from problems, and how parents and teachers can help. Using real-life stories and simple tips, she shows how challenges can be turned into chances to grow.

If we are to define resilience, it is the ability to quickly bounce back when the hardships of life knock us down, which also defines our resilience. It can be taught by teachers and parents, and it is a very important quality for everyone to survive in this world. When children are in school, they not only learn subjects but also life skills to manage the outside world. They absorb the lessons and observe how we speak to them. The way we interact with them makes a huge impact on their mind. In the olden days, any misdeed was dealt with corporal punishment by the elders, irrespective of where we were at that moment. But it is debatable if this brought any change in them. When they are afraid of something, they will never learn. When we adults are reprimanded in our workplace, we start feeling disconnected from the people who do it to us. We start feeling guilty and develop fear. We feel low in our morale and consider the workplace toxic. In the same way, children also feel low when they are reprimanded.
Role of parents and teachers in building resilience in children
Students usually feel that their parents and teachers are very much above them, as they are very experienced, trained, and qualified. They have a higher responsibility towards the students. I remember an anecdote from E. R. Braithwaite’s autobiography where he discusses a student’s behaviour. When the students were attending a lecture by Mark Thackeray, a student barged into the class without asking for any excuse or apology. When I was reading this portion, I felt the teacher would have been annoyed and blasted her. But the scenario was very positive, and it had a great impact on my life too. Mark Thackeray paused for a second, and this pause is very important in our lives. While all the other students were waiting, holding their breath to witness Mr. Thackeray blast the student, Mr. Thackeray had other ways of handling this. He said there were two ways to enter the class. One way was to behave in a ladylike manner, and the second one was to behave like a brat. The other students were eagerly watching what the girl would do. She went out of the class, and while the others thought she would walk off without attending the class, to their surprise, she knocked on the door, got the teacher’s permission, and entered the class. As teachers, we always have the responsibility to think before acting.
Lessons before correction
We can learn four important lessons. We have to connect with the children before we correct them. If we speak harshly to them, they will get afraid and immediately disconnect from the teachers or parents. They will stop learning from then on as they will not understand anything, and they may want to go away from that place. Secondly, we should never label children as stubborn or poor in studies. We have to give space to them, space to understand, and they should never get intimidated. Thirdly, we have to make them understand that they will learn from their mistakes. And fourthly, each situation should be made a part of learning. When they commit mistakes, they have to consider each situation as a learning platform. In this way, their mentality will change. The power of kindness that the teacher shows her students will achieve this. Students in a classroom are from various backgrounds, but they are studying the same syllabus under the same teacher. It is the approach of the teacher that will help them learn from situations.
Another scientist used Petri dishes filled with water. To the first one, he spoke very lovingly, the second one in abusive words, and another one with gratitude. He froze them, and after some time, he found the first one had developed snowflakes. The remaining ones did not develop any shape. He then used rice from the same batch, poured water, and repeated the same treatment on each dish. After some time, he found that the first one smelled good and fermented well, the second one got moldy, and the last dish rotted. This goes to show that when the students need help from us, we have to be kind to them. We, as teachers, have our limitations, and we cannot give individual attention to the students.
Comparison of students not advised
We should never compare the students with others, but we have to give positive directions. They will get clarity. They can express what they are going through, which will make our job easy. This self-reflection is very important for struggling students. They should learn to correct their mistakes and move forward. Making mistakes is not their identity, and they should remove this from their mind. They need support and encouraging words to find the correct direction. They will have the confidence that they can approach us for any of their problems. They will learn to find solutions to any problems and develop positive thinking. Not all children are blessed to have unconditional support, and such children need someone to support them. This can be understood from the life of Thomas Alva Edison, whose mother was there to give him such support when the school authorities informed his mother that he would not fit in the school. She hid the letter from him, encouraged him to focus, and in the end, we are aware that the world has one of the best scientists. They should never ponder quitting, but we have to give them the affirmation that they are capable. They will develop confidence and ward off negative dialogues from their mind. Dr. A P J Kalam has said that for a good teacher, there is no backbencher or frontbencher, all are students only.
Encouraging students to take risks
For example, if a student fails in maths and is scared of it, we have to make him understand that it can be learned. We can teach it in a simplified way so that he understands it better by going down to his level. When the student knows the teacher will not punish him but will give him space to learn, his mentality will change, his mental block will go, and he will learn. We can give sums in various ways until he understands. We can ask him to refer to other books and learn, and appear for competitive exams. Children also learn through stories, from which they can relate to many things. They are told stories from a very young age. The child will retain in their memory if they find stories associated with values, which has been a proven fact. Imagery will help them associate images with the necessary facts that they may need later.
Teachers to prioritize their well-being
We should know that we will be challenged by students, as the children will push the boundaries. We should understand why the child is doing something and approach them in a way they can understand. When the child feels defeated because his marks are low, the teacher has to ensure the topic is taught in a way the student can grasp. The student should not feel that he is poor in his studies. Next comes the students’ inability to sit in one place for a long time listening to the teacher. So filtering is important here.
If schools are to truly build resilience in children, reform must go beyond academics to embrace kindness, patience, and life skills as part of everyday learning. Classrooms should be places where mistakes are seen as opportunities, not punishments, and where teachers are trained to respond with empathy rather than reprimand. Schools must integrate resilience-building activities—storytelling, reflective exercises, peer support, and creative problem-solving—into their routines. By reshaping school culture in this way, we can nurture confident, adaptable young people who see challenges not as setbacks but as stepping stones to growth. Such a reform will also create a more supportive environment for teachers, reducing stress and encouraging creativity in their teaching methods. In the long run, schools that prioritise resilience will produce not only better learners but stronger human beings.
Contact:
Poornima Sasidharan
Soft Skills Trainer
M:8807941509.
E:poornima.sasidharan82@gmail.com

