PAPER PRESENTED FOR NATIONAL SEMINAR ON
“WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN EDUCATIONAL - ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION”

Sub Theme: Developing Leadership Quality in Women

Women are leaders… Hardly a new concept! History is a witness to the women who have in the past demonstrated unique leadership capabilities. Maharani of Jhansi, Sarojani Naidu and Indira Gandhi are a few names that come to the mind of one and all. Until the 20th century, most women were able to demonstrate the leadership qualities only on their home fronts. The reason being that in our society man has always been called the master of the scene and empowering women has always been taken by him and the society as degrading his own social status.

Today, women are emerging as leaders in a growing range of fields. Be it aeronautics, medicine, space engineering, law, politics, education, you name the profession and they are there. Women currently hold nearly 16% of the top executive positions in the Universities of the United States and the same trend is being seen in India also. This represent a sizable increase over the last two decades when only few top positions in the colleges were held by the women.

The trend of women coming into limelight, so far as the leadership quality are concerned, has shown great promise in the past decades. Women of India are showing an upward change and are gradually getting the recognition long overdue. This is because:

· they have shown the ability to take risks;
· have shown self confidence to assert their views;
· recognize the achievements of the women who have came before them and
· have shown varied leadership styles.

It is a very positive sign that women are being accepted as leaders. Though some women have shown their mettle, yet a large majority of them have to sharpen their leadership qualities in more ways then one. In order to help women develop into good leader, they need to be empowered in educational and economic management. Keeping the above requirement in mind, it is pertinent to first understand what constitutes a good leader and what qualities are expected of a leader who has to be a woman.

There are some peculiar traits, which a women must possess before she is termed a good leader. Leaders are people who are able to express themselves fully says Warren Bennis. They also know what they want and why they want and how to communicate what they want from others in order to gain their cooperation and support. Leaders he says, achieve their goals.

It is true that leaders provide leadership but not all leaders provides good leadership. While there are some who are born leaders yet majority of them have to be trained to be skilled leaders and empowerment is one of the most important tools to bring about leadership qualities. The leadership traits, which should be there in women, can be listed as follows:

§ Listeners. In order to lead well, they have to learn to first of all, listen well.
§ Objective. Leaders have to learn the art of asking questions.
§ Fairness. Even-handed and fair leaders do not play favorites.
§ Humor counts. They are not afraid to smile and demonstrate a good sense of humor.
§ Self-motivators.Leaders pursue new approaches for doing things and stay up to date with the latest.
§ Volunteers. They serve the profession by writing articles, participating in conferences, and sharing knowledge with co-workers.
§ Network. They are familiar with who the key players are and effectively network with them.
§ Ethical. Leaders act ethically and make sure that those around them do as well.
§ Timing. Finally, leaders know when it is time to go whatever may be the reasons.

The qualities listed above represent the ideal leaders. Certainly people that do not have these qualities may also be leaders. Quite often such people are not really leaders but dictators or authoritarian who lead through the use of fear. In order to develop women into effective leaders, the following approaches & strategies can be made use of:

Ø Take advantage of mentoring. Mentors play a critical role in helping new planners. They develop not only their professional skills, but also their leadership skills.

Ø Be a problem solver. Make others feel good. Help people find solutions to problems.

Ø Accept change. You are more likely to get ahead if you are able to handle change with a minimum of stress. Try to get out in front of issues rather than spending time figuring out how to deal with change after the fact. Dare to be the person in the staff meeting that generates discussion about a new topic or a new angle on a project. Understand that change is not necessarily being done to you personally, so you can deal with it.

Ø Take risks. Stretch yourself professionally & intellectually. Think outside the box.

Ø Be a positive team player. Be somebody others want on their team. Motivate people around you with praise and enthusiasm. Take credit for your accomplishments, but do not brag about it as it may dampen the team spirit.

Ø Learn the basic leadership skills at workshops, watching others, through readings. Take advantage of training sessions offered through continuing education programs and at conferences. Observe those around you with leadership qualities you respect, and emulate them. Read articles and books that depicts leadership techniques.
Ø Recognize that it takes times and energy to be a leader. To lead, you must also follow through with commitments. It will require more time and energy, so be aware of that fact.

Ø Adopt a philosophy of optimism. Optimism is contagious. People tend to gravitate toward those that are enthusiastic about what they are doing, rather then being with pessimists or those with negative attitude. Develop a ‘can do’ attitude, and learn to build on your successes.

Ø Understand politics. Find out where the action is, understand how internal and external politics work, and where you fit in.

Ø Look at the big picture. Learn how to convey vision and your convictions as part of the big picture that you operate in. Set goals, including the steps that need to be taken to obtain the goals.

Ø Have fun. Genuinely like others around you! Show you are interested in them, and help establish camaraderie within the office while you work toward your office’s common goals.

Ø Sometimes life may be unfair. Let’s face it: all offices are not created equally. Develop strong communication skills to best sell yourself and the planning profession. Do not get bitter if things are not going your way in the office. Instead, get even by doing things better. Expect acceptance and equal treatment, and act toward others accordingly.

Ø Get along with and reach out to others. Make it a point to reach out to difficult people. Be open and approachable with every one. Seek out the hesitance and ask for their participation and/or opinion. Listen respectfully and act interested to what is being said.

Ø Have a balanced life. Have other interests besides your job. Take time to be with your family and friends. Learning is life long; enjoy that fact! Be true to yourself and to others. Plan you own future, and do not try to be like someone else who is not you, just to get ahead.

Ø Expertise. Cultivate a specific skill and/or knowledge base that others recognize and value. This is what will give you the credibility to lead.

Ø A thirst for knowledge. A leader appreciates the value of learning, both from the past and the present. She continuously broadens her knowledge base with the understanding that unrelated areas of study may provide unexpected insights.

