GLOBAL SUMMIT 2016 Enriching Skills for Health,

Behavior & Wellbeing in Schools

SOUVENIR

Organized by

ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN SCHOOL COUNSELORS & ALLIED PROFESSIONALS

(AISCAP)

24th & 25th February 2016

Moolchand Medcity, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi

Technical Support

Expressions India: The National Life Skills, Values Education & School Wellness Program

Contact Nos: 011-64594939, 64700117, 7042890157

Email Id: aiscap.counselor@gmail.com, contactexpressions.india@gmail.com Website: www.aiscap.com, www.expressionsindia.org

PLEDGE

I take an oath to the best of my ability and judgment that

I will respect the existence of my fellow being regardless of age, sex, caste and creed.

I would apply all my knowledge and experience for the benefit of children/people of my

nation avoiding those twins’ traps of misjudgment and overtreatment.

I will remember that as a Counselor my duty is to encourage the true and unique abilities

of the child/client both hidden and known.

I shall promote in healthy ways communication between the school and home to build a

bridge of understanding and affection of all caregivers.

I shall always examine and evaluate accommodations and interventions for the good of all

students/people if they may need so. I shall talk to the children/clients about their strengths

and weakness, emphasize optimism, protect from humiliation and eliminate a stigma of any

kind in their minds.

I will not be ashamed to say “I know not”, nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the

skills of others are needed for helping a child/client.

I will remember that I remain the member of the society with special obligations to all my

fellow human beings.

I shall not worry that my children/clients are not listening to me and rather worry that they

are watching everything I do.

May I always act to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and longing the experience

and joy of healing those who seek my help.

GLOBAL SUMMIT 2016 Enriching Skills for Health,

Behavior & Wellbeing in Schools

SOUVENIR

Organized by

ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN SCHOOL COUNSELORS & ALLIED PROFESSIONALS

(AISCAP)

24th

& 25th

February 2016

Moolchand Medcity, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi

Technical Support

Expressions India: The National Life Skills, Values Education & School Wellness Program

Contact Nos: 011-64594939, 64700117, 7042890157

Email Id: aiscap.counselor@gmail.com, contactexpressions.india@gmail.com Website: www.aiscap.com, www.expressionsindia.org

MESSAGE

―An accomplishment reflects the potential and hard work‖

Through this message, I gladly appreciate the initiatives being taken

up by ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND

ALLIED PROFESSIONALS (AISCAP) to empower, support and

streamline the school counselors & allied professionals in their role to

effectively promote Child and Adolescent Wellbeing in an Inclusive

Environment.

School counselors are an important part of the educational leadership team and provide

valuable assistance to students regardless of whether they work in an elementary school or

middle school, high school or beyond. School counseling services have relevance for both our

education and health systems. In our country it appears to have a closer association with the

former. In this emerging context, India is in need of taking a serious stock of the school based

counseling services as the planning bedrock for the implementation, enhancement and

monitoring of overall holistic development of children.

It gives me immense pleasure to know that AISCAP is organizing GLOBAL SUMMIT 2016 on

the theme “Enriching Skills for Health, Behaviour & Wellbeing in Schools‖ on 24th & 25th

February 2016 at Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi. I believe this summit will open a dialogue

to bring forth the various peripheral approaches to education into the mainstream, thus

seeding an environment to grow and flourish within oneself and with the world outside.

I extend my best wishes & congratulations to the entire team of AISCAP for their effort and the

hard work they have provided in it. I would also like to convey my best wishes to all the

delegates for enriching the learning experiences at this prestigious Global Summit 2016.

With best wishes,

Vineet Joshi

Commissioner (Planning, Power) & Resident Commissioner

Govt. of Manipur

MESSAGE

I am pleased to know that ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN SCHOOL

COUNSELORS& ALLIED PROFESSIONALS (AISCAP) is

organizing its Global Summit 2016 on the theme ―Enriching Skills

for Health, Behaviour & Wellbeing in Schools‖ on 24th& 25th February

2016 at Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi.

Schools play an important role in enhancing educational competence as well promoting

psycho-social development of children. We are living in an exciting time with an

increasingly diverse society, new technologies and expanding opportunities. To help ensure

that our children are prepared to become competent citizens & effective agents of change,

every student needs support, guidance and opportunities especially during school years.

They are a resource to be nurtured, trained and developed into productive citizens and leaders

of tomorrow.

Learning and wellbeing are inextricably linked - students learn best when their wellbeing is

optimized, and they develop a strong sense of wellbeing when they experience success in

learning. The Learning and Wellbeing Framework supports schools with creating positive

school cultures and embedding student wellbeing in all aspects of school life through

connecting the learning environment, curriculum and pedagogy, policies, procedures and

partnerships for learning and life.

I am happy to know that AISCAP as a national organization of Indian School Counselors &

Allied Professionals is actively working in this area and keeps organizing such seminars &

conferences. I convey my heartiest congratulations to the entire team of AISCAP for their

contribution in the development of our Nation by the great and meaningful work being done

for promoting the Health & Wellbeing of the students of our nation.

I also express my best wishes to all the delegates who shall be actively participating in the

Global Summit 2016.

Prof. (Dr.) Kavita Sharma President South Asian University New Delhi

MESSAGE

MESSAGE

To grow means to evolve, not just physically but also psychologically

and emotionally. We are currently living in times where as parents,

teachers, c ounselors and mental health professionals we constantly

need to meet the ever-growing demands of children and adolescents.

While there is no limit that defines the end, earnest efforts add to the

fruits of the labour. This is precisely what ASSOCIATION OF

INDIAN SCHOOL COUNSELORS & ALLIED PROFESSIONALS (AISCAP) endeavours to

promote with its current theme of GLOBAL SUMMIT 2016 which is “Enriching Skills for

Health, Behaviour & Wellbeing in Schools‖.

I congratulate ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN SCHOOL COUNSELORS & ALLIED

PROFESSIONALS (AISCAP) for taking an initiative in the direction of appreciating the

efforts taken by the schools in the realm of mental health and well being. Such efforts imply

that discussions, information, understanding and questioning enable further growth, not of

just individuals but organisations and the larger community.

My best wishes to all the delegates who shall be a part of the Global Summit 2016.

Prof. Namita Ranganathan

Dept. of Education, University of Delhi

New Delhi

MESSAGE

Education does not begin and end with reaching the highest peak of

academic achievement. Its goal is to empower learners not only to

find themselves, but also to create themselves to become the best

possible human resource, a responsible citizen and a responsive human

being. In order to enable learners to reach this destination, it is essential

that education aims at holistic development of learners - physical,

mental health and wellbeing. Undoubtedly, the school education

plays a key role, as it lays down the foundation for this process

leading to self-actualisation of every learner. However, the present situation of the content

and process of education, and particularly, the school education, are focused only on academic

achievement. With a view to bringing about a basic change, education demands a paradigm

shift. Which is why, there are a number of global initiatives are on to respond to this need.

Unless the educational institutions and particularly schools make interventions aimed at

promoting the development of skills, and especially, the life skills, besides facilitating the

acquisition of knowledge (not simply information), the ultimate goal of education cannot

be attained.

It is matter of great hope, when we find that the Association of Indian School counselors

and Allied Professionals (AISCAP), as a front runner civil society organization in this field,

has joined this initiative and moving forward to empower all the stakeholders of school

education to address the health, mental and social wellbeing holistically. The organization of

Global Summit 2016 is a path-leading initiative in this direction. I congratulate AISCAP and

Expressions India on this endeavour and wish this event a success.

(Jawahar Lal Pandey)

Professor and National Coordinator, NPEP & AEP, (Retired)

National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi

MESSAGE

It is heartening to note that AISCAP is organizing a Global Summit on

―Enriching Skills for Health, Behaviour & Wellbeing in Schools‖ with

technical inputs & academic collaboration of Expressions India – The

National Life Skills, Values Education & School Wellness Program on

24th & 25th February 2016 at the Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi.

The need of the hour is to develop a technical recourse which explicitly teaches personal and

social capabilities and equips students with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and strategies to

understand and manage themselves, their relationships and contemporary life challenges. The

conference aims to connect the elements of curriculum, environment, policy and community

that enhance wellbeing for learning and life — complementing the exceptional work already

happening in schools. AISCAP in its endeavors has always aimed to empower, support and

streamline the school counselors & allied professionals in their role to effectively promote

Child and Adolescent Wellbeing in an Inclusive Environment.

I believe that in the time ahead AISCAP shall continue to work in this direction and meet

challenges of the emerging needs of the education profile in India & to reinforce values, life

skills, and a gender sensitive inclusive climate as valuable indicators of progressive schooling

across the country.

I would like to convey profound thanks to team AISCAP in this timely & path breaking

endeavor.

Dr. Jitendra Nagapl

Chairperson - AISCAP

Program Director: Expressions India

The National Life Skills, Values Education, School Health & Wellbeing Program

MESSAGE It is my privilege and honour to be the academic chairperson for AISCAP. It has indeed been a

very fulfilling and enriching journey for me, with each academic activity contributing to my

own growth.

During the last five years we have achieved many milestones with the support and

enthusiastic participation of all the members and well wishers. Let us continue our mission of

making every child a "Happy Child "---accepting and celebrating each one's uniqueness and

facilitating each one's optimum development and well being.

I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to all the members of

organizing team and executive council members of AISCAP for their constant support and

contribution.

I wish the Global Summit great success.

Ms. Usha Chaujer

Educator- Inclusive and Remediation

Chairperson- Academics, AISCAP

MESSAGE

AISCAP was born from the need to provide School counselors and allied professionals with a

platform to share their experiences along with a dynamic learning environment to keep

abreast with skills in promoting mental health and the latest in the field of school counseling.

The association has since its commencement in 2011 spread its wings and is proud to have a

growing fraternity of members from schools across the country.

As those who work with children we need to know that with the changing fabric of

demography, children and adolescents constitute 40-44% of our countries population. As per

ICMR studies 12-14% of these suffer from a spectrum of emotional, behavioral and

developmental disorders.

The bulging youth dividend that is to peak by 2025 makes it almost imperative for school

based interventions to be scientifically streamlined with global research in providing the

necessary support that children will need.

AISCAP‘s single minded vision in this direction is to actively consolidate and raise the quality

of school counseling services in the country. AISCAP pledges to provide support and

guidance to all counselors and schools to develop a sound, dependable and responsible

counseling centre.

It is an honour for me to welcome everyone to our fifth conference and first Global Summit. As

I look ahead, I visualize AISCAP as an organization that will grow in pursuit of higher

standards of research and services in the field of school well being.