Dhanya C is a teacher who works with young students. She talks about why it’s important for children to feel happy and safe in school. She shares easy tips for teachers, parents, and counsellors to help kids be kind, stay strong, and balance schoolwork with having a good life.

Emotional well-being is the heart of a fulfilling life, and it shapes how we think, act, and connect with others. This article discusses how, in today’s fast-paced, high-pressure world, caring for our mental and emotional health is no longer optional; it’s essential. When we nurture our emotions, we build resilience, create stronger relationships, and unlock the confidence to face life’s challenges with grace.
UNSDG has ranked personal well-being as number three, which goes to show the importance of being given to our emotional well-being, how to tackle the problems, etc. The person can understand what he is going through, how to manage it, and express it properly. We should teach the community the methods to understand what we are going through, how to manage it, and how to present it more healthily. We should be resilient in balancing the emotions. When we are facing the challenges of our life, it is the time we have to come back properly. A survey shows that over 70% of students are facing emotional issues, anxiety, and there are many reasons for it. More than 50% educators also feel burnt-out. We should not give importance to academic excellence alone, but also to our emotional well-being. Once students understand this, they will focus better on their academics and develop their social skills and personal life holistically. We should also know how to maintain the work-life balance. They should know how to tackle emotions properly. Mainly, the assessments and back-to-back homework are the challenges faced by the students. The older generation managed it somehow, but the current generation feels the pressure of the expectations of educators and parents. Each child is unique, and when we set an expectation in the class, it is stressful for them. We should know if they understand what we are teaching.
The next pressure is bullying, not just from peers or friends, but also when somebody judges the other person. The teachers should not be judgmental about their students when they express their emotions to them. There are emotional literacy gaps, which are nothing but situations where the student is not able to speak up about what he is going through. This is currently seen even in grade 1 students. If we do not address these issues, they will break out differently or withdraw themselves completely from everything. Educators also feel this sense of burnout because of long working hours. Post-COVID, the online classes have created an expectation on both sides. They are unable to meet the benchmark set for themselves, which leads to procrastination. The emotional demands at home we do not know how to handle. Work-life balance is very important, but many of us do not know how, where and when to balance. Most of the organisations or schools do not have an SEN educator or a counsellor, and so the students do not know where to go and speak up. Often, students need somebody to listen to them and not advise them. So, these are some of the challenges faced by the educators.
Nurturing minds, building resilience
To build a holistic development of emotional well-being, we have to focus on emotions, social well-being, be open with colleagues and be friendly with them. We need to be physically fit also by doing exercises, getting proper sleep, and eating a proper diet. Everything is a lesson and experience. So, we need to be physically, emotionally, socially, and mentally healthy to achieve holistic development. To achieve emotional literacy, we can spend a few minutes on an activity in the classroom, such as circle time. By following this, the students build social and emotional learning into their curriculum or by doing activities like gratitude journaling. We can thank someone for the good food, good dress, a proper place to live in, and we can introduce meditation in the class and breathing exercises. The children can focus on breathing rather than thinking about assignments or tests. There should be peer support in the classroom to support each other.
Safe Space for Children
We should also provide a safe space for the children. We should never be judgmental of a student when he tries to share his problems or emotions with us. Activities such as gratitude journaling, storytelling, role-playing with moral values, and being empathetic towards others can be taught. Kindness chain is a small activity where in chits we can write some good points which will make a change. The students can thank somebody, praise a teacher or someone, and it is basically an appreciation note. The educators should have professional development too. We can have a workshop on how to practise a self-care routine and prioritise health. We need to take a break now and then and pursue our hobbies. We need to have SEN educators or counsellors who can visit the classrooms often to vent out our emotions. Journaling on what they did on that day, how they felt about it, etc, can be written there. There should be constant monitoring of the child and the educator to solve their problems. The sensitive needs should be met and not ignored. When a student or an educator is going through tough times, they can practise breathing exercises. Apps like Mood Meter will tell us a detailed report about our mental health. So, emotional well-being should be given priority, unlike the olden days when we did not know about this. We can discuss with other teachers about students’ behaviour and emotions. We have to pay proper attention to our emotions.When we have counsellors in the school, they will assess the children, use a questionnaire for this purpose, which will help them understand what the child is undergoing. This will help them to measure the children’s emotional well-being, and also for the educators. Yes, feedback matters a lot. We have to discuss this with the parents also. Sometimes, the children will not open up to their parents but will talk to the teacher. So, as a learning community, it is the duty of the counsellor and the school to share what the assessment tells about the child to the parents for them to understand. In olden days, there were no assessments given to students, nor were there any counsellors. Counsellors were available outside the school. But every school or most of them now have SEN educators in the school as full-time employees to address the issues of students and educators.
We have to have an orientation session with the parents. We need to talk to them because the whole community or world population does not give importance to emotional well-being. We know we are stressed, but we will not give importance to it. So, we need to talk to the parent community, give them a strategy on how to handle kids at home. Parents will come up with different points about their children’s behaviour. So, having an open forum will surely help the parent community to handle the children at home when it comes to emotional needs. The first challenge is parents questioning the school about whether their child is mentally and emotionally ok. It is still considered a stigma when we talk about emotions. So, the parents may not allow their children to attend the assessment. For this, an open forum in the school where we talk to parents will help. We should be open to discussing this with them.
Reforming schools
We, educators, should be open-minded in accepting the emotional turmoil and the need to address the issues.
If schools are to prepare children for life, not just for exams, then emotional well-being must be placed at the heart of education reform. Every timetable should carry space for reflection, peer support, and self-care activities alongside academics. Professional development for teachers must go beyond subject mastery to include training in empathy, active listening, and emotional literacy. By making counsellors, safe spaces, and well-being practices a non-negotiable part of school culture, we can ensure that every child grows up not only knowledgeable, but resilient, compassionate, and confident. Reforming schools with emotional well-being at the centre will shape a generation ready to thrive in both learning and life. This shift will also reduce teacher burnout.