Ø Adaptability. A leader embraces change and views it as an opportunity, not as a threat. She has already “slain the dragon.” She has become stronger and wiser as a result of painful life circumstances. A leader is also a calculated risk taker. She understands that progress cannot be made without entering uncharted territory and that potential mistakes go with that territory.

Ø Ability to commit. A leader does not embrace a cause reluctantly. She takes it on wholeheartedly, recognizing that success requires unflinching dedication. Those around her will find strength in her conviction, and in turn will commit to the effort at hand.

Ø Ethics. You will gain others trust if you consistently do the right thing. A woman without moral fiber may temporarily pose as a leader. In time, however, the truth will surface, and she will invariably lose her following.

Ø Courageousness. Fear is human, but a true leader moves forward despite her fear.

Ø Vision. This is the ability to take an ordinary situation and from it, create something unique. To do this the leader must be able to step back and see the big picture. She must also be creative and not panic in adverse situation! Creativity is not some magical and elusive gift, but a skill that can be mastered.

Ø Ability to listen. She must learn to listen more than she speaks. Hear and address the concerns of those around, particularly those supporting the vision. This will win their loyalty. And by keeping the ears open she may learn something new and valuable from them that will further the cause.

Ø Effective communication. A good leader is a clear and consistent communicator. She says exactly what she means and with tact. Her enthusiasm and confidence permeate her message and inspires others to follow her.

Ø Generosity. A leader shares her expertise, and is not afraid of giving the credit to others who have earned it. She takes pleasure in mentoring women who demonstrate enthusiasm, curiosity and courage. She also knows when it is time to turn her strength and energy inward and nurture herself.

So far, efficiency and growth for developing leadership qualities has been talked about. But there appears to be a paradigm shift towards service and maintenance of relations being the most important qualities in leadership.

The service is connected with minds and maintenance is in terms of relationship. Both these involve contribution, personal attention and care.

The relational aspects of leadership has become increasingly important in the present situation as managing the human beings has become more important in comparison to other skills of a leader. The ability to develop networks and to trust people has become very important for a leader to learn in order to be successful. We are seeing that leadership rests on having Power With, rather than Power Over. Power With involves.

¨ responsibility
¨ personal ethics
¨ being at ease with paradox
¨ being direct
¨ insight
¨ humour
¨ vulnerability
¨ receptivity

IQ, EQ and SQ
Leadership and power is not just about IQ. With the growing emphasis on social capital, self-awareness, and appropriate and inclusive behaviour, the concept of EQ – emotional intelligence – has found its place. But IQ and EQ do not give the whole picture.

A few years before Daniel Goleman became known for his work on Emotional Intelligence, he wrote a book called “Meditative Mind” which brought Eastern Psychology and spirituality into a Western context. For him there is something deeper than EQ, that gives us a connection to self and also something beyond self. This could be called SQ – spiritual intelligence. SQ is about being open, without defenses, seeing the much broader picture. It is with SQ that we confront life’s deepest struggles and realize our humanity.

All these three forms of intelligence can function separately – but when IQ, EQ and SQ pull together, there is true leadership.

God has gifted women with compassion, tender heart, caring nature, concerns for others and all such qualities, which form the basis for emotions of a persons. As far as intelligence is concerned, they are not less than men! They fortunately have a right bent of mind towards spirituality. If IQ, EQ and SQ in the right combination can make good leaders, then why it is that women in our country cannot become better leaders? The answers probably lies in the fact that they have not being empowered!!

___________________________________________________________________
References:
q Patrik Manu, August 13-19, 2001, 39(33), University News
q Women in Community College Leadership Roles, ERIC Digest, 1996
q Leadership Skills for Women in Management – IIR South Africa
q Sandi Redenbach, Women in Leadership
q Revolutionary Ideas in Planning, 1998 APA Proceedings
q Women’s Council, Sri Aurbindo Society, Pondicherry

EFFECT OF AGE ON MORALITY IN CHILDREN

Dr. Ranjana Bhatia
Professor & Principal, Amity Institute of Education, Saket, New Delhi
Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken to study the relation between morality and age amongst children. Data was collected from a sample of 300 students of the age group 9-10 years and 11-12 years from various government and public schools of Delhi through Moral Values Scale. The results showed that there is an improvement in the moral values as the children progress in age. The study indicates that as children mature with age their ability to reason at a higher moral level increases.

Introduction

Throughout the history of humanity, there has been talk of teachings based on moral values, like truthfulness, compassion, tolerance, understanding etc. Psychologists, philosophers and educationists have often talked about the concept of moral values or moral development in children. The three stages of moral development as given by Kohlberg are also known to us.

The famous Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget has done a lot of work on moral values. His work primarily focused on the study of young children and their developmental process. He also tried to study the concept of morality in young children compared to the older ones. Piaget observed that young children are not able to form their own views of things from the perspective of others viewpoint (Duska, R.F & M. Whelan, 1975). He found that young children often behaved well because of the fear of punishment. This attitude, he felt changes with maturity. Encouraged by the observations of Jean Piaget on the aspect of moral issues amongst children, a comparative study has been conducted on children between the age groups of 9-10 years and 11-12 years.

Objective of the study

The objective of the study was to establish and critically evaluate the relation between morality and age.

Hypothesis of the study
On the basis of the objectives stated above, the following research hypothesis was formulated:
· There is significant difference between moral values of children between age groups of 9 – 10 years and 11-12 years.

Delimitations of the study

Keeping in view the limited resources, finances, time, capacity and energies, the present problem was delimited as follows:
1. Only two types of schools were covered under the study viz. Govt. and Public schools.
2. Gender was considered to have no effect on the responses made by them.
3. All schools regardless of the region were considered at par in terms of infrastructure and socio-economic background of the students.
4. A limited sample was taken which can not be generalised.