Ms. Preeti Puri

President, AISCAP

MESSAGE

Five glorious years since its inception and hosting the first Global Summit, I congratulate

AISCAP for achieving yet another milestone this year. The GLOBAL SUMMIT 2016 -

―Enriching Skills for Health, Behaviour& Wellbeing in Schools‖ is a rather prestigious event

that creates a much needed platform for a change that has a more universal acceptance. It is an

absolute need of the hour to address the changing landscapes not just in terms of education

but also for each one of us personally.

Life is moving fast, changing relentlessly and we need to match pace. We need to update and

upgrade ourselves to the needs of current times and give back whatever we can to leave

behind something worthwhile. By incepting these seeds today we can look forward for a more

promising future that radiates with love, happiness, joy, togetherness and a lot of fun!

I wish the Global Summit great success.

Ms. Mehak Wadhwa

Vice-President

AISCAP

MESSAGE

It is a matter of great pleasure that the Global Summit of AISCAP is being organized on such a

unique theme in its 5th year since inception. It is not merely a time to reminisce the good old

past, but also a time to undertake new tasks, to structure and outline for greater

accomplishments.

I envisage, in the coming years, an interdisciplinary all inclusive movement of education and

wellbeing for our young adolescents. Education is not an act of acquiring knowledge but

learning a skill to lead life and forming one‘s personality. This is an enabling process of

growth. I can boldly say that we have excelled in every initiative that we undertook and we

have stood together in facing the challenges in realizing quality education. In all this, we have

made every effort to be sensitive and compassionate to promote the well being of children in

schools. Margaret Mead once said ―Children must be taught how to think, not what to think,‖

and this certainly highlights the importance of imparting adequate skills to your young.

Never had teaching been more challenging than it is now, when we are on the threshold of a

new era. The relationship between teachers and pupils is now more informal and challenging.

They have boundless energy which must be properly channeled with great deliberations and

greater understandings. With information so readily available in this age, teachers have

become facilitators of knowledge, helping pupils to process information, to learn how to learn,

thereby initiating their journey towards greater empowerment.

I am confident that the AISCAP members are well-geared and will strive hard to meet the

challenges and demands of wellbeing in the future. In 2014, when I was appointed as the

Secretary of AISCAP, a proud moment....yielding to many more moments of commitment and

devotion. I look forward to fostering closer collaborations with various government

departments for generating greater synergy in our future endeavors. As a robust team, we

have plans and dreams in the years to come, which through collaborative effort can achieve

more to benefit our students who are the future leaders of tomorrow. With all our concerted

efforts, I firmly believe that we can comfortably pass the torch of caring spirit from one

generation to the other.

Ms. Geetanjali Kumar General Secretary - AISCAP

SOUVENIR

ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN SCHOOL COUNSELORS & ALLIED PROFESSIONALS

AISCAP Office Bearers

AISCAP Background

Articles by Principals and other Professionals

List of Abstracts

Detail of the Program

Advertisements

OFFICE BEARERS OF AISCAP

ACADEMIC COUNCIL MEMBERS

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM

MS. MANJU MADAN MS. KHUSHBOO THAKUR SANDHU Administrative Incharge Manger (PR & HR) MS. PRIYA SHARMA MS. AARTI PRASAD Manager (Office Operations) Manager (Office Operations)

Chairperson DR. JITENDRA NAGPAL

Chairperson (Academics) MS. USHA CHAUJER

President MS. PREETI PURI

Vice President MS. MEHAK WADHWA

General Secretary MS. GEETANJALI KUMAR

Editor MS. SAROJ SHARMA

DR. POOJASHIVAM JAITLY

MS. ASTHA SHARMA

MS. ASTHA BAJAJ

AISCAP….. A Background

The Child Development and Adolescent Health Centre under the aegis of the Institute of

Mental Health & Life Skills, Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi organized a School

Counselors‘ Conclave in the month of March 2011 which was keenly attended by more than

80 school counselors and allied professionals. The idea for AISCAP took birth at this

platform as it was felt that school counseling programs need to be made an integral part of

student‘s daily educational environment and school counselors should be partners in student

achievement and overall development.

AISCAP is thus an endeavor of likeminded professionals to provide a forum that seeks to

empower, support and streamline the school counselors & allied professionals in their

role to effectively promote Child and Adolescent Wellbeing in an Inclusive Environment.

AISCAP was initially formed with 10 core members at its inception and today it has grown

with over 800 members across the country. School counselors from Chandigarh, Dehradun,

Bengaluru as well as other cities have shown keen interest in our programs and have got

associated with us as our members.

Since its inception in August 2011, AISCAP has conducted various training workshops,

sensitization programs for school counselors & teachers. Every year AISCAP holds its

Annual Conference on contemporary themes of School Mental Health. AISCAP‘s Annual

Conferences have focussed upon:-

―Best Practices in School Guidance and Counseling Services : Emerging Roles,

Responsibilities and Recommendations‖

―Evolving Landscape of School Mental Health in India‖: Emerging Needs and

Emerging Solutions‖.

“The Art & Science of New age Parenting & Innovative Practices in School Mental

Health Promotion‖.

“Convergence of Special Education & School Counseling Services”.

Renowned educationists & Policy makers from Min. of HRD, Min. of WCD, Min. of Health &

Family Welfare, IGNOU, CBSE, NCERT, COBSE, Mental Health Professionals, Policy Makers

and Health Care providers have participated in these pioneering events and provided

valuable inputs towards streamlining school counseling services as an important component

of educational reforms. The annual conferences have seen an enthusiastic participation of

delegates from all over India. An important landmark in the AISCAP‘s journey was its

collaboration as a supporting partner with American Counseling Association for their Asia

Pacific Counseling Conference 2015.

AISCAP is now pleased to announce its GLOBAL SUMMIT 2016 focusing on “Enriching

Skills for Health, Behaviour & Wellbeing in Schools” which aims to explore the changing

needs, challenges, roles and purpose of education. Delegates & Experts from overseas as

well as apex national agencies are expected to be a part of this prestigious Global Summit

2016.

THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND

MENTAL HEALTH

Classrooms today have children from immensely

diverse backgrounds. Some from underprivileged to

highly privileged homes, others who are either mentally or physically challenged, children of

single parents or where parents have abdicated their responsibilities, many suffer from

hypertension, obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle generated conditions, some are victims of

sexual or domestic violence. Infact, children have a great deal to contend with to retain their

balance in a highly competitive environment where nurturing has taken a back seat.

In this climate the role of educators has taken on a new dimension. A mentor, counsellor,

guide, a foster parent all rolled in one. A humane in whom all children, abled and disabled,

rich and poor, mediocre and successful, back benchers and achievers find solace and comfort..

The spirit of a child is of youthfulness, inquisitiveness, an open-mindedness that is free to

consider everything. A sense of humour, playfulness and curiosity are qualities, we are

designed to develop rather than out grow, but instead we dismiss most of these traits as

childish. We want our children to reach some stereotyped system of ordinates, which binds

one into strait jackets of behavior according to the demands prevailing in our families or in a

particular segment of society.

As an educator who has worked with children for over forty years, specially with ones who

are differently abled, theatre and classroom drama has been an extremely important tool that

is been used by me for purposes of counselling, restructuring thoughts, negating negativity,

evoking positivity, developing confidence and self esteem.

Children are natural actors. From childhood they instinctively use pretend play in order to

make sense of the world. They imitate words and actions, observe and respond to the

environment, create situations and assume roles. They interact with peers and arrange spaces

and objects to bring their stories to life. They direct one another to bring order to dramatic

play and they respond to each other‘s dramas.

In other words children arrive at school with the basic skills of being actors, playwrights,

designers, directors and even audience. Incorporation of theatre in classroom environment

develops the child physically, intellectually, and emotionally. Teachers and students learn

together to solve intellectual, creative, communicative and evaluative problems. The

development of language, communication, lateral thinking, body language, logic and aesthetic

pleasure is greatly enhanced. In today‘s changing world theatre classrooms help greatly in

clarifying attitudes and balancing emotions. They promote positive self-concepts, awareness

and empathy. It also motivates learning in other content areas and improves retention

through multi sensory instruction. The most wonderful thing about drama is one does not

have to wait for expensive equipment and facilities.

Students can be transported into worlds, past, present and future the ultimate in virtual reality

and are equipped to walk in others shoes, developing an understanding and concern as they

explore complex realities and limitless possibilities. Classrooms have within them the drama

of life. Using classrooms as theatre can help cope with serious mental disorders.

We need to imagine our students as broadcasters, tall radio beacons of information, pulsing

out messages everywhere. All of them, stating, clarifying, discussing, modeling, filling all of

space with the messages they care about. If we do that, we will create the wondrous capacity

present within children to deal with challenges from inside and then from the outside world.

Ms. Ameeta Mulla Wattal

Principal

Springdales School

Pusa Road, New Delhi

Education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself….progressive and experiential.

John Dewey

EDUCATING THE MIND FOR

UNITY AND PEACE

ESSENCE OF EDUCATION

Education, for some time now, is regarded as a means to

ensure a good career. Even the discussion around ―quality

education‖ is not much different from an exercise in

information dissemination to equip the students to choose a vocation. There seems to be some

digression from the real value and meaning of education. Education in its true sense is aimed

at elevating the soul, ridding it from grief and sorrows and bringing in joy and bliss. At a

worldly level, it is acceptable that as a human being, one needs to earn a livelihood and enjoy

material comfort and satisfaction. However, these achievements are largely meant to serve the

lower order of physical needs. The higher needs, on the other hand, pertain to gaining broader

perspective and higher vision of life, entailing earnestness, self-restraint, steadfastness and

indeed ‗spiritual upliftment‘. At the core of these lie peace, harmony and unity with the self

and between the self and the rest. In order to achieve these higher objectives we have to

develop an educational vision that recognizes the attainment of eternal values as the most

essential of all.

THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

The centrality of the role played by the teacher in the process of education cannot be

overemphasized. In this age of cyber intensity and virtual classrooms, one may be swayed by

the assumptions and possibilities of teacher-less classrooms. But to belittle the importance of

the teacher can be very damaging. Human interaction leads to greater learning as it is a social

activity. True, an ill-equipped teacher with no sense of purpose and with ambiguous

motivations can be damaging. According to H.H The Dalai Lama., ―A teacher must be trained,

learned and studied‖. Unless one has the burning desire to teach, one should not be a teacher.

It is of the utmost importance that one discovers for oneself whether one has this gift, and not

merely drifts into teaching because it is a means of livelihood.‖

We also have to make education relevant to the emerging global needs. Poverty alleviation,

removing social imbalances, managing and countering threats to our social institutions and

bringing about a peaceful world order are the new challenges, equal to which our educational

eco-system needs to rise. The adoption of the 17 sustainable development goals by the UN also

reflects the same vision.