Contact:
Dhanya C
Junior School Coordinator
M:9994354418
E:dhanyamca4@gmail.com

Seema Gangrade, a seasoned Spoken English Coach, highlights how active and empathetic listening can transform communication, build trust, and foster stronger relationships. Through practical tips and thoughtful reflections, she teaches readers to master this vital skill in both personal and professional spheres.

In a world full of noise, truly listening has become a rare and powerful skill. It’s more than just hearing wwords — it’s about understanding feelings, building trust, and connecting deeply with others. Great listeners don’t just wait to speak; they create space for voices to be heard and valued. From this article, we learn how, when we master the art of listening, we unlock the heart of effective communication.
The power of listening lies in unlocking the secret of effective communication. What is listening? It is a crucial aspect of communication as it enables understanding, builds trust, and fosters meaningful connections with people. When we communicate, the most important aspect is listening, which helps in understanding the speaker’s perspective, emotions, needs, and will trust and respect. There is no misunderstanding between the speaker and communicator. Great communicators are great listeners. We should always try to listen patiently and understand what the communicator says.
Most of the people listen with intent to reply without understanding the concept. They do not wait for the full answer, as there is a presumption or assumption about the communicator. They prejudge, interrupt many times, and become prejudiced. Prejudice refers to the preconceived opinion and judgment. We often think that our opinion is correct and try to impress upon the communicator. The opinions may be negative sometimes, and so we should try not to be prejudiced during the communication. We should never be biased, either. Bias is a tendency to favour or lean towards a perspective, a person, or a group with opinions. This can be conscious, explicit, or implicit. These two things stand as barriers to effective communication and multitasking.
We also find that people do not focus on what the communicator is saying or their views. They start working on the phone, or engage in their conversation, or engage in other activities. We often confuse listening and hearing. While listening is a passive process of perceiving sound, it is an active process of understanding, analysing, and responding. Stephen Covey says that people do not listen with the intent to understand, but with the intent to reply. Hearing is a basic process of perceiving sound, and listening is an activity involved in paying attention, interrupting, and responding to what is being said. So, we should try to listen and not hear so that we can focus on what we hear.
What good happens when we listen? When we listen consciously, patiently, it builds trust between the communicator and the listening group, shows empathy, and respect. The communicator would like to express his thoughts and opinions, which encourages openness. We also feel valued when somebody is saying something to which we pay attention, empathy, and respect. It reduces our conflicts and misinterpretations often, and it enhances our problem-solving skills to make informed decisions. At the end, we leave with a good and valued decision as we communicate the elements.
For this, we have to pay attention, eliminate distractions, and we have to focus on the speaker. We can use nods and eye contact apart from verbal affirmation. The listener should not say anything but only show interest by making eye contact. By nodding their head, the listener can express the comfort feeling with the communicator. We have to listen to the whole conversation and come to a conclusion on what the speaker says, and before that, we should not assume what the communicator is saying.