Sample

A random sample of three hundred students was drawn from the age group of 9-10 years and 11-12 years (150 each group). The sample comprised of 300 boys and girls in the aforesaid age groups from various government and public schools of Delhi.
Tool used

The English version of the consumable booklet of Moral Values Scale (MVS) by Dr. Alpana Sen Gupta and Dr. Arun Kumar Singh was used for this study. This scale consists of 36 items to be responded and is based on four factors i.e. Lying, Dishonesty, Stealing and Cheating. Analysis of data was carried out on the basis of manual for the same scale.

Collection of data

The consumable booklets of MVS were given to a group of thirty students (mixed group of boys and girls). The time for the test was chosen to be between 10.00 – 11.00 am. The group of students taken at a time, belonged to a particular class. Government school students were covered first. After collecting the data of 150 students of the age group 9-10 years and 11-12 years, public schools were taken for data collection. The size of the group and the time of administering the test remained the same for both the types of schools. It was ensured that students were comfortable and the settings were as natural as possible. The students were asked to read the questions carefully and give their opinion by marking tick (√) either on yes/no answers. No question was however right or wrong.

Analysis of data

As per the MVS testing scale, two age groups had to be taken for collection of data. The age group of 9-10 years, has been named Even group and the age group of 11-12 years has been referred to as Odd group for the sake of convenience.

The items were analyzed on the basis of the answer selected by the respondent. The choice of ‘yes’ was given 1 mark and the choice of ‘no’ was given 0 marks and the total marks obtained by each student was calculated. The data was then tabulated in class intervals and the frequency was computed. From this frequency, cumulative frequency was calculated. On the basis of cumulative frequency, cumulative frequency percentage was obtained. This cumulative frequency percentage was then smoothened to iron out minor kinks and irregularities in the data.(Table 1 & 2)

Table 1:Even Group (9 – 10 years)

Class interval
Frequency
Cumulative frequency
Cumulative frequency %
(CF x Rate)*
Smoothened cumulative frequency %

0 – 5
3
3
2.01
2.46
5 – 10
5
8
5.36
15.41
10 – 15
50
58
38.86
41.54
15 – 20
62
120
80.4
67.35
20 – 25
18
138
82.8
83.60
25 – 30
8
146
87.6
90.00
30 – 35
4
150
100
95.87
35 – 40
0
150
100
100

*Rate is calculated by the formula (1/N x 100). Therefore the rate is 1/150 x 100 = 0.67

Table 2: Odd Group (11 – 12 years)

Class interval
Frequency
Cumulative frequency
Cumulative frequency %
Smoothened cumulative frequency %
0 – 5
0
0
0
0
5 – 10
0
0
0
6.7
10 – 15
30
30
20.1
31.26
15 – 20
80
110
73.7
55.4
20 – 25
25
135
90.45
87.1
25 – 30
10
145
97.15
95.87
30 – 35
5
150
100
99.05
35 – 40
0
150
100
100

Percentile norms were then determined for percentile ranks on the basis of table 1 and 2. For eg. By direct interpolation it is clear that 10th percentile for Even group, lies 3.30% above 6.70%. Using simple proportion, the distance of the 10th percentile from 9 is 0.67 [(5 x 3.30)/ 24.56]. Therefore, the integral score of 10th percentile is 9 + 0.67 = 9.67. Likewise integral scores for the remaining percentile ranks were calculated for both Even and Odd group.
Table 3: Percentile Norms


EVEN
ODD

Percentile Rank
9 - 10 yr
11 - 12 yr
N = 150
N = 150
Integral Score
Integral Score
90
29
26
80
23
23
70
20
21
60
17
20
50
16
18
40
14
16
30
12
14
20
10
12
10
07
10

Table 4 was constructed on the basis on table 1 and 3 for Even group. The integral score from table 3 of the even group was placed in the class intervals of table 1. For eg. P90 has an integral score of 29, which falls in the class interval 25-30 of table 1. Hence P90 and above would include class interval 25 and above (25-40) with a frequency of 12.

Table 4: Even Group (9 – 10 years)



Percentile Rank
9 – 10 yr

Class Interval
Frequency
N = 150


Integral Score


90 & Above
29
Above 25
12
70 – 89
20 & 23
20-25
18
50-69
17 & 16
15-20
62
30-49
14 & 12
10-15
50
29 and below
10 & 7
Below 10
8

Similarly Table 5 was constructed on the basis of table 2 and 3 for Odd group. The integral score from table 3 of the odd group was placed in the class intervals of table 2. For eg. P90 has an integral score of 26, which falls in the class interval 25-30 of table 2. Hence P90 and above would include class interval 25 and above (25-40) with a frequency of 15.

Table 5: Odd numbers (11-12 years)


Percentile
Rank

11 – 12 yrs

Class Interval

Frequency
N = 150


Integral Score


90 & Above
26
Above 25
15
70 – 89
20 & 23
20 – 25
25
50-69
18 & 16
15 – 20
80
30-49
12 & 14
10 – 15
30




29 and below
10 & 7
Below 10
0


Interpretation of Data

The MVS booklet provides the following qualitative description on the basis of the obtained percentile ranks.

Percentile Rank
Description
P90 and above
Very High
P70 to 89
High
P50 to 69
Medium
P30 to 49
Low
P29 and below
Very Low

On the basis of the data collected and its analysis, following figures have emerged for interpretation.