ROOTS OF PEACE EDUCATION

The educational attainment of any society is determined by the economic prosperity. But this

prosperity of the people is of no use if the people are at a perpetual conflict with the self and

with each other. Inequality, injustice and denial of opportunities are at the core of forces that

create friction and conflict.

Apple and Beane (2007) stressed that school plays an important role in laying the firm

foundations of a democratic society. Teachers‘ interventions in the early years are even more

critical. Life cycle skill formation is a dynamic process in which early inputs strongly affect the

productivity of later years (Heckman2006). The key role of teacher in imparting that respectful

experience to the students is unquestionable. Such an important goal can be achieved if the

teachers are prepared to value the true meaning in what they do. Teacher reorientation

according to Zerin (2005) prepares them to appreciate the diversity of human beings , helps

them recognise that all students have potential and encourages in the teachers creative ways

in individualised instructions. More than any other institution, schools are charged with

making equality of opportunity a reality (Duncan, and Murnane, 2011). Only a strong value

commitment to social justice – key to peace, and its practice in school by the teachers will

result in success for all (Stevenson, 2007), resulting further in human unity.

21ST CENTURY LEARNING

There is a complete agreement that 21st century learning is about developing critical thinking,

problem solving ability and communication skills and learning how to learn. Another very

important characteristic is the need of developing collaboration. Seen in the broader context, it

is not difficult to derive from this the emphasis on coexistence, interdependence and

accommodation.

Connectivity and collaboration can fuel new global networks (UNICEF 2014). It is quite urgent

therefore that developing world citizenship is treated as the core agenda of all educational

systems. As Seymour Papert says, ―We need to produce people who know how to act when

they are faced with situations for which they were not specifically prepared‖. Technology is a

great enabler; it has brought people and communities together. It has defied borders,

geographies and rigid notions of ownership, power and entitlements. If we use technology

wisely it could be a great companion in creating pathways to love and compassion so essential

to achieving peace and unity.

Any attempt at education has to keep children in the centre, has to be experiential and must

promote a world-view. Education of the mind has to be transformative, impactful, transferable

and life-long. Consequences of such an education of the mind must result into unity of human

race for a peaceful co-existence.

Mr. Ashok K Pandey,

Principal

Ahlcon International School

New Delhi

―We can do no great things; only small things with

great love.‖

-- Mother Teresa

WELLBEING FOR SUCCESS

It is extensively acknowledged that young learners‘ emotional

health and wellbeing influences their cognitive development

and learning, as well as their physical and social health and

their mental wellbeing in adulthood. School-based

programmes of social and emotional learning have the

prospective to help adolescent group attain the skills they

need to make good academic progress as well as benefit

students health and wellbeing.

Hence schools must provide a curriculum that promotes positive behavior and successful

relationships and help reducing disruptive behavior and bullying. This can be achieved by

integrating social and emotional skills development within all areas of the curriculum. Skills

that should be developed include motivation, self-awareness, problem-solving, conflict

management and resolution, collaborative working, how to understand and manage feelings

and how to manage relationships with parents, peers and with others. The curriculum should

construct on learning in primary education and be sustained throughout their education. It is

important for teachers to access training to increase their knowledge of emotional wellbeing

and to train them to be able to identify mental health difficulties in their students. This

includes being able to refer them to relevant support either within the school or from

peripheral services.

Our social world requires us to control our behavior, our emotions, and our thinking. Control

over ourselves is a skill that helps us navigate our surroundings fluidly- resolve conflict,

problem solving, think independently, participate and get along with others. So, in order to

be successful in all things in life, self-regulation skills are a must. Children need a solid

foundation of self-regulation skills to help them stay focused on their learning, get along with

others, and work independently and cooperatively in the classroom. The capacity to regulate

their emotions and behavior represents a shift from vulnerability to competence. Self-

regulation remains perhaps even more important in the teen years, which are often marked by

an increased vulnerability to risks such as truancy, peer victimization, and substance use.

Adolescents who do not regulate their emotions and behavior are more likely to engage in

risk-taking and unhealthy behaviors. Being able to suppress impulsive behavior and to adjust

behavior as appropriate has been linked to positive outcomes for children and adolescents.

Advances in neuroscience are clarifying the complex relationships between emotional self-

regulation and the brain‘s executive functions (e.g., reasoning and memory), which are crucial

to learning. Research also tells us that social and emotional skills can be learned, and provides

direction about the most effective ways of teaching these skills with a view to prevent school

failure. A research indicates that social and emotional skills are as important as cognitive skills

to get success in school and beyond, and that they may be more impressionable than cognitive

skills, especially in early and middle childhood. It has long been recognized by teachers that

students who can pay attention, persevere with tasks, solve problems, and work well with

others generally do better in school than those who don‘t have these abilities or whose abilities

are compromised by stress, anxiety, depression, or anger.

Adolescence is considered by many scientists to be the most critical and the most vulnerable

developmental period in the lifespan. It is a period of significant biological, neurological,

psychological, social, emotional, and cognitive change; it is also a period associated with risk

for many behavioral, social, and health-related problems. To safeguard child and adolescent

mental well-being, it is important to create social environments that offer shielding factors for

mental health and limit exposure to risk factors for mental confusion. Wellbeing is vital for

student success. The ethical responsibility of teachers and, Edu-leaders is to consider, promote,

balance and respond to all aspects of the students, including their physical, social, emotional,

academic and spiritual needs. These considerations require purposeful expression and action

across all curriculum areas, strategic priorities and teaching practice. To maximize the role that

schools have in promoting and responding to student wellbeing, need a high level of school-

wide coordination and cohesion. Student wellbeing is not only an ethical and moral obligation

for teachers and Edu-leaders, but also a legal responsibility. Let‘s take a challenge to strive to

make a difference, strive toward wellbeing for success.

Ms. Heema Sharma Principal

J P international School Greater Noida

GENERAL WELL-BEING THROUGH GOOD

HEALTH & BEHAVIOR

Human behavior flows from three main sources: Desire, Emotion, and Knowledge. The

attitude thus equipped is very important as one‘s behavior radiates how one feels.

A human being is said to have its worth when he is imbibed with the attributes that are good

for his successful survival and also conducive for the betterment of the society. It is well said

that if a person is healthy in mind he always becomes an asset for the society and produce

wonderful outcomes. He transmits the positive vibes and becomes the precursor of a healthy

nation. Enrichment of knowledge is directly related with health of mind. Healthy mind lies in

a healthy body. So our health has direct connection with our thoughts and knowledge or in

other words good mental well being is important for our physical health. Many factors

influence our well being which include the overall state of mind and body that ultimately

result in the type of behavior with the society - so it is very important to have a healthy mind

with positive thought.

There is no doubt that Cultural legacies are powerful

forces. They have deep roots and long lives. They persist,

generation after generation, virtually intact. I believe that

the human behavior is more influenced by things outside

of us than inside. The 'situation' is the external

environment. The inner environment is genes, moral

history, religious belief and so on. So the school plays a

vital role in molding behavior and instilling manners

which is a constantly evolving process that takes patience

and produce everlasting results. The individual that is thus produced is said to be a role model

for all and thus contributes to the development of the nation.

Health-related behavior is one of the most important elements of well-being. Its importance

has grown as it is crucial to have such mindset that is nurtured in healthy environment.

Diseases that were once incurable or fatal can now be prevented or successfully treated and

health-related behavior has become an important component of public health. The

improvement of health-related behaviors is, therefore, central to public health activities as it

then leads to best of the conduct and the components of social status.

It can be enhanced by fostering knowledge and beliefs, increasing self-regulation skills and

abilities, and enhancing social facilitation. Engagement in self-management behaviors is seen

as the proximal outcome influencing the long-term distal outcome of improved health status of

the nation.

If we each take responsibility in shifting our own behavior, we can trigger the type of change

that is necessary to achieve sustainability for our race or this planet. We change our planet, our

environment, our humanity every day, every year, every decade, and every millennia.

I firmly believe that, it is the unseen and the spiritual in people that determines the outward

and the actual. ―To find yourself different than others, you must believe behave and act

differently.‖

Ms. Jyoti Arora Principal

Mount Abu Public School Rohini

―Whatever the struggle continue the climb, it may be

only one step to the summit.‖

-- Diane Westlake

WELLBEING

Wellbeing is a condition of existence with

satisfaction. Every aspect of our life influences

our state of wellbeing. Well-being is subject to

how one feels other people in their environment

perceive them, whether it is positive or negative.

It is deeply related with the culture. Happiness

is related with the value system that we follow.

Value system in turn depends on the culture.

Physical activity can help to reduce stress, boost self-esteem, combat depression and reduce

anxiety. Mental health influences how we think and feel about ourselves and others, affecting

our capacity to learn, to communicate, and to form and sustain relationships. It also influences

our ability to cope with change and manage our physical health. Creative activity enables

achievement, self-confidence and skills development (both physical and cognitive). There is

also evidence that creative activity offers some control of negative thoughts and feelings of

stress.

We need to learn how to believe in ourselves and create purpose for ourselves. If well-being is

established in kids at a young age then it is more likely to play a part in their life as they get

older. The feeling of having a purpose in life and connection with others are also contributors

to the idea of well-being. When people feel as though they have a [purpose] in the world, they

feel like they belong. They feel like they matter.

Ms. Manoranjini Suresh Principal

BVB, Trissur

―Those who educate children well are more to be

honoured than parents, for these only gave life, those

the art of living well.‖ -- Aristotle

Nurturing and Fostering Our WWW Generation

Childhood and Adolescence are the most joyful periods of one‘s life characterized by curiosity,

creative energy and desire for self-discovery and exploration of the world. Children are

remarkably flexible, they poses the ability to solve problems.

The journals of Child and Adolescent Mental

Health Services indicate that one in every ten

children suffers from one or another form of

mental health disorder. As we are aware that

mental health problems in childhood and

adolescents are a predictor of mental health disorders in adulthood. In this regard, the services

provided in schools will help young people to prevent developing major mental health

problems.

There is considerable evidence to show that early identification of behavioural difficulties

and early implementation of family support programs promote better mental health

outcomes for children at risk.

I feel empathy for the present generation that faces the burden of competition, unrealistic

parental aspirations, powerful peer group pressures and immense emotional stress which not

only have an adverse effect on their academics, behaviour as well as on socio-emotional

outcomes. All this leads to a host of emotional and behavioural problems - aggression,

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, conduct, and eating disorders.

There is a felt need for integrating the diversity of learning styles that children exhibit,

therefore we want our pupils to develop valuable life skills and become more independent,

resilient and confident individual who are able to come out of their comfort zones. They

should overcome the petty concerns of succeeding in school, being popular, having a fit or

slim body, wearing the right brands of clothes, and owning the latest technological gadgets,

bullying sleep disorders, obesity, computer dependency and drug abuse.

