Though we may associate mindfulness, as practiced traditionally, with sages meditating in caves and forests, the construct, and more importantly, its practice, has a lot of relevance to modern lives. At its core, mindfulness is how we choose to practice…
First published in The Hindu, 03 Feb 2024 Being amiable, adaptable and accommodating are prosocial attributes that are generally positively regarded. But like all good things, if they’re taken too far, they can be detrimental to a person’s wellbeing. Though…
The proverbial “one bad apple” receives bad press, for good reason. A lone member who harbours negativity can disrupt the functioning of an otherwise cohesive team in more ways than one. As human beings have a propensity to remember bad…
First published in Teacher Plus, Jan 2024 Helping children become literate and numerate and building a robust conceptual foundation in various subjects are the main goals of education. While these aims should continue to be emphasized, a comprehensive education also…
As an increasing number of schools are more accepting of the idea of inclusion and embrace this ideal, at least in spirit, if not entirely in practice, it is evident that the tide is shifting, albeit gradually. While inclusion, as…
First published in The Hindu, 30 Dec 2023 Most parents hope that their kids “fit in,” be it with a peer group or the larger community. This desire to be accepted extends into adulthood, so much so that we might…
Mira’s been working at a start-up that’s been doing well for the past five years. But now the firm is trimming costs. Though her division has been downsized, her job is spared. However, she realizes that unless she upskills herself,…
A report by McKinsey in collaboration with LeanIn.org argues that the biggest hurdle to women climbing the proverbial corporate ladder isn’t the glass ceiling, as is generally believed, but the “broken rung” phenomenon. Based on data collected on wor… .
First published in The Hindu, 2 Dec 2023 Most high-stakes exams are a race against the clock. The rapidity with which you answer a series of challenging questions is often the differentiator between those who make the cut and those…
Who am I? In what ways am I changing? Am I growing into the person I would like to become? As teachers we need to periodically check in with ourselves, plumbing our inner selves, to understand who we are. Because…
Aruna Sankaranarayanan is the author of Zero Limits: Things Every 20 Something Should Know. She was the Founder & Director of PRAYATNA, a centre for children with learning difficulties in Bengaluru & Chennai for 22 years.