Percentile Rank
9 – 10 yr
11– 12 yr
N = 150
N = 150
Frequency
Frequency
90 & Above
12
15
70 – 89
18
25
50-69
62
80
30-49
50
30
29 and below
8
0


From the above data it is obvious that:

Ø For percentile rank 90 and above, the frequency for 9 - 10 years and 11 – 12 years is 12 and 15 respectively.
Ø For percentile rank 70 – 89, the frequency for 9 - 10 years and 11 - 12 years is 18 and 25 respectively.
Ø For percentile rank 50 – 69, the frequency for 9 – 10 years and 11 – 12 years is 62 and 80.
Ø For percentile rank 30 – 49, the frequency for 9 – 10 years and 11 – 12 years is 50 and 30.
Ø Percentile ranks 29 and below has the frequency of 8 and 0 for 9 – 11 years and 11 – 12 years respectively.

It is evident from the above data that maximum number of students in the 9 – 10 years and 11 – 12 year age group fall in the percentile rank range of 50 to 69 i.e. the medium moral value level.

The second highest in this regard is in the percentile range 30-49 i.e. Low moral value level. The least number of students from both the age groups fall in the percentile rank range of 29 and below i.e. Very Low moral value level.

As we observe the data, it appears that in the age group 9-10 years, maximum students lie between medium and low moral value level, with as many as 60 students in the medium moral value level. As the students progress in age, their morality increases, which is indicated by the number of students in the 11-12 years age group moving towards the medium moral value level i.e. 80. There is also an increase in the number of students falling in the high and very high moral value category in the 11-12 years age group as against the 9-10 years age bracket.



Conclusion

After the analysis of data, the hypothesis has been retained as a significant difference has been found between the moral values of the two age groups under study. It indicates that there is an improvement in the moral values as the children progress in age. As they mature, they gain awareness about what morally one ought to do. It is evident through the study that there is a significant difference in the level of moral values of children of the age group 11-12 years as compared to the 9-10 years.

The findings stay consistent with research in the area of moral values and education levels. The study shows that as children mature with age their ability to reason at a higher moral level increases.

References

· Armon, C. & T.L. Dawson. (1997). Developmental trajectories in moral reasoning across the life span. Journal of Moral Education, 26, 433-454.
· Colon, A. (2004). Decoding “moral values”. Available on line: WWW.Poynter.org/column.asp?id=36&aid=74255.
· Duska, R.F & M. Whelan. (1975). Moral development: a guide to Piaget and Kohlberg. New Jersey: Paulist Press.
· Haviv, S., & P.J. Leman. (2002). Moral decision-making in real life: factors affecting moral orientation and behaviour justification. Journal of Moral Education, 31, 121-140.
· Luther, M.M. (2001). Values and ethics in school education. New Delhi: Tata Mcgraw Hill Publishing Company.
· Maclean, A.M., L.J. Walker & M.K. Matsuba. (2004). Transcendence and the moral self: identity integration, religion, and moral Life. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 43, 429-437.
· Maslow, A. & E. Hoffman. (1996). Future visions: the unpublished papers by Abraham Maslow. CA: Sage Publications.
· Rosan, H. (1980). The devlopment of sociomoral knowledge: a cognitive structural approach. Columbia: Columbia University Press.
· Shukla, C. (2003). Moral values and education. New Delhi : Sumit Enterprises.
· Singh, A. (2000). Crisis of values. Available on line: WWW.Hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2000/05/24/stories/05242523.htm.
· Singh, B.B. & D. Thakur. (2002). Value education, University News, 40 (2), 5.

Published in Vetri Education, Vol. 4 (3), July. - Sep. 2009.

ADOLESCENTS ARE A GENERATION UNDER PRESSURE

Ranjana Bhatia
Principal
Amity Institute of Education
Saket, New Delhi

Abstract:

Much has been said about the phase of adolescence. This most beautiful period in the life of an individual faces maximum wrath in the hands of an adult - be it the parent or the teacher. The best part is that the adults forget that even they went through this phase. If the adults understand the causes of this behaviour pattern, the transition from the childhood to the adulthood would be very smooth. Needless to say that the teachers and the parents play pivotal role in helping the child passes through this transitory phase.

“Psychologically, adolescence is the age when the individual becomes integrated into the society of adults, the age when the child no longer feels that he is below the level of his elders but equal, at least in rights… This integration into adult society has many affective aspects, more or less linked with puberty… It also includes very profound intellectual changes… These intellectual transformations, typical of the adolescent’s thinking, enable him not only to achieve his integration into the social relationship of adults, which is, in fact, the most general characteristic of this period of development”
…. Jean Piaget

A PEEP INTO THE PAST

About fifty years ago, teenagers were a repressed minority in the world of dominant adult values. Joint family system prevailed in our society and the master of the house called all the shots. The individual saw either the childhood or the adulthood. The phase of adolescence came and went unnoticed because the transition from the childhood to adulthood was straight and forward.
This transition went unnoticed mainly because of early marriage of the child, which pushed him into adulthood at a very young age. The onset of puberty and the related upheavals were there, as these biological changes have to come to every individual but due to the societal circumstances they never surfaced. The biological needs of this adolescence were fulfilled at an early age.

Even if these upheavals surfaced, the family atmosphere was such that they never really caused any turbulence. The mind of the adolescent was never free and over exposed to entertain any dilemma or confusion. This resulted in minimizing the negativity associated with this transition.

THE PRESENT SCENARIO

Unlike in the past, today an 18 years old child is regarded as an adult whereas an 11 years old child is termed to be entering into pre-adolescent phase. The gap between the childhood and adulthood is as long as 7-8 years. Joint family system is practically missing and the families are becoming more and more nuclear and shifting from smaller cities to metros.

The prolonged phase between childhood and adulthood, which we call the phase of adolescence, has resulted in a generation gap. This youth takes pride in being different from adult culture which according to them is narrow as well as orthodox. The youth tries to protest against this adult culture which talks of values. This gap between the adolescent and the adult with the pressures and exposures provided by the society is the root cause of the problem faced by the adolescent.