No wonder, at this blooming phase these future flyers elope in high risk behaviors and anti

social acts. Estimates suggest that forty percent of young people are in bad educational shape

and therefore will fail to fulfill their promise. Many large urban schools have well-over fifty

percent of their students manifesting significant behavior, learning, and emotional problems.

The reality is that the problems of most youngsters are not rooted in internal pathology, and

many troubling symptoms would not develop if environmental circumstances were

appropriately different.

We at DAV-37,Faridabad are committed to partner with students, parents and teachers in

order to foster our www generation with highest moral and ethical values along with

academics and life skills (from self awareness to decision making and effective communication

to say NO) and to move forward in the true spirit of ability-driven education.

It is therefore, I strongly feel that we should treasure that one individual who is standing

before us to the utmost of our abilities and encourage that person through dialogue. Continue

to reach out to one, then another, and in so doing, foster an increasing multitude of capable

people versed in the creation of value and send them out into our communities and society.

Ms. Neelam Gandhi

Principal

D.A.V. Public School

Faridabad

Peace-The Foundation for Lasting Human Happiness

Those who win over themselves are happy.

I, too, advance with hope

in my heart.

I advance with joy and vigour.

I will not be defeated!

I will not give up!

There is something vaster

than the wide open sky-

And that is my life.

There is something deeper

than the fathomless sea-

And that is your life.

There is something more precious

than the all the treasures of the universe- -

And that is our life.

Positive Psychology for School Children

Educationists and parents today find themselves dealing with increasing behavioural issues of

children. The problems they deal with range from aggression over small things to disruptive

behaviour and delinquency. Children are becoming more demanding and less resilient. The

parents, due to their busy work schedules, find less time for their children and use material

things as substitutes to make up for the time they do not spend with their children. Schools are

constantly grappling with ways and means to manage these children. They helplessly turn

towards counselors, who also find themselves overwhelmed by the number of referrals they

are expected to handle.

What then may be the solution to this ‗21st century‘

problem? Do we need to look for something that is

preventive rather than remedial? Are we bringing up our

children the right way, offering them the right

conditioning ‗mantras‘ and coping skills? Do we have a

way of teaching that will help build positive character

traits in our children? Earlier, grandparents and family elders played an important role in

guiding the youngsters. Stories and teachings from the scriptures and those from the

Panchtantra and Jataka tales provided a guiding light. Today, children are ‗guided‘ and

‗misguided‘ by the media. The hapless children are left to fend for themselves and make sense

out of a confusing world. An urgent need is felt for the right kind of conditioning ‗mantras‘

and intervention programs for children today. It‘s time toadapt the teachings of our ancient

scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and/or combine them with western concepts like Positive

psychology to find solutions to the mental and behavioural issues plaguing our society. Both

Indian psychology and positive psychology offer profound words of wisdom that can

contribute in a big way to developing resilient and healthy mindsets.

The Bhagavad Gita, for example, teaches us to treat failure and success alike and that failure is

also a step towards progress. It also teaches us to focus on ‗karma‘ and not on the results

because the results are affected by other factors. It teaches us to accept differences in people

and advocates different paths. There are many such profound thoughts in the Gita that may

prove to be of immense value for our children.

Positive psychology is a recent development in the field of psychology. The idea began in the

90‘swhen Martin Seligman became the president of American Psychological Association. As a

science, positive psychology focuses more on building strengths instead of healing. It helps

one develop positive character traits and constructs like hope, optimism, faith and resilience.

While developing constructive cognitions about the future, one works towards personal well-

being and satisfaction. If the children are taught the methods early in life, they will learn

things like the meaning of happiness and how to achieve it by combining pleasure,

engagement and meaning; the meaning of hope and how to develop goal, pathways and

agency thinking; how to develop mindfulness and flow, and achieve efficiency and satisfaction

out of work; how to become more optimistic by learning to work on your cognitions; and

others. Positive psychology interventions like the ‗Penn‘s resiliency program‘ have been tried

in many schools around the world and have shown positive outcomes. India also needs to

strengthen its positive intervention programs to prevent the problem becoming severe.

Ms. Pratibha Dabas

Academic Director

Golaya Progressive Public School

Palwal

―Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very

important that you do it.‖

-- Mahatma Gandhi

THE NEED FOR SKILL BASED EDUCATION

IN INDIA

Education is the key to the National Development. If the

fruits of education have to reach the common man, it must

be adequately and properly administered. Education

therefore, should plan for this social development. Skills

are components that enhance the individual abilities and

let them be attuned to the industries' practical

requirements efficiently. The launch of the Skill Mission

by the Government aimed at scaling up skill training

efforts to meet the demands of employers and drive economic growth. Large sections of the

educated workforce have little or no job skills, making them largely unemployable. There-fore,

the nation has a very narrow time frame to harness its demographic dividend and to overcome

its skill shortages.

India currently faces a severe shortage of well-trained, skilled workers. It is estimated that only

2.3 per cent of the workforce in India has undergone formal skill training as compared to 68

per cent in the UK, 75 per cent in Germany, 52 per cent in the USA, 80 per cent in Japan and 96

per cent in South Korea. More than 54 per cent of the country's population is below the age of

25, allowing it with an opportunity to provide a skilled workforce to fill the expected shortfall

in the ageing developed world. The country's population pyramid is expected to bulge across

the 15-59 age group over the next decade. This demographic advantage is predicted to last

only until 2040.

We want our youth to come forward and take initiative and be skilled to take on the

responsibility of the nation. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is a 49 per

cent government entity under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and 51

per cent representation from industries like FICCI, ASSOCHAM and CII among others.

Government is very keen on skill development and this is precisely what he has been talking

about in most of his ad-dresses to the nation that we are a youthful nation and our youth are

our strength.

The world and India need a skilled workforce. Let youth get skills which can con-tribute

towards a strong India. By 2020 India will have 49 per cent of its workforce which would be

youth. In order to inculcate and develop their skills, everybody has potential. We keep hearing

the data almost on a regular basis that two per cent of workforce are vocationally trained, the

rest are not. We have 85 percent of the engineers who are unemployable. We have a huge

responsibility of bridging the gap between industry and academia but we need to find a

solution. We have to integrate skill development into the curriculum for the benefits of the

students.

SIGNIFICANCE OF LEARNING

Modern Society is in a state of flux and changes are on at a fast rate. The area of education is

vast and growing day by day. We have to continually create an environment where by our

schools become-Laboratories of a) Learning b) Compassion c) Justice d) Empathetic Listening

e) Reflective Thinking f) A concern for global, national and rural issues. Education should

bring about the integration of these separate entities- for without integration, life becomes a

series of conflict and sorrows.

The Objective of the study- is to study various trends, skills of education in India during

different phases; and to trace the reasons and need for skill based education in particular.

Educational Development can be broadly classified into 6 Periods.

1) Ancient India. 2) Pre-British India. 3) British India. 4) Independent India. 5) Present 21st.

Century India and 6) Future India.

It is essential to see the historical background of educational development to understand the

present and visualize the future needs and type of education to be imparted. The Analysis

includes presenting a futuristic outlook, challenges and opportunities in the process and

suggestions made for fostering New Trends for Educational development in India.

SKILLS FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS

The efforts of CBSE and alike should be appreciated and supported, who have come ahead

with measures to at least start evaluating, monitoring and preparing its pupils on various

skills under the co-scholastics.

The Thinking Creative-Logical skills. The International Commission on Education for the 21st

Century also mentions to support education at four planes, the Commission identified four

pillars of learning, namely, learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and

learning to be. The Intellectual skills should display multiple intelligence at the best of the

potentials. The suggestions in short are as follows:

a) Formulate a team of academic educators who would study and suggest the exact type of

education needed for the mass. (Type of Skill needed)

b) Prepare Long Term educational Plans and short term goals and renew curriculum seeds to

be sown right from childhood( Primary) and prepare to rise with every incremental step.(

Skills to be identified and developed)

c) Create agencies of services for the development of 'Thinking Tanks'; Specialized education

services; Knowledge Management hubs, which will lay the foundation for change and at

the same time maintain the best qualities of the present.( Master trainers for various skills-

a sought of specialization)

d) No educational plan should be shelved for want of finance; at the same time all efforts

should be made to identify and develop talents(Skills) amongst the teacher and the

students. Quality Human resource and lack of time and money should be intelligently and

economically used.)

FUTURE INDIA-SKILL BASED EDUCATION

Apart from this, it is also concluded and suggested to develop Education for Multiple

Intelligences like linguistic or verbal intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial

intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic or sports intelligence, musical intelligence, inter-personal

intelligence, intra-personal intelligence and naturalist or environmental intelligence. From the

angle of multiple intelligence, the age 15 to 18 is the most significant since the potentialities

unfold faster and stabilise. Also, it will be necessary to develop a gender friendly curriculum

―Curricular Structure and Course Offerings". The first ten years of schooling will provide a

course of general education without any specialization. Higher education must be

compulsorily skill oriented and research based.

Based upon the report (April, 2005) of the National Focus Group on Work and Education

constituted by NCERT the Committee recommends the following two-fold strategy for a major

curricular reform: (1) Productive work (and other forms of work as well, including social

action and engagement) may be introduced as a pedagogic medium for knowledge

acquisition, developing values and multiple-skill formation. (2) Vocational Education and

Training (VET) may be conceived as a major national programme. Apart from this we would

like to suggest a) Educational qualifications and certificates should not be linked directly to

job, rather firsthand experience/ apprenticeship/training or work done etc..should be the

criteria for job. I conclude that it is high time to stabilize and be able to produce quality skilled

educated people. We must include and give importance to the skills which our ancestors had

acquired. Various skills need to be identified, accepted, credited, groomed and encouraged.

Let us take this challenge to see the change by emphasizing on the importance of not only

education but Skill Based Education to be imparted. Today we need skilled educated people-

people who have hands and minds working together and not simply educated people with

degrees and kilos of certificates-This is the need of the hour……

Mr. Priyadarshi Nayak

Principal

Delhi Public School

Sagar, M.P

―The beginning is the most important part of the work.‖

-- Plato, The Republic

ARTICLE ON LIFE SKILLS

‗Childhood should be carefree, playing in the Sun, not living a nightmare in the darkness of the Soul‘.

Dave Pelzer, A Child Called „It‟

Today‘s child is just the opposite of what is written above. Their life is cluttered. Fear of

cyber bullying, peer pressure, ragging etc is common amongst today‘s children. There are

many reasons for this. Parents in nuclear families don‘t have time to spend with their

children. The role of grand parents cannot be forgotten. They used to spend a lot of time with

children and engage with them, telling them stories and also making them do small chores.