There are a few simple ways to improve listening skills. We can pause before responding, listen carefully, and then ask clarifying questions if we have any doubts. We have to reflect and summarize the key points. After the communicator finishes his talk, we can ask. We have to summarise thoroughly so that we can get the key points also, and we need to practise mindfulness to stay present. We should avoid planning the reply by listening. Often, people, when they listen continuously, plan their answers by assuming in advance that the communicator would want to say and prepare their answers. We have to avoid this and improve our listening.
Why listening matters?
Where does listening make the difference? Listening makes a difference in workplaces. It strengthens teamwork and problem-solving skills. It also helps in enhancing relationships and fosters deeper connections and trust. Listening enhances comprehension and retention and helps in solving problems. It also helps in leadership skills by inspiring and motivating others. Our listening will improve others’ inspiration by looking at the patience with which we listen and give our views to motivate others. Listening is a skill that can be mastered with practice. It makes relationships more meaningful. We can listen to podcasts on Spotify to improve our listening skills. In the class, we can ask the students after the class is over, to summarise it either the same day or the next day. If the students have understood what the teachers said, they can do it. Or one student can tell a portion of the lecture by the teacher to another student, which can be passed on to the next student, till it comes back to the first student. This is a listening activity and can be done in pairs. Active listening builds better relationships and understanding.
Connection through listening
In a fast-paced world, we can focus fully on speakers, without restrictions, be patient, and avoid forming responses when a person is speaking. We should never be judgmental, and we should practise mindfulness. We have to show facial expression or body language and not interrupt the communication. In this way, we can enhance our listening in this fast-paced world.
Listening reduces conflict as we understand the other person’s concern, validate their feelings, and find common grounds. It creates an environment of mutual respect and connection. Thus, we can resolve our conflicts. For leadership skills, listening is very important. Good leaders listen to their teams to understand the challenges, get a diverse perspective, and build trust. Listening promotes inclusivity, better decisions, and makes employees satisfied. So any good leader has a quality of listening.
Zoom In on listening
For virtual communication, the good techniques are to minimise multitasking. We should focus on the conversation, and any multitasking in between leads to distraction. Often, people tend to eat something or engage themselves in other topics. They assume that they are listening to the communicator. They also get phone calls to which they attend and try to listen to the communicator. We should minimize multitasking and focus on the conversation, and use verbal affirmation to show engagement and understanding. The communicator would also feel comfortable and valued. At the end, we can summarise what the speaker said. In this way, we can use good techniques in listening during virtual communication.
Empathy builds connection
Empathetic listening is very critical in communication. It helps to understand the emotions and intent behind the world. When we are empathetic and show our trust towards the communicator, it also builds emotions and the intentions behind the use of words, and it fosters a deeper connection between the communicator and listener. It reduces judgment and promotes trust and mutual respect.
For schools, cultivating listening is nothing less than reform. A school culture where teachers truly listen to students, and students practise listening to peers, creates an environment of respect, empathy, and collaboration. If every classroom encouraged active and empathetic listening, not only would academic learning improve, but children would also grow into compassionate, thoughtful citizens. Schools must therefore make listening a core value—woven into teaching practices, assemblies, and everyday interactions—so that education shapes not just sharp minds, but also caring hearts.

Contact:
Seema Gangradew
English Speaking Coach
M:9753491686
E:gangrade9@gmail.com