Edu Research & Insights

 - One of the big challenges for both educators and parents is dealing with issues of discipline. Before we look at the reasons why children misbehave and what needs to be done to ensure self - disciplined children ,let us look at the differences between discipline and punishment. Sh Abdalla Idris from Canada reminded us that whilst discipline changes behaviour, punishment suppresses behaviour. Discipline is defined as the ability to train oneself to do those things that should be done and  resist those things that should be avoided. What are the  differences between discipline and punishment: 1. Purpose: Discipline teaches and guides, while punishment penalizes and inflicts pain. 2. Approach: Discipline is proactive, while punishment is reactive. 3. Focus: Discipline focuses on the behaviour, while punishment focuses on the child. 4. Tone: Discipline is often calm and gentle, while punishment is often harsh and angry. 5. Outcome: Discipline leads to self-regulation, whil...

 - For many parents, the moment a child brings home their first “homework” is a source of pride. It feels like a sign of maturity and academic progress. But what if that pride is misplaced? What if the struggle to get a four-year-old to sit still and write is actually damaging their relationship with learning? It's time to challenge the outdated notion that early homework is beneficial and embrace the powerful, evidence-based alternative: play. Forcing a four-year-old to do homework, especially writing, is developmentally inappropriate and counterproductive. At this age, a child's brain and body are not yet ready for the fine motor skills required to hold a pencil correctly and form letters. The act can be physically frustrating, leading to a poor grip and a lifelong aversion to writing. More importantly, it can cause emotional distress. When a child is pushed to do a task they are not equipped for, it can lead to anxiety, meltdowns, and a feeling of inadequacy. We are inadvert...

 - Teachers and the parents play a very crucial and key role in children’s life and accordingly they shape the child’s career too.  Teachers and parents have a unique understanding of the challenges faced by children due to their close and consistent interaction with them. Teachers spend significant time observing children in a structured learning environment. They witness firsthand the academic, social, and emotional challenges children encounter in the classroom, such as difficulties with learning, social interactions, habits and attention. Parents   also   spend  extensive time with children in various settings, including home, social situations, and extracurricular activities. They observe their children's behavior, emotions, and social interactions closely, providing valuable insights into their challenges. The teachers and the parents can help a child to a very large extent in terms of academic, social and other needs. Thus teachers and parents should unde...

- There are multiple roles a counsellor does for student development at school- academic performance counselling, family related counselling, career counselling, school adjustment related aspects and so on. One of the major tasks for a school counsellor is also to help a child plan for his future, whether that means continuing on to higher education, doing entrepreneurship, entering the workforce and so on. Ideally, a school counsellor should be involved with this process since a student entered school, providing guidance and study skills and intervening during times of poor or declining school performance. As we discussed in our previous articles, there are myriad challenges which counsellors face to discharge their duties. As reported in an article from UWA online of USA, there are some school counsellors who go an extra mile, even accompany students on college visits and walk them through the application process (uwa.edu, N.A) . This cannot be possible in all situations, as coun...

 - Counselling skills are seen as an important area in educational institutions. The education boards like CBSE mandates schools to appoint counsellor. The schools which have appointed counsellors in the school environment, the counsellor face few challenges, as school involves multiple stakeholders- Teachers, Children, Parents, Management, Civil society (Civil society- When school is involved with collaborative programs with external institutions). There are some kinds of stigma attached to counsellor and counselling practices. When counsellor calls children to meet, they become very conscious to go to the counsellor even to have general interaction. Some responded that if a child goes to a dedicated counsellor, the child might think he has negativity in him. A counsellor said that rapport building takes much time. Children are afraid because they have misinformation about counselling. Class 1st to 5th children know counsellor as a Lifeskills teacher and not as a counsellor. I...

 -  Children’s wellbeing is necessary for a healthy and sustaining life. Schools also have a major role to play in child’s wellbeing as children spend much of their productive hours at school. At school, the wellbeing is not only the responsibility of counsellor but parents and teachers also. The parents and school should work together in collaboration. The approach from school is to console, convince and counsel the child as well as the parent. A well understanding and equipped teacher can support the children in many ways. Wellbeing support by teachers, parents and principal: Below are the roles played by these stakeholders for wellbeing support at school and home. Role of teachers: Teachers are role model, they influence children at the classroom in multiple aspects- behaviour, motivation, patience, career aspiration etc. The teacher is the first contact at the school environment to whom the children can easily reach. In my study teachers said that if they have prio...

-  Many of us feel that counselling is for people who are weak and incompetent. In reality, many people miss this expert help and guidance because of these misconceptions. There are few myths related to counselling, like it is only for major issues or crazy people, admitting that you need help and going for counselling means you're weak, counselling doesn't help or will make the situation worse, the counsellor doesn't know me - so they can't help me etc. ( https://calgarycounselling.com ). But really if you see at the counselling, these are the professionals who are trained to help humans in their day to day life needs. There are specialized people who are called as ‘school counsellors, who work with school stakeholders for students and school success. Out of all needs, mental health needs are very prime. Mental health affects not only academics but also other areas of life. The problems of children are different in each type of school. One school in...