The child used to be fruitfully occupied. That situation has changed and machines have taken

their place. Children are glued to TV, video games, computers, phones and so on. They are

growing up quickly.

Games and sports that used to be played earlier are no longer popular. Kho-Kho, Kabbadi,

Athya Pathya are not heard of. One acquires to get along with others from playing team

sports. But the one child or at the most 2 children who grow up together don‘t share their

things, don‘t know how to cooperate with each other and tend to become very selfish.

The chemicals and pesticides that are sprayed on

fruits and vegetables are responsible for their poor

quality. Today‘s children who grow up eating these

are not physically healthy. The intake of junk food

also plays a major role in children becoming

aggressive, obese and susceptible to infections.

Children these days don‘t sleep for minimum 8

hours. These digital natives are slaves to their

gadgets with the result they are sleep deprived. This

sleep deprivation leads to irritability and aggression.

Parents have to be role models in this age where children don‘t have role models that they can

emulate. Working parents should spend quality time with their children. Children should be

taught to compete with oneself rather than with others.

Values are picked up by children if they are seeing it in their parents, teachers and elders.

They cannot be taught.

Teachers and parents should remember that their children are watching them at all times and

registering all their movements and actions. So one has to be on guard ,at all times.

Childhood should be happy. That is the stage in life when one can be free from worries and

tensions. All needs are taken care of. Let it remain happy and cheerful. Don‘t introduce

children to gadgets at a very early stage in their life if it can be avoided. Watching too much

TV is also detrimental. There is a lot of violence that children see even if it is a cartoon film

and they will get the impression that violence is normal.

Let us resolve to bring back the childhood to our children where they are happy and stress

free. Let us introduce them to the world of story books and crayons. Let them give vent to

their creative ability by drawing and coloring. Let them express their emotions through

words and verse. Let them play to their hearts content but out in the open with children of

their age.

Ms. Rema Alex Daniel

Principal

Summer Fields School

Kailash Colony, ND

The greatest inheritance parents and teachers leave,

are children. – Maryln Appelbaum

CITIZENSHIP

As I look back at my experience in the field of teaching, I feel

that a good school should not merely be a passport to a good

college and to a handsomely paid job, but rather it should also

work towards the overall development of the child. I also feel it

is the need of the hour to sensitise children on social issues, and

support their continuous growth and development as they are the future of tomorrow.

Keeping all this in mind, we, at The Indian School have inculcated The Citizenship Program

into our curriculum. This program is worked around the belief that the aim of education is not

only to prepare children for a career but also to prepare them to face all the challenges of life.

This program spreads its wings in a variety of ways to polish the behavior and outlook of our

new generation. The first steps are taken in class where the children are exposed to TED talks

and motivational speeches by eminent speakers followed by active discussions on how to

polish their personality and make society a better place to live in. From discussions on how to

cope with failure, to the power of focus, to exposing them to the stories of real life heroes, we

ensure that the children are skilled to face all the challenges that await them.

A unique way to inculcate the importance of being a good citizen and learn civic sense is done

through a project called SPOT FIX. Here, the children identify a public spot that is

exceptionally dirty or vandalized, pick up their brooms/paint to clean/ beautify the spot and

fix it—literally. . This concept was initiated to change the general mindset of why one must not

wait for the Government to do everything. I have personally felt that this has brought about a

major change in the minds of the children just by spending two hours a week for this public

service. The pride on their face is invaluable when a passerby asks them the name of their

school. Many even ask them as to who has instructed them to clean the walls and they answer

with a broad smile – ―No one, its our duty sir. ―

SHRAM DAAN is another invaluable learning we seek to instill in our children. The value of

offering a little bit of one's own time and effort for helping to alleviate the misery of another, is

something our students are continuously taught.

ITEMS MADE BY THE CHILDREN INCLUDE SOAPS, RANGOLI/HOLI COLORS,

PAINTINGS AND POTTED PLANTS. They make hand-made items at School, the collections

from which, they personally handover to a variety of charities. Through this we aim to

encourage the streak of creativity and use this talent rather than monetary donations, to help

those less fortunate.

Our most challenging step is the adoption of Defence Colony Market for a Cleanliness

Campaign. Our aim is not the physical cleaning of areas as many organizations are doing as a

result of the Swatchch Bharat Abhiyan, but to educate the general public on the importance of

cleanliness and how it can lead to a better, cleaner and healthier society. The students learn

responsibility and leadership qualities as they put together a Nukkad Nataks, make weekly

visits and interact with local leaders and kiosk owners on the importance of hygiene and

cleanliness.

At this tender age, the children experience how it feels like to work around the hurdles of red

tape, picked up life skills by interacting with all strata‘s of society and what it is like to actually

get down to ground level and achieve a target.

We, at The Indian School, firmly believe that with the growing participation in The Citizenship

Program, the students of our school will be a cut above the rest.

Ms. Tania Joshi

Principal

The Indian School

New Delhi

― Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress. ‖

- Mahatma Gandhi

Health and Happiness in Education

Health and Wellness have become the new mantra for everyone, everywhere! There seems to

be a mad rush for people trying to adopt new healthy lifestyle, from small changes in daily

habits to taking leaps of faith; all in the name of trying to live a ‗happier life‘.

It is like something to be achieved, something to be possessed. However, being happy and

healthy is how we are, naturally. We make ourselves run away from our essential natural

being trying to ape a life that looks glamorous and busy on the surface but is far away from the

real existence. Endless hours, effort, resources are spent in order to get more out of life only to

reach a point where we lose ourselves- ‗Our happy selves‘. We chase fancy designations and

status all our lives to be a person of worth in our own and others eyes. Playing games,

complicating things and competing. There is competition or everything, everyone wants to be

first, best, A-grade, first class and so on. That‘s what we have learned and that‘s what we teach

and expect our students to be under the name of education.

Real education doesn‘t teach you to be competitive, it teaches you cooperation. It does not

teach you to fight and come first. It should teach you to be creative, to be loving, to be blissful,

without comparing yourself to others. It will not teach you that you can be happy only when

you are the first– that is not possible. Being happy is not just about being first. In fact in trying

to be first there is so much of misery that comes along that by the time we reach there, we are

far away from being happy. But that‘s the vicious circle we have been trapped in. This circle

needs to be broken. It‘s time we realize the changing landscapes and add meaning to the term

education we ubiquitously use to refer to the process of rote learning and parroting.

The real fragrance of education can only be spread and felt when it comes from a place of love

and gives joy. True education teaches you to enjoy, whatever you are doing. Just like singing,

dancing, painting. Letting the creative juices flow unhindered, unadulterated. Unleashing the

creative potential makes existence come alive. We become the force and it flows through us.

What comes out of it is magic and beauty. It is unique and true to itself and has no

competition, can never have any competition. Allowing life to flow in its true nature and not

contaminating it with faulty conditioning and unrealistic expectations from self and others is

what we need to give back to our young generation. Are we?

Ms. Mehak Wadhwa, Vice-President, AISCAP

All Children have Dreams & All Parents Hope

Is there a child who does not dream of making it big? Or Of being given a place like other

children of at school, amongst society or at times even at

home?

The Millennium Developmental Goals that aimed at full

primary schooling for all, has coerced school education to

create spaces for children from all walks of life with a wide

range of abilities that may not necessarily conform to traditionally accepted norms. Today we

need to discover and understand the wider implications of education for all.

According to Census 2011, there are 1.2 billion people in the country. The World Health

Organisation estimates a global disability prevalence rate of 10 percent of the population

which means there are approx 12 million people with disabilities in India. The obvious

question is are we ready to provide 1.54 % of children with disabilities (as per Census 2011

data) in the primary age group with what is their right? Are we ready and prepared to support

children with special needs. Do we even know that they deserve to be given skills to take their

rightful place as equal participants in society.

For far too many children with disabilities, the opportunity to participate simply does not

exist. Far too often, children with disabilities are among the last in line for resources and

services, especially where these are scarce to begin with. Far too regularly, they are the objects

of pity or, worse, still of ridicule, discrimination and abuse. With the launch of several programs

including the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) in 1994 ,The Equal Opportunities and

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 1995 and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and RTE very recently

there has been a comprehensive breakthrough with legislation that provided for education and

economic rehabilitation of people with disabilities creating awareness and increased sensitivity

towards these children.

But with the best of intentions these programmes have been able to make only a limited

impact in terms of increasing the participation of children with disabilities in formal education

at regular schools.

The question is how to demystify the perception and make it acceptable in a country as large

and diverse as India, with its multiple tracks offering inequitable schooling opportunities to

different groups?

Even today somewhere, a child is being told he cannot play because he cannot walk, or

another that she cannot learn because she cannot hear. Being differently abled is still not

acceptable. This situation needs to change, educational institutions have to stop turning

children away because they are not geared to accept them. The academic and social matrix

provided within schools needs to be channelized to meet and take advantage of these

opportunities to serve children.

School counselors are committed to helping all students realize their potential and meet or

exceed academic standards regardless of challenges resulting from disabilities and other

special needs. The role that school counselors play in the education of students with special

needs is increasingly important (Lockhart, 2003). Sensitizing peers, supporting teachers and

understanding the concerns of parents as they work with the child are all very important.

Parents of students with disabilities share the concerns of all parents about child-rearing and

about education and also have additional concerns related to their children's disabilities. It is

important that just as school counselors work with students with disabilities they must also

frequently work with the parents of those students. Understanding the concerns and

perspectives of these parents is essential to working with them effectively as partners in their

children's education. A word of caution here while many a parent may be denial of their

child‘s needs it is important that counselors do not generalize and assume as if all parents

were the same. But what we all can assume is Parents develop wishes, expectations, and

dreams for their children, even before the child is born. The discovery that the wished-for

child has a disability can be seen as destroying the hopes and dreams held by the parents.

Parents need to grieve the loss of these hopes and dreams (Bristor, 1991; Klein & Schive, 2001;

Witt, 2004). Then, they can begin to "dream new dreams" (Klein & Schive). However, sadness

related to the child's disability may be ongoing or may recur periodically — around previously

anticipated events that do not occur or around anniversary dates, for instance (Quinn, 1998).

Joining hands with parents from the community and forming support groups goes a long way

to help parents deal with their loneliness.

Preparing Teachers Teaching is said to be most effective when it is differentiated to meet the

individual needs of students. And for a teacher with a special needs child this could not hold

to be truer. Teacher training for regular teachers rarely prepares teachers for working in

diverse classrooms, and in particular does not equip them with the confidence, knowledge and

skills to effectively support learners with disabilities. This is a key reason why so many

children with disabilities remain out of school, or are excluded from the learning process

within school. If we are to reignite progress towards quality basic education (early childhood,

primary and lower secondary schooling) for all, then regular teachers need to be prepared to

meet the learning and participation needs of children with disabilities. To do this they need to

be given appropriate initial training, ongoing training and professional development, and

ongoing access to adequate high quality support and advice from specialist personnel

including special educators.