THE CAUSES OF TURBULENCE

Turbulence in the life of adolescent and societal reaction in this regard happens because:

Ø During adolescence, these young people undergo revolutionary changes.
Ø They suddenly begin to catch up with adults in physical size & strength.
Ø There is rapid development of reproductive organs signaling sexual maturity.
Ø They develop a sense of self-awareness, feeling of inadequacy and insecurity.
Ø Physical attractiveness, Vitality, Fun, Love become obvious.
Ø They ooze with enthusiasm.
Ø Their joy is irrepressible and sadness, inconsolable.
Ø They are gregarious as well as lonely.
Ø Self-centeredness is prominent in them.
Ø Their curiosity and boredom is insatiable.
Ø They have both - confidence & self-doubt.
Ø They use status symbols to establish themselves.
Ø Maintaining peer group identity is a must for them.

ADOLESCENCE - A PERIOD OF TRANSITION

What we need to understand is an established fact that adolescence is a period of transition. Adolescents behave in a peculiar manner because:

Ø Their status is vague and there is confusion about the roles they are expected to play.
Ø If they behave like children they are told to act their age.
Ø If they behave like adults they are accused for being one.
Ø They like to look at life through rose tinted glasses, which the adults do not like.
Ø They have unrealistic aspirations as they feel that they are adults.
Ø They feel angry, hurt and disappointed if let down by adults.
Ø They face heightened emotional tension due to hormonal changes.

HOW TO HANDLE ADOLESCENTS

Needless to say that this most important phase in the life of a child is the most misunderstood and mishandled period. This phase needs utmost care and we need to understand that:

Ø This is a passing phase. Help them pass through this phase with minimum upheaval.
Ø Exercise lot of patience while dealing with them.
Ø We may agree or disagree but we must respect their opinion.
Ø Communication can play a very important role here.
Ø We must try to make friends with them.
Ø Winning over their confidence is essential.
Ø Infatuation at this age is normal. This should be accepted.
Ø Guide them like a watchful gardener.
Ø Be firm and polite when their demands have to be rejected.
Ø Give them required love and attention.
Ø Show concern for their anxieties.

AS ADOLESCENCE CHANGE SOCIALLY, WHAT HAPPENS TO PARENTAL POWER

Ø Conflict is more likely to occur between mothers and adolescents because they have been more closely involved with their children during pre-adolescent age.
Ø During adolescence, sons appear to develop more power over their mothers - they back answer.
Ø Sons also can become physically stronger and more aggressive with both parents, which decreases parental power.
Ø Evidence shows that despite the stereo type, a vast majority of adolescents need love and appreciate their parents despite minor conflicts.

NEED OF GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A TEACHER & ADOLESCENT

Ø Teachers have to sets standards and rules to keep their student out of trouble.
Ø Teachers should protect their student during traumatic experiences but avoid over guidance in coping with normal problems.
Ø The difficulty in helping an adolescent is in finding a balance between permitting adolescents to explore and maintain their independence, while still protecting them and setting limits.

We need to understand that the adolescent development is accompanied by:

Ø An increase in autonomy.
Ø An increase in emotional distance from adults.
Ø Increase in peer friendship and its importance.

They actively seek their teachers and parents approval but do not like to sound childish and discuss trivial matters. Because of this they open up more with their friends discussing issues like dating, personal experiences and common interest.
Loyalty is highly valued aspect of friendship for them. They like friends to stick up for one another. They have an urge to share their inner most thoughts and feelings with the friends.

Intimate friendship provides them emotional support, information and advice. They tend to seek out relationships that are relatively set free, safe and comfortable.

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLERS

A study was conducted by taking some hypothetical exemplars. The views of 50 teachers working in reputed schools of Delhi and dealing with adolescent were taken on these situations. The situations have been listed as case nos. and the reaction of the teacher and probable solutions suggested by them is also given below.

Case No.1
You are the class teachers of class XI. Early in the morning after the assembly, when you go to the class, you are informed discretely by some students that one of their classmates who boarded the bus in the morning from her bus stop is missing from the class. How will you handle this situation?

Solutions suggested by the teacher
The teacher gives an action plan for meeting this unusual situation. She rightly proposes the following steps as – “sort it out at teachers level, inquire from his/her friends, try to find out in the school premises with the help of his/her group, students or friends, consult the bus driver or conductor. If failed, consult the Principal, Vice-principal and if no clue is obtained, finally inform the parents.

She is right in suggesting that the matter should be sorted out at various levels. After ascertaining the specific reason, the child should be dealt with tactfully and psychologically by organizing sessions with the counsellor for the students as well as the parents. This will help in finding out the reasons for the problems stated above.

Case No.2

You are the organizer of a farewell party. The boys and the girls of class XI and XII want the party to be organized till late in the evening and want the dancing also to be allowed till late in the evening. Your answer would obviously be a big NO. The students are not going to like it and would probably call you Orthodox, Hitler etc. How do you think this situation can be handled?

The consequences of over staying and allowing late evening dancing parties will be objected at all levels – by the school authorities and by the parents. Our system does not permit close proximity of youngsters especially late in the evening. In order to avoid direct confrontation with the students, it is advisable to go in for group counselling where such issues may be discussed and debated in a frank and open manner highlighting the probable consequences of doing thinks which are not permitted by our society at large.

Student’s opinion should be obtained and their opinion should be screened to arrive at a consensus. The teacher may indirectly bring in those issues, which can become causes of problems and with the help of the students should avoid controversial situations including over staying after a certain period of time for parties etc.

