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

Vinayak Arali, a research scholar at Yenepoya University, emphasizes the importance of accurate citations in scholarly work and introduces Mendeley as a practical, user-friendly tool to simplify reference management. Arali explains why citations matter, how Mendeley streamlines the process, and offers step-by-step guidance for integrating it into academic writing.

Manually compiling references can consume hours that might otherwise be spent on analysis and writing. Tools like Mendeley offer a smart solution, allowing researchers to collect, organise, and insert citations with ease and accuracy. This article discusses why citations matter and how Mendeley can transform what is often a laborious task into a quick and seamless process.
Completing a research paper is an intellectually rewarding endeavour; however, the process of compiling and formatting citations often presents a significant challenge. Manually creating references can consume substantial time, detracting from the research and writing process. Reference management tools, such as Mendeley, offer an efficient and accurate solution to this problem. By streamlining citation creation, they enhance the credibility, organisation, and integrity of scholarly work.
It may be a feeling of accomplishment for having finished writing a 5000-word article or a paper, but after this only comes the most daunting task of writing as many references in an APA or MLA style. It is a task that may take hours, but when the right reference management system is used, it takes only a few minutes. This reference management system simplifies the process of citing or writing references and sharing with collaborators. A recent study revealed that most researchers spend 20% of their time writing the references manually. We should understand that it is a smarter way to use a reference maintenance system.
Why should we cite? The first reason is to give credit to the original authors by acknowledging their work, ideas, research, and words from their work that we have used. This is the basic method to respect intellectual property and to avoid plagiarism. The next reason is to provide evidence for our arguments by citing reliable sources that strengthen our arguments. It shows the work is based on established knowledge and supported by research. The next reason is to enable the readers to verify our work, which, according to me, is a very important reason to provide citations. This provides the roadmap for the readers to trace the source of information we have provided. They can further explore the topic and understand the broader context of the research. To quote an example, if I am writing an article, and I have used in-text citations, when the reader reads my article, he may want to know more about my article, and he can easily track the references that I have used in my work as they would have been cited. The fourth reason is to demonstrate the research depth. A citation shows that we have thoroughly researched the topic, found many perspectives, and our work was based on the foundation of existing knowledge. It is also important to avoid plagiarism. Failure to give citations may lead to doubt and accusations of plagiarism, which is a legal violation in academic and professional settings. We are transparent about the origin of our information through citations.
Effortless reference management
There are many reference management systems available on the market. Mendeley is a very user-friendly software, and it is free and open-source software. We do not have to pay any money for this. We can download it from the Google Play Store. We have to analyse how we will read and annotate PDFs, how to cite research while writing, and how to collaborate with other researchers. In Mendeley, there are three aspects: Mendeley reference manager, Mendeley cite, and Mendeley importer. When we start using it, we will understand how easy it is. We can add the references directly, manually, and add PDFS on a desktop so that we can directly import the files into Mendeley. For example, if I write a journal article on the Institutional Repository, I look into Google Scholar for scholarly published articles. I can do a literature review, take the one that I feel will be useful. If there are more authors, I can put the author’s last name first and check.
Citations made simple
I can easily download the app from the Google Play Store. When I click on the Mendeley web importer, it will list all the articles shown on Google Scholar. I will find good references on the page. I have to add now to the Mendeley website. So I will be using these articles for my work. I will take about 5 articles and add them to the Mendeley Reference Management System. Once I have added the reference, I can start writing the article. I can use Microsoft Word. I need to add the Mendeley site to MS Word. When I click on references, I can see all the article references. Now, I can start writing the article. When the research question is formulated, I have to do the literature review and then start writing the article. I can start with an introduction. I would have written a paragraph that is not my own; I would have taken it from someone else’s work. So, I have to cite the work, so I have to click on the Mendeley site in my collection, which will show the articles that I have chosen in MS Word.
When I click on MS Word, I will see the articles that I have selected. Since I have taken the content for the paragraph that I completed from one of the references, I have to click on it, insert the citation. It will automatically generate the index citation for the paragraph. Like this, I can go on writing the articles and add citations from the articles I have selected.
So at the end of each paragraph, we can see the in-text citation. I can change the citation style also. I can use the American Psychological Association 7th Edition or MLA style. While using MLA 9th or 7th edition, I can select whichever I want. Medical researchers mostly use IEEE. We have one more reference style called Nature. There are many reference styles available in the market. Most of the journals use APA style. I can use whichever I am familiar with. After writing the article, bibliographies have to be added at the end. We can take information from the articles. I need to put the cursor at the end of the paragraph.
I must write the author’s last name, a comma, and then the year. This is called APA style. I can take the information for the index citation from one of the articles, click on this, and it can be added to the in-text citation for the article. Once I have finished all the articles, at the end of the article, at the end we need to write a bibliography.
I can click on insert bibliography, and it will ask for the location to insert. In this way, I would have used all the articles I chose, listed at the end of the article. I can change the citation style also. I can use MLA or IEEE style for this. Every style has its advantages. I would have now finished the article with citations and bibliography.
It may take time to sign in for the Mendeley web importer. I can add references by importing the files. If I have all the articles in one folder, I can directly import all of them into the Mendeley website. I am currently writing an article on IB vs CBSE, a comparative study. I have added more than 15 references to that.
Organise with ease
Mendeley is an open-source software. If we are using JSTOR, we can directly use the web importer for JSTOR and organise references in alphabetical order. We can organize them based on years, also. We can arrange them alphabetically, or by author’s name, also. The last name of the author comes first, and when I organise them alphabetically, the article with the author’s name starting with A will show on the first of the references, and so on. In this way, we can organise all references in Mendeley. Mendeley integrates only with MS Word right now. We can directly import the references from the web importer into MS Word.
There are many videos available on YouTube on how to download Mendeley, how to create an account in Mendeley. It is easy to download the app from the Play Store. It is user-friendly. There are many more reference management software available, similar to Mendeley, such as Zotero and more tools. I prefer Mendeley because it is very user-friendly. Anybody can use Mendeley as it is free of cost.

Contact:
Vinayak Arali
Assistant Librarian
Stonehill International School
M: 9164801996
E: vinayakarali@gmail.com