Peer Acceptance & Friendship Friends and friendship are important for everyone at all stages

of life. And children with special needs are no different. Peers can provide important support

for a child with special needs, both by providing practical help and by forming friendships.

Some golden rules that help -

Let children spend time alone together both in the classroom and by encouraging parents to

arrange play dates.

Organize the play area. Small, cozy spaces, such as a reading corner, encourage closeness.

Toys, materials, and playground equipment that require two children promote working

together and communication.

Have multiples of some toys. Providing children with multiple versions of similar toys

and materials encourages friends to perform the same action at the same time.

Encourage playfulness. Within reason, allow noisy, silly, and active play among children.

Some children with special needs have been relatively isolated and have never had the

opportunity to experience the closeness created by shared laughter.

Set up play situations. Assign children who have shown an interest in each other or in

similar activities to a small group. Set up an interesting activity near both children, and

encourage them to engage in it.

Reinforce positive behavior. Encourage all children who are playing well together.

Be an appropriate role model. Join the children in play at key moments. You might step in

and play a supporting role in order to keep the interaction going, or take a second to

explain a child‘s actions that the friend might not understand.

Give the child with a special need a leadership role. Encourage that child to make

decisions, lead a part of an activity, or distribute popular materials. Peers may be more

likely to see that child as an interesting playmate if the child has a leadership role.

Never force friendships between children of any age or ability. Do not insist that

children who are not interested play together, or force children to continue at an activity if

they are no longer engaged. Forcing friendships may actually create negative feelings

instead of positive interactions‘ courtesy extension.org.

The road may seem long but the path must be travelled if we are to keep the promises that

we make to our children

Ms. Preeti Puri

School Counselor

Bluebells School International

Kailash Colony, New Delhi

―Advice is like snow—the softer it falls, the longer it dwells

upon, and the deeper in sinks into the mind.‖

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Mental Health Promotion for Children & Adolescents - Emerging trends and vision for school based interventions -

Childhood is a journey…not a race

Health and Education: a linkage in educational reforms

Children are the most important assets of any country and the most important human

resource for overall development. Schools are one of the settings outside the home where

children can acquire new knowledge and skills to grow into productive and capable citizens,

who can involve, support and help their communities to grow and prosper. A Health

Promoting School is a setting where education and health programmes create a ―health

promoting‖, environment which in turn ―promotes learning‖.

Over the years there is enough scientific evidence which strongly propagates the view that

there has to be a consistent strong linkage between education and health so that schools

become a medium for promoting health and wellbeing among children and adolescents.

Health promoting schools encourages planning and coordinated action and use of

resources rather than a reactive response to crises. It involves curriculum planning, whole

school organizational alignment and partnerships with people and agencies to support

programs and projects. There are numerous community health issues that loom large: mental

health, increasing weight and physical inactivity, drug and alcohol abuse, bullying and

violence etc. Having a planned and coordinated approach to tackling any of these is crucial.

Resources are better designed and utilized, funds are targeted and spent effectively, projects

and programs are coordinated, linked or joined up. An issue can galvanize a team into action

but instead of being in a reactive mode, a planned and coordinated approach is far better.

Promoting Health through Schools

Promoting health through schools is a ‗life-course‘ approach to promote healthy

behaviour among children. Many of today‘s and tomorrow‘s leading causes of death, disease

and disability can be significantly reduced by preventing behaviour that is initiated during

youth, through health education, understanding and motivation; and fostered by social and

political policies and conditions.

Almost all children attend school and spend 6-7 hours of their time everyday in that learning

environment. Incorporating health into the school curriculum can have substantial influence

on health promoting behaviours. A Healthy School is one that constantly promotes health and

strengthens its capacity as a healthy setting for living and learning.

Schools can help promote the health of staff, families and community members as well

as the health of students. Much is known today about the relationship between education and

health. People everywhere can use this knowledge to help create Health-Promoting Schools. In

almost every community the school is a setting where many people learn and work, care for

and respect each other. It is a setting where students and staff spend a great deal of their

greatest impact because they influence students at such important stages in their lives-

childhood and adolescence, by creating schools that are health promoting, school leaders all

over the world can foster health as actively as they promote learning.

Good health supports successful learning. Successful learning supports health. Education and

health are inseparable. Worldwide, as we promote health, we can see our significant

investment in educations yield the greatest benefits.

-Dr. Desmond O‘Byrne

WHO (2001) report on mental health estimates a global burden of Serious Emotional Disturbances in

children and adolescents up to 15%.

The Indian Scenario

o India – Children and adolescents constitute 40 % - 44 % of over 1200 million population.

o 10 - 12 % of < 16 years suffer from various psychiatric disorders (ICMR).

o A large majority of the mental health problems do not have any platform of addressal

or health itself is denied condemned or stigmatized (WHO report 2001).

Children may suffer from a wide range of psychiatric illnesses, most common disorders in

India are enuresis, ADHD, learning disorders, conduct disorders and behavioural disorders

(Malhotra, 2005).

Besides the early formative years, adolescence is a time in life span when children realize who

they are, what they would like to be….It‘s time to forge an identity. Career choices to be made,

meaningful relationships to be formed and sustained, technological advances tackled, attitudes

and roles chiselled. A few of our youngsters seem to be in vague kind of disturbances, of

having lost something, of a sense of betrayal, a gnawing frustration that often blazes into

aggression, insecurity, loneliness, boredom, defiance and a feeling of being on the brink of

crisis-symptoms that are spreading through the nervous systems of the entire generation.

The increase in the reports of bullying and school violence accounts the importance of

recognizing and responding to the psychic agony of the school campus. In the last decade,

School mental health has expanded to address school violence, sexual harassment, bullying,

substance abuse, discrimination and healthy discipline. School consultation focuses more on

early identification and intervention at the individual and systems level to help attain

immediate educational and behavioral goals and to prevent long term negative outcomes in

the overall personality of children.

But despite this understanding, the reality is that majority of the public schools have no

counselor or a social worker, yet schools are being asked to deal with more of the mental

health needs of their students.

Due to this growing awareness of mental health issues in both children and adolescence on

one hand and paucity of health professionals on the other hand the schools have to explore the

potential to promote mental health through both the curriculum and with the provision of

supportive learning environments.

Type of Mental Health Interventions in Schools

1. Mental Health Promotion – for advocacy, to build awareness and resilience.

2. Universal and Selective Prevention-to reduce risk and vulnerability factors and build

protective factors.

3. Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies-for those with early signs of disorder.

Expressions India – The National Life Skills Education and School Wellness Program

has been following a working model of Comprehensive School Mental health promotion

(adapted from WHO recommendation).

The pictorial representation illustrates the psychosocial and mental health issues inany school

system and indicates who is likely to be involved in these issues. Issues of well-being and

psychosocial competence affect the entire school community including students, teachers, school

administrators and members of the surrounding community. Specific mental health programmes

addressing these issues improve coping skills, decrease stress and increase support for a healthy

school community.

Levels I and II – Primary prevention and health promotion, target the causes of healthy and

unhealthy conditions with interventions to promote healthy behaviours and prevent a

disorder from developing.

Level III – Secondary prevention targets the population at risk to protect them against the onset

of disorders.

Level IV – Targets the people who have developed the disorders and aims at helping in the

management, reducing the impairment and preventing relapse.

The Expressions India programme has over 1200 child centred sensitization workshops,

training programmes and seminars for capacity building and teacher training to its credit. This

has involved a wide spectrum of family and school based workshops on positive parenting

and family life education.

LEVEL OF INTERVENTIONWHO IS INVOLVED

Entire school

community

All students

and teachers

Counselors / teachers

peer mentors

Counselors /

school doctor

other experts

Integrated in

school

curriculum

Part of general

health curriculum

Students needing

additional help

Professional

management

Mental well being

I

Mental health knowledge,

attitudes and behaviours

II

Psychosocial problems

III

Severe

problems /

disorders

IV

LEVEL OF INTERVENTIONWHO IS INVOLVED

Entire school

community

All students

and teachers

Counselors / teachers

peer mentors

Counselors /

school doctor

other experts

Integrated in

school

curriculum

Part of general

health curriculum

Students needing

additional help

Professional

management

Mental well being

I

Mental health knowledge,

attitudes and behaviours

II

Psychosocial problems

III

Severe

problems /

disorders

IV

School counseling programs are collaborative efforts not only benefiting students, but also

parents, teachers, administrators and the overall community. Therefore, school counseling

programs should be an integral part of students‘ daily educational environment, and school

counselors should be partners in student achievement. The pioneering initiative in India by

Association of Indian School Counselors and Allied Professionals is commendable in this

regard (www.asicap.com).

Unfortunately, school counseling has lacked a consistent identity from state to state,

district to district and even school to school. This has led to a misunderstanding of what school

counseling is and what it can do for a school. As a result, school counseling programs are often

viewed as ancillary programs instead of a crucial component to student achievement, and

school counselors have not been used to their fullest. The question has often been posed,

―What do school counselors do?‖ The more important question is, ―How are students different

because of what school counselors do?‖

To address these issues Expressions India has promoted the formation, development and

provides technical resource to Association of Indian School Counselors and Allied

Professionals (AISCAP). This association intends to create a framework for School Counseling

Programs to ensure that the school counseling program is comprehensive in design and is

delivered systematically to all students.

School mental health programmes are effective in improving learning, mental well-being

and channelizing management of mental disorders and they are most accepted and effective

when:

It is part of the general educational system.

Implemented through routine health care in the school.

Supported and developed by families and parent groups.

Brought in through the support of school counselors and/teachers who recognize that poor

social functioning interferes with learning.

Brought in through school management or Board that recognizes that schools are a good

setting to improve the functioning of the children.

Responsibilities of a School Counselor – The New Paradigms

Towards the Students: A professional school counselor has a primary obligation to the

student who is to be treated with respect as a unique individual. He/she is concerned with

the educational, career, emotional and behavioral needs and encourages the maximum

development of each student. The counselor refrains from consciously encouraging the

student‘s acceptance of values, lifestyles, plans, decisions and beliefs that represent the

counselor‘s personal orientation. He/she is responsible for keeping informed of laws,

regulations or policies relating to the students and strives to ensure that the rights of the

students are adequately provided for and protected.

Towards the Parents: A professional school counselor also respects the inherent rights and

responsibilities of parents for their children and endeavors to establish as appropriate, a

collaborative relationship with parents to facilitate the maximum development of the

student. He/she adheres to the laws and local guidelines when assisting parents

experiencing family difficulties which interfere with the student‘s effectiveness and

welfare.