Case No.3

Class X result has been declared and science stream has suddenly gained popularity. The boys and girls with very poor percentage also want to opt for science stream. The easy way out is to talk of cut off percentage etc. or allow them to leave the school and join some other school. Do you think there is any other way, which can be adopted to handle the situation?

The teacher has rightly suggested that for opting a stream that all the students should be subjected to career counselling sessions. On such occasions, the strengths and weakness, the attractions and distractions and other positive and negative aspects associated with the various streams may be brought out in a convincing way. Students should be given an opportunity to see the connection of these streams i.e. arts, science and commerce etc. with the world of work and self-employment process.

The examples of renowned personalities who have excelled in their career as well as life should be narrated as motivators. In these examples the names of those students who have passed out can also be mentioned to counsel the confused/adamant students to get some directions in choosing a particular stream.

Case No.4

There is a strict dress code in your school. The girls are not allowed to wear short skirts and the boys are not allowed to wear jeans and sports shoes etc. Every morning you check the dress, you open the hamming of the skirt of the girls to make it long and within one hour the length of the skirt is back to square one. No amount of shouting and reprimanding is helping. How will you handle this situation?

The dress code is a technique, which help students to cultivate a sense of self- discipline. For implementing it, the teacher should avoid harsh treatment. Infact, student should be persuaded to understand why dress code is prescribed and how it is helpful to them and to the school system where they study. It should develop in them a sense of belonging, which is very important factor for motivation.

Here again individual and group counselling will help the students to go in for self-appreciation of such codes prescribed through their school system. It has been rightly suggested by the teacher that at no cost we should humiliate a child and damage his or her self esteem.

Case No.5

The boys and the girls of class XI and XII during their activity period and lab period are not attending the class but are found sitting in the canteen. You can stop this practice by constant policing but it does not get corrected. How will you handle it?

There are two ways to enlist student’s participation in the class. One is the control method where students attendance become a regulatory factor, the other is the appeal to their psychological tendencies which implies a space for activities which will be interesting, meaningful and useful instrument for understanding themselves and their environment.

The activity and the laboratory period must be analyzed in terms of the relevance and utility. In the lab the student should be provided the challenging situation. It should be an exercise where the students would get an opportunity to reconstruct their experience and explore more and more about less and less in order to enrich their knowledge.

Case No.6

There is fall in attendance particularly in the class XII after the Dussehra break. You know that most of the course is complete by that time and the school is generally preparing for prelims etc. You feel that the students should be compelled to attend the school regularly. At the same time, you also feel that if they are allowed to stay at home they will be able to study more. What do you think should be done in a situation like this?

The fall in attendance after Dussehra break in particular is the result of dwindling motivation and lack of serious teaching. In this case, the teacher suggests that children should be motivated to attend classes by giving them assignment on topics which will be captivating and capturing their interest. Besides, as the teacher rightly says, the course topics should be revised seriously in the class.

Efforts should be made for activity based teaching which will stimulate interest and raise the activity and participation level of students in a spontaneous manner. The adolescent period is a very critical period full of extra energy and drive for getting involved in various tasks of their choice. There should be less of imposition and more of ownership thrust in the plan, activities and programmes of students of class XII level.

Case No.7

During Diwali time, there is bursting of crackers in the toilets and in the classrooms. By being strict, this nuisance only increases, but the only alternative is to either allow the nuisance to go on or curb it with a firm hand. You also know that you cannot catch the culprit easily. What do you think should be done?

Children at this age get a kind of thrill by creating nuisance and resorting to mischief. The best way to deal with such a situation is a dialogue. The teachers have rightly suggested that a strong communication between the adolescent and the teacher would help in handling the problem. The moment authority is exercised on them, the rebellion in them takes a monstrous shape and they want to do what they have been told not to do. They like to break all the rules.

Case No.8

Some boys and girls of the school were caught at cinema theatre in school uniform during school hours advertising the lenient approach adopted by school authorities regarding discipline. Expelling such students from the school roll for a short period or forever is one way of dealing with the situation but you know as well as we do that this can ruin the life of a child. How do you think such situation should be handled?

In order to understand the situation fully, it will be helpful to probe into the adolescent psychology. Adolescence is full of creative energy, which requires an outlet and sublimation. Their involvement in watching the movie at cinema hall is an instance of the expression of this impulse, which is present in them.
The teacher is of the opinion that excursions under the guidance of the teachers may effectively meet the needs of the students. Organizing the excursions and outdoor sessions under the guidance of the teacher can satisfy their impulse of outings.

Case No.9

A brilliant boy of your school of a senior secondary class is suddenly showing deterioration in performance. You as a concerned teacher would be naturally alarmed. You would like to find why this is happening. What will you do?

Deterioration in performance, which may appear to be sudden, may not be actuality so sudden as it might appear. However, such cases may be attributed to the lack of motivation and lack of interest. A better course for analyzing the etiology in this regard is to hold discussions with the peer groups and parents. The teacher rightly suggests “talking with parents” and also counselling is the right way of checking such a situation.

The reasons of deterioration in performance can become apparent in counselling sessions. There may not be just one reason for this down slide. A number of co-relates of it may be operating which have to be identified and dealt with carefully by personalized programmes and instructions.

Case No.10

It has been brought to your notice that some boys and girls have indulged in smoking and drinking within the school campus and even outside. Your immediate reaction would be that of anger and anguish. But you know that this is not going to help. What is the best way to handle such a situation?

Here again a very strict discipline at home and in school will not work. It has been rightly pointed out by the teachers that at this age they want to show off and most of the time they indulge in drinking and smoking to impress their peer as well as be a part of their peer group. The teachers and the parents have to act like watchful gardeners and tactfully ensure that their ward is not falling a pray to a wrong company.