Towards the School: A professional school counselor supports and protects the educational

program against any infringement not in the best interests of the students. She must inform

appropriate officials to conditions that may be potentially disruptive or damaging to the

school‘s mission, personnel and property. He/she assists in the development of a).

Curricular and environmental conditions appropriate for the school and community; b).

Educational procedures and programs to meet the student‘s developmental needs and c). A

systematic evaluation process for the comprehensive school counseling programs, services

and personnel.

In summary as India is moving towards a commitment to universal education through the

RTE, schools are finding it necessary to expand their role by providing health services

including mental health services to deal with factors interfering with schooling. Knowledge

about health, positive attitude and health promoting behaviours affect the wellbeing of all

students and teachers. Health educational interventions can make an important impact on the

identification and handling of psychosocial and mental health problems. The need of the hour

is a system of holistic education incorporating the biological, psychological and social

variables to the academic curriculum of a developing child.

We need individual who have an infinite capacity for not knowing what can’t be done. - Henry Ford

Dr. Divys S. Prasad, Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Poojashivam Jaitly, Clinical Psychologist

HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOLS…….. -Setting Global Standards for Education & Wellbeing-

“We achieve our greatest happiness when we realize ourselves through others. Equally, we need to reaffirm our commitment of cultural and social-economic diversity from which children enter into the portals of the school.”

Rabindranath Tagore

―Health Promoting Schools are schools which display and support the commitment to

enhancing the emotional, social, physical and moral wellbeing of their school community‖

(WHO).

It is globally being realized that schools play a vital role in the overall development of a child

into a competent adult who contributes usefully to society. Health is an important aspect of

development of children and education is an important determinant of health. Almost all

children attend school at some time during their lives and spend 6 – 7 hours of their time

everyday in that learning environment. Apart from this, the school curriculum can have

substantial influence on health promoting behaviors, being the strongest social and

educational institutions available for execution of intervention programmes as they have the

required structure and governance.

It is important that all schools strive to be child friendly and health promoting. Schools must

be safe, caring and supportive learning environments. Everyone involved in the school has a

role to play: teachers, students, management, parents and the wider community. All

stakeholders must actively participate to improve the health of our children.

GLOBAL SCHOOL HEALTH INITIATIVES

WHO's Global School Health Initiative, launched in 1995, seeks to mobilize and strengthen

health promotion and education activities at the local, national, regional and global levels. The

Initiative is designed to improve the health of students, school personnel, families and other

members of the community through schools. The goal of WHO's Global School Health

Initiative is to increase the number of schools that can truly be called "Health-Promoting

Schools". Although definitions will vary, depending on need and circumstance, a Health-

Promoting School can be characterized as a school constantly strengthening its capacity as a

healthy setting for living, learning and working.

The Emerging Global Vision of a “Health Promoting school”

One that is constantly strengthening its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and

working.

It focuses on creating health and presenting important causes of death, disease and

disability by helping school children, staff, family and community to care for themselves.

It equips school children to take informed decisions over circumstances that affect their

health and create conditions that are conducive to health. (WHO - 2008)

Creating a health promoting school means applying new ways of positive thinking. It strives to incorporate health into all aspects of life at the school and in the neighborhood community even for nearing the Goals of a Nation.

A Comprehensive School Health Policy

Fosters health and learning with all the measures at its disposal.

Engages health and education officials, teachers, teachers' unions, students, parents, health

providers and community leaders in efforts to make the school a healthy place.

Strives to provide a healthy environment, school health education, and school health

services along with school/community projects and outreach, health promotion

programmes for staff, nutrition and food safety programmes, opportunities for physical

education and recreation, and programmes for counseling, social support and mental

health promotion.

Implement policies and practices that respect an individual's well being and dignity,

provide multiple opportunities for success, and acknowledge good efforts and intentions as

well as personal achievements.

Strives to improve the health of school personnel, families and community members as

well as pupils; and works with community leaders to help them understand how the

community contributes to, or undermines, health and education.

Goals of Health Promoting Schools across the globe.

Building capacities for peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem, equity,

social justice, sustainable development.

Recognize the importance of the participation and consultation of all stakeholders in a

school community.

Promote health and well being for all members of the school community: students,

teachers, parents and the local community around it.

Encourage planning and coordinated action and use of resources rather than a reactive

response to crises.

Preventing leading causes of death, disease and disability: tobacco use, HIV/AIDS/STDs,

sedentary lifestyle, drugs and alcohol, violence and injuries, unhealthy nutrition.

Influencing health-related behaviours: knowledge, beliefs, skills, attitudes, values and

support.

Provide screening and counseling for common child and adolescent concerns, depression,

stress, anxiety, aggression as continuous behaviour issues.

How can we go about becoming a health promoting school?

Members of the school community: leaders, teachers, students and parents can do training in

the HPS framework. Officers in Curriculum Support: Health Promoting Schools Officers and

the Drug Education Officer can help with information, resources and presentations to health

committees/staff in schools.

The Health Promoting Schools Community Network coordinated by the Health Promoting

School‘s officer would provide a useful network of health related community agencies, health

coordinators, and members of school communities. Forums and meetings need to be held

throughout the year to share ideas on themes, stories, successes and the challenges of health

promotion in schools.

How can we encourage parents/guardians to get involved in our school health programs?

Being a health promoting school is a great way to involve parents with the school

communities. Requests for support for tailored programs that fit with a bigger plan or goal can

be a drawn for parents. Where some may not come to a meeting, they may be happy to help

weed a vegetable patch or paint a courtyard. Parents/guardians do like to be consulted and

participate in a vision of the school community when the health and well being of their

children is the focus. Their own health issues can also be addressed through involvement in a

health promoting community.

Activities such as writing a policy or volunteering on a project can provide an opportunity for

parent participation. Communication through newsletters and noticeboards and displays,

information at parent/teacher interviews and conferences can help keep parents/guardians in

touch.

Key steps in developing a Health Promoting School:

Engaging health and educational officials, teachers, students, parents and community

leaders in efforts to promote health in schools

Providing a safe, healthy environment, both physical and psychosocial

providing effective skill based health education and life skills training

Providing access to health services (child & adolescent)

Implementing school policies and good practices that support health as a mission.

SCHOOL HEALTH – AN INTEGRATED MODEL FOR GOOD PRACTICES

To achieve these sound parameters…… The School may Aim to….

Remove barriers to learning and raise achievement as a holistic concept

Foster healthy development of children and young people in their settings of school,

home, community and peer group so that they can learn, grow and make a positive

contribution now and in the future

Evaluating the range of related activities they are currently involved in, identifying areas

of need and setting goals for further promoting wellbeing

Enhance the links between schools and their communities in promoting positive learning

and health outcomes for young people

Raise awareness of the importance of promoting health for all of us.

Established Health clubs as a platform for planned dissemination.

It has long been recognized that schools provide a most appropriate setting for both health

services and health education for children and young persons.The need of the time is a

comprehensive school health policy integrated within the national, regional levels of the

educational system. Globally, `school health‟ has been an important national programme

for several decades, comprising largely of school health services and school health

education. Attempts to view student‟s health more holistically through a more

comprehensive approach need to be strengthened. The National Curriculum Framework,

2005, by NCERT has categorically stated that health is a critical input for the overall

development of the child and it influences significantly enrolment, retention and

completion of school.

Above all, promotion of holistic health on the school platform raises the excellence profile of

joyful learning in the formative years…………

Ms. Astha Sharma, Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Ruchika Sharma Das, Clinical Psychologist

‗Meaningful and lasting changes occurs when we look inside

ourselves for answer‘

Carl R. Rogers and H. Jerome Freiberg

Wellbeing among Mental Health Professionals

Studies have found that Mental Health Professionals often experience high levels of stress

owing to a variety of factors such as multiple demands at workplace, catering to the needs of

their clients which over a prolonged period of time takes a toll on their physical, psychological

and emotional well being. In a research by Ringeisen, Henderson, and Hoagwood (2003) it was

found that both schools and the school counselors played a key factor in the delivery of mental

health services to students. School counselors had a pertinent role in working with students

suffering from mental health issues. For many, the never-ending demands to be guidance

counselor, school administrator, extra-curricular organizer, and mental health expert led to an

incredible amount of stress. In another study by McCarthy, Kerne, Calfa, Lambert, and

Guzman (2010) on the demands on school counselors and the effect of those demands on stress

perception, findings revealed that though most counselors interviewed found the school

counseling career very rewarding, many of their numbers had been impacted by emotional

and physical exhaustion as well as burnout. The findings thus highlight the burning need for

school counselors and Mental Health Professionals to cater to their own physical, mental and

emotional well being even as they continue to attend to their clients.

FROM OFFERING LIGHT TO BEING BURNED OUT

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and

prolonged stress. It occurs when an individual feels overwhelmed and unable to meet constant

demands. As the stress continues, s/he begins to lose the interest or motivation that led him to

take on a certain role in the first place. While stress can be both positive and negative, Burnout

is where chronic stress can become lethal. Burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress, but

it isn‘t the same as too much stress. Stress, by and large, involves too much: too many pressures

that demand too much of you physically and psychologically. Stressed people can still

imagine, though, that if they can just get everything under control, they‘ll feel better. Burnout,

on the other hand, is about not enough. It means feeling empty, devoid of motivation, and

beyond caring. The differences between the two have been further outlined in the below given

box.

Stress vs. Burnout

STRESS BURNOUT

Characterized by over engagement Characterized by disengagement

Emotions are over reactive Emotions are blunted

Produces urgency and hyperactivity Produces helplessness and hopelessness

Loss of energy Loss of motivation, ideals, and hope

Leads to anxiety disorders Leads to detachment and depression

Primary damage is physical Primary damage is emotional

May kill you prematurely May make life seem not worth living

Source: helpguide.org

CONSEQUENCES OF BURNOUT

Some of the consequences of prolonged stress and burnout include disinterest in activities

earlier interested in, increased irritability, disturbed sleep- wake cycles, feelings of

helplessness, hopelessness and worthlessness, increased absenteeism from work, decreased

performance in the quality of work, feeling fatigued accompanied by somatic concerns such as

headaches, body aches and poor inter-personal interaction.

PREVENTING BURNOUT: THE THREE R APPROACH

The fact that the consequences of prolonged stress and burnout are so grave, it is essential that

Mental Health Professionals recognize the dire need for their self- care and well being. This

can be done by the Three R approach, which is:

Recognizing – Watch for the warning signs of burnout

Reversing – Undo the damage by managing stress and seeking support

Resilience – Build resilience to stress by taking care of your physical and emotional health

Additionally, some of the ways in which wellbeing can be enhanced include:

Engaging in recreational pursuits: This involves following the childhood pursuits such as

painting, learning a musical instrument, singing, dancing etc.

One activity at a time: Even as the times of today demand constant juggling between

activities, research on mindfulness suggests that multi- tasking only confuses the brain thereby

reducing its efficiency. Thus, it‘s important to do one task, with full attention than

Adopt healthy eating, exercising, and sleeping habits. Eating right, engaging in regular

physical activity, and getting sufficient rest adds to the energy to deal with life‘s hassles and

demands.

Setting boundaries. As a Mental Health Professional, it is essential to steer clear of confusion

in one‘s work arena. This involves drawing boundaries between the personal and the

professional, with children, their parents, colleagues at work and any other person. This in no

way means offending people, but preventing confusion and maintaining an authentic

professional stance.

Switching off from gadgets: In a world where we are constantly on-line and available, shutting

down laptop, switching off cellphones and not checking mails for few hours designated daily

is of utmost priority. This not only helps the brain to relax but also prevents strain on eyes,

thus allowing mind to prioritize important information.

References:

Ringeisen, H., Henderson, K. & Hoagwood, K. (2003). Context matters: schools and the

―research to practice gap‖ in children‘s mental health. School Psychology Review, Volume 32,

No. 2, pp. 153-168

McCarthy, C., Van Horn Kerne, V., Calfa, N. A., Lambert, R. G., & Guzman, M. (2010). An

exploration of school counselors‘ demands and resources: Relationship to stress, biographic,

and caseload characteristics. Journal of Professional School Counseling, 13:3, pp. 146-158.

Ms. Aakriti Malik

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Moolchand Medcity

If a child can‘t learn they way we teach, maybe we should teach the way that they learn

- Lgnacio Estrada

ABTRACTS SUBMITTED for AISCAP Global Summit 2016 Sl.

No. Name School/ Organization Topic

1. Ms. Pratibha Dabas Amity University Positive Psychology

2. Ms. Ritu Nagar

Bal Bharati Public School, Noida School Wellness Programme Ms. Aditi Gaur

3. Dr. Geetika Dutta Faculty Development & Research

Centre (FDRC), Delhi

Contemplative Pedagogy : Inculcating

Mindfulness in Students

4. Ms. Poonam Chaubey Greater Valley School, Greater

Noida

We are A Dream of Inclusion of

Education

5. Ms. Ishleen Kaur Litchi Knowledge Center,

Ghaziabad

Initiative for Holistic Development of

Students

6. Ms. Anusree Menon The Orchid School, Pune Schooling Beyond School

7. Ms. Neha Gupta

Centre for Early Childhood

Education & Development,

Ambedkar University

Knowing Experiences from Counselor's

on Counseling

8. Ms. Upasana Sharma DAV Public School,

Sec 37, Faridabad

Challenges in School Guidance &

Counseling Services and Provisions for

Children with Special Needs

9. Ms. Sumedha Lamba Delhi Public School, Ghaziabad Psychosocial Impairment Among

Students with Academic Difficulties

10. Ms. Astha Mahajan Delhi Public School, Mathura Road,

New Delhi

Accepting Change -

Learning to Accept Change

11. Dr. Vandana Kanwar Dept of Human Development,

PAU, Ludhiana

Exploratory Appraisal of the

Educational Wellbeing of the Rural

Children Dr. Sarita Saini

12. Ms. Shivranjani Gandhi Indus Valley Public School, Noida Negative Effects of Media

on a Child's Mind

13. Mr. Chandra Singh Bhati Kendriya Vidyalya No. 1, Ajmer School Counseling Process

14. Ms. Enakshi Rai The Indian School,

New Delhi

Emotional & Social Adjustments in

Adolescents of the Indian School

15. Ms. Akshata Joneja Seth Anandram Jaipuria

Vasundhara Ghaziabad Pedestal: A journey to an awakened self

Ms. Gunjan Kaushik

16. Dr. Sarika Mohta

Mody University, Lakshmangarh,

Sikar Counselor- Contingencies & Difficulties

Ms. Shelly Sharma Kendriya Vidyalya No. 1, Jaipur

17. Ms. Vimala Venkatesan Bhavani Child Development Centre,

Jaipur

PEPAL - Programme to Evaluate

Performance & Learning

18. Ms. Neha Vij Special Educator & Child

Psychologist Behaviors Modification

-

Day I – 24th February 2016, Wednesday

Day II – 25th February 2016, Thursday

TIMING SESSION

09:30 am – 11:00 am Scientific Session V Paper Presentations

11:00 am – 11:15 am Video Presentation by BML University

11:15 am – 11:30 am TEA BREAK

11:30 am – 01:00 pm Scientific Session VI

Operationalzing The POCSO Act 2012 in the Schools

01:00 pm – 01:45 pm LUNCH

01:45 pm – 02:00 pm Video Presentation by ASHOKA University

02:00 pm – 03:30 pm Scientific Session VII

Interactive Session on Experiencing Mindfulness in Education

03:30 pm – 04:30 pm Valedictory Ceremony followed with Tea

TIMING SESSION

08:30 am – 09:15 am Registration

09:30 am – 10:00 am Inauguration & Key Note Address by the Chief Guest

10:00 am – 11:00 am Session I

Skills Enrichment for Well Being Educators at School

11:00 am – 11:15 am TEA BREAK

11:15 am – 01:00 pm Scientific Session II

Framework of School Mental Health Programs – Practical Implications

01:00 pm – 01:45 pm LUNCH

02:00 pm – 03:30 pm Scientific Session III

Enhancing Inclusive Wellbeing of Children with Special Needs

03:30 pm – 4:15 pm Scientific Session IV

Mental Health Aspects of Juvenile Crime and The J J ACT

04:15 pm onwards Day 2 Announcements & Tea

Association of Indian School Counselors

& Allied Professionals (AISCAP)

- GLOBAL SUMMIT 2016 -

“Enriching Skills for Health, Behavior & Wellbeing in Schools”

Transforming Schools … Transforming India…

The School Development Wing of “Expressions India” has the following Objectives

Sensitization of Schools for Holistic Development and Wellbeing.

Promotion of Life Skills & Values as Abilities for Adaptive and

Positive Behaviours.

Develop National Resource of Master Trainers & TOTs Forum.

To Initiate and Maintain a Dialogue between Students,

Teachers, Parents and Other Stakeholders in Education.

Facilitate Training of Teachers and Peer Educators.

Enrich the School Based Adolescent Education Program.

Promote and technically support AISCAP - Association of Indian School

Counselors and Allied Professionals.

The Expressions India program has over 1500 child and adolescent focused

sensitization workshops, training programs and seminars to its credit. A large

number of schooling systems in the country regularly seek technical expertise for

their advocacy, research, training and enrichment programs from the Expressions

India team across the country & abroad.

Training & Development

Principals

School Managers

Teachers Students

Other Stake

Holderes

International & National Events/ Awards

“Expressions India” The National Life Skills, Values Education & School Wellness Program

Aware Responsible Empowered

We are proud to implement The Comprehensive Life Skills, Values,

Health & Wellbeing Programs

in technical support with

Expressions India

(Academic Year : 2016-17)

KEY PROGRAMS : TEACHERS

DEVELOPMENT

LIFE SKILLS, Attitudes and Values

Health and Wellness Education

Attitudes and Values

Gender Sensitivity

Inclusion of Special Needs

Specific Learning Disabilities & Allied

Psychosocial Issues

Promotion of Child Mental Health and

Wellbeing

Stress and Time Management

STUDENTS LEADERSHIP

PROGRAMS

MINDSMART: The Annual

Adolescent Peer Educators‟ Leadership

Course for 8th, 9th, 10th & 11th Stds

International Summit on Adolescent

Life Skills, Health & Wellbeing (THE

ADOLEFEST)

International Young Film Makers

Festival (IYFMF)

PSYCHOLYMPIAD & CAREER

COUNSELING Festivals

Disaster Management and Intervention for Common Medical & Behavioral Emergencies in Schools

Parenting Workshops

Community Connect & Partnerships

Building the Wellbeing… …Ambassadors for the Nation

Join the Crusade Be the Advocate …. Be the Ambassador …..

for Adolescence India

November 2016

organized by

Expressions India The National Life Skills, Values Education & School Wellness Program

Write to us : your ideas and suggestions (landlines 011-64594939, 64700117)

Contactexpressions.india@gmail.com, expressionsindia2005@gmail.com

World Young Leadership Summit (WYLS)

Objectives of the Young Leadership Summit - 2016

o To focus on Good Practices of Skills Based Adolescent Education and Wellbeing

in Schools.

o To ensure integration of School Safety, Sanitation, Nutrition, Hygiene and Health

Checkup programs within the Comprehensive School Health Education

Curriculum along with Contemporary Gender Issues in Education.

o To promote Life Skills and Health by strengthening integrated Community

Involvement Activities designed to Engage Parents and Families as active

participants in their Children‘s Health and Wellbeing.

o To formulate a Sequential Health and Life Skills Leadership Curriculum for

students and teachers to implement throughout the year.

About 30 Regional Summits alongwith Two National Summits

are Planned For By And Of The Adolescents of our Nation,

Culminating in The WYLS….

World Young Leadership Summit

National Conclave & Exhibition on

Child Rights

Organized by

Expressions India The National Life Skills Values Education & School Wellness Program

21st April 2016, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm National Science Centre, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

The Views… The Voice… The Vision…

of the School Students

MY VOICE MY

NATION

SANITATION

& SAFETY

CHILD RIGHTS

EQUALITY & OPPORTUNITY

For Correspondence: Institute of Child Development and

Adolescent Health, Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi

E-Mail Ids –jnagpal10@gmail.com, aiscap.counselor@gmail.com

Contactexpressions.india@gmail.com

Website: www.aiscap.com

Contact Nos: 011-64594939, 64700117, 7042890157

TECHNICAL AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Dr. Jitendra Nagpal

Program Director – Expressions India

(M) 9810054860

Dr. Divya S Prasad

Sr. Clinical Psychologist & School Consultant

Dr. Poojashivam Jaitly

Clinical Psychologist & School Consultant

(M) 9910173330

Ms. Astha Sharma

Clinical Psychologist (M) 9971203773

Dr. Ruchika Sharma Das

Clinical Psychologist (M) 8826443486

Ms. Saima Khan

Clinical Psychologist (M) 9810996518

THE AISCAP TASK FORCE

Ms. Usha Chaujer

Chairperson (Academics)

(M) 9818102920

Ms. Preeti Puri

President (M) 9818007436

Ms. Mehak Wadhwa

Vice President (M) 9958488132

Ms. Geetanjali Kumar

General Secretary (M) 9810435544

Ms. Saroj Sharma

Editor (M) 9811209012

Ms. Astha Mahajan

Academic Council Member

(M) 9873485062