Case No.11

You have a student in class XI who has not been performing well in the class academically though he is otherwise quite sharp. He has become a bully in the class & his rowdy behaviour causing concern to all. What is the best way to help such a child?

The bully behaviour is a compensated mechanism on the part of the student. The reason for change towards picking disrupted behaviour should be probed a little more carefully and the teacher rightly suggested the casual factor for bulling and roubism on the part of the student should be investigated. The students should be given a specific responsibility and a session in counselling will greatly help him in understanding and his situation. Such disrupted behaviour is largely due to lack of self-understanding and lack of self-appreciation for which his situations do not permit a congenial atmosphere. This can be taken care more effectively by the teachers say that counsel the child, make him understand.

Thus to conclude, the teachers have reacted to the various hypothetical case exemplars in a rather realistic manner. They have rightly suggested that adolescent psychology should be probed in terms of their creative impulses, pre-occupations, interest and attraction. What the adolescent needs is an opportunity and an expression, which will be helpful in intense display of their impulse for which a rationalized forum has to be provided.

In brief, they have to be enabled to become responsibly responsive so that their personality will blossom optimally with a sense of security, adventure and experimentation as a natural gift to them from the seniors with whom they are associated. All this requires using counselling sessions both at personal & group levels for which the general principle should be self-involvement, self-regulation, self-guidance rather than imposition from above or outside.
Conclusion:

The best way, therefore, to deal with adolescents is to wear the crown of authority in your hearts and not on your heads. This will help the adolescent to pass through the turbulent phase without many ripples. We need to understand that this is a passing phase and they have to be helped to pass through this phase with minimum upheaval and lot of patience.

References:

q Charles E. Skinner, 2001 – Educational Psychology, 4th Edition, Prentice Hall of India.

q Clifford T. Morgan & Richard A. King, 1993 – Introduction to Psychology, 7th Edition, Tata Mcgraw-Hill.

q Elizabeth B. Hurlock, 1981 - Developmental psychology - A life-span approach, 5th Edition, Tata Mcgraw-Hill.
Case No.1
You are the class teachers of class XI. Early in the morning after the assembly, when you go to the class, you are informed discretely by some students that one of their classmates who boarded the bus in the morning from her bus stop is missing from the class. How will you handle this situation?



















Case No.2

You are the organizer of a farewell party. The boys and the girls of class XI and XII want the party to be organized till late in the evening and want the dancing also to be allowed till late in the evening. Your answer would obviously be a big NO. The students are not going to like it and would probably call you Orthodox, Hitler etc. How do you think this situation can be handled?

Case No.3

Class X result has been declared and science stream has suddenly gained popularity. The boys and girls with very poor percentage also want to opt for science stream. The easy way out is to talk of cut off percentage etc. or allow them to leave the school and join some other school. Do you think there is any other way, which can be adopted to handle the situation?



















Case No.4

There is a strict dress code in your school. The girls are not allowed to wear short skirts and the boys are not allowed to wear jeans and sports shoes etc. Every morning you check the dress, you open the hamming of the skirt of the girls to make it long and within one hour the length of the skirt is back to square one. No amount of shouting and reprimanding is helping. How will you handle this situation?

Case No.5

The boys and the girls of class XI and XII during their activity period and lab period are not attending the class but are found sitting in the canteen. You can stop this practice by constant policing but it does not get corrected. How will you handle it?



















Case No.6

There is fall in attendance particularly in the class XII after the Dussehra break. You know that most of the course is complete by that time and the school is generally preparing for prelims etc. You feel that the students should be compelled to attend the school regularly. At the same time, you also feel that if they are allowed to stay at home they will be able to study more. What do you think should be done in a situation like this?


Case No.7

During Diwali time, there is bursting of crackers in the toilets and in the classrooms. By being strict, this nuisance only increases, but the only alternative is to either allow the nuisance to go on or curb it with a firm hand. You also know that you cannot catch the culprit easily. What do you think should be done?



















Case No.8

Some boys and girls of the school were caught at cinema theatre in school uniform during school hours advertising the lenient approach adopted by school authorities regarding discipline. Expelling such students from the school roll for a short period or forever is one way of dealing with the situation but you know as well as we do that this can ruin the life of a child. How do you think such situation should be handled?

Case No.9

A brilliant boy of your school of a senior secondary class is suddenly showing deterioration in performance. You as a concerned teacher would be naturally alarmed. You would like to find why this is happening. What will you do?



















Case No.10

It has been brought to your notice that some boys and girls have indulged in smoking and drinking within the school campus and even outside. Your immediate reaction would be that of anger and anguish. But you know that this is not going to help. What is the best way to handle such a situation?



Case No.11

You have a student in class XI who has not been performing well in the class academically though he is otherwise quite sharp. He has become a bully in the class & his rowdy behaviour causing concern to all. What is the best way to help such a child?
Published in Journal of India Education , NCERT , Aug 2004.

Stress Management for Students

Ranjana Bhatia
Principal
Amity Institute of Education
Saket, New Delhi

Abstract

You have to live your own life. You can decide to live either a happy life or a stressful one. You can live through the years with the attitude, “I will do my best and not bother about the outcome,” or you can live a life full of fears, doubts and jealousy. The choice is yours. To be happy or to be under stress irrespective of anything. I repeat, anything.

What is Stress?

All of us have some potential and capabilities. We also have certain aptitudes and attitudes and demands are made on us by society. We, as parents/teachers, make demands on our children. Most of the time when we make demands on our children, we have a tendency to forget that our children have their own capabilities. The result is nothing but an imbalance between the potential of the child and our expectation and all this results in a stressful situation. Stress can therefore be best defined as a state of imbalance between demands made on us from outside sources and our capabilities to cope with them.

Some students lack the courage to acknowledge their weaknesses, to draw on their strengths and to analyze where they stand in relation to their dreams.

All of us have some element of personality or some habit with which we are not entirely satisfied. This element of personality is more pronounced in students, especially when they are entering into the adolescent age-group. They dream and fantasize a lot. At times their dreams fade into meaningless fantasies, and fail to produce successful results.

From the world of fantasies, when they come to reality and find their dreams shattered, they meet with what is termed as ‘frustration’, one of the major causes of stress. These students do not have the courage to make a fair assessment of their personal resources including a realistic picture of where they stand on the road to success. They are not willing to accept their weakness. They feel embarrassed.

Since they are not able to accept their weakness, their approach is not at all realistic in nature and hence gives rise to a situation which is confusing as well as conflicting resulting in stress. Peer pressure and pressure from parents and society form the main reasons or causes of this stressful situation for a student.

Causes of Stress

But for a very few who have clear thinking, practically all students opt for Science or Commerce stream irrespective of their own potential. They are not willing to accept the fact that they do not have aptitude for Science or Commerce. Let us take an example of how stressful situations arise, say, when the students opt for a stream at a certain stage. Presumably, Humanities stream is considered inferior by a majority of them, which is very sad. Not doing well in class XI after opting for Science or Commerce becomes a cause of frustration and stress. Peer pressure plays a major role at this point of time and children are not willing to head, consequently giving rise to stress.

Stress amongst adolescent students has been increasing these days because of various factors, some of which are enumerated below.

· Severe competition at all academic levels.
· Parental pressure for excellence in performance irrespective of the potential of the student.
· Uncertainty in choosing the right option.
· Constant comparison at home, in school and within peer group.
· Distraction as a result of media exposure.
· Loss of value system.
· Negative influence of western culture.
· Nuclear families
· Both parents pursuing careers and not available to their children when they need them.



Causes of Stress












Family

Environment







Parental pressure

Competition




Constant comparison

Choosing the right option




Nuclear families

Constant comparison




Both parents working

Media distraction






Loss of value system





Influence of western culture


Coping with Stress

Paul J. Mayer, a well known management expert has said, “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to a pass.”

In a stressful situation the normal reaction of any human being is to imagine all the wrong things happening to him. This kind of reaction prevails more strongly in the young, impressionable mind of an adolescent who sees only hazy situations and is unable to take the right decision. His/her enthusiasm is lost and he/she lands in a depressive situation. Since he/she only sees the negative side of life, all negatives actually start happening to him/her.

It is truly a game of thoughts. His/her thoughts become negative, his/her commands to the brain are negative and the reaction of the body thus is nothing but negative. And all this adds to an already existing stress.

A stress management programme which runs into three phases, enumerated below, can help and train a student in overcoming or facing stressful situations.

Three-phased Module of Training for Coping with Stress

First Phase : Cognitive Preparation

This phase is educational in nature and is designed to provide the students with a conceptual framework for understanding the nature of stressful reactions. During this phase the students learn what is stress and how it creates wear and tear. Students share their experiences with other students.

The sharing of experiences assures the students that they are not the only ones suffering from such a problem, there are many others in similar situations. They also learn that stress is a process of psychological appraisal rather than a factor inherent in the event itself. This learning enables them to conclude that stress is caused as a consequence of certain events and individuals’ reaction as well as perception of it.

Through these messages the students begin to see that they can dilute a stressful situation if they are properly armed with the technique of handling it. Students in this phase of stress management record their physiological, emotional and behavioural reactions to stress as they experience them. Students are trained to record their own maladaptive efforts to cope with stressful events such as excessive sleeping, watching TV, eating, etc. They are taught to tabulate stress responses and examine them.

Second Phase : Skill Acquisition and Rehearsal

Here the participants discover and review the coping process through small group exercises. A number of behavioural and cognitive coping skills are offered to the subjects for rehearsal. The students are trained to engage in positive talk and set new goals. They are trained to change the stress situations into challenges. They learn to distinguish between stressful situations to be avoided, tolerated or overcome.

Third Phase : Application and Practice of Coping Technique

Students are given an opportunity to practice coping skills during exposure to a variety of stresses. They practice stress management techniques in the targeted stressful situations and monitor their effectiveness. Positive talk involving self into auto suggestions and encouragement becomes a guiding force for students to overcome stressful situations. It also enables the individual to confront stressful events with a clear plan and a clear account in mind before the stressful event becomes overwhelming.

A stress-free life is not possible in today’s environment. All that we can do is to reduce it to a reasonable level, even to the level where it can play a positive role rather than adversely affect our health and abilities.

The general feeling is that tension or stress has a negative effect on our lives. On the contrary, a certain amount of stress is healthy as it acts as a motivating factor and gives the required push to an individual to attain set goals.

All students suffer from anxiety and are stressful at some time or the other. The intensity, however, may differ from person to person. A certain amount of stress induces enthusiasm and learning becomes better provided the stress is given direction. Parents and teachers play a vital role in the management of stress in a child. There are many pressures on a child who is appearing in a board examination both at Class X and at Class XII level. The moment a child enters Class X or Class XII, there is a sudden transformation in the attitude of the child, the parents and the teacher.

Parents and teachers impose innumerable restrictions on this child, be it watching TV, playing, leisure time, phone, activities and functions in the school. Board exams have become synonymous with study and books and nothing else. It is abnormal as well as strange. This kind of reaction is universally present, whereas in our heart of hearts, we all know that a child who is studying all the time cannot give his/her best.

This reaction on the part of the parents only adds to the already existing anxiety in the mind of the child and he/she starts developing cold feet. This anxiety leads to loss of confidence and, in severe cases, even to nervous breakdown. The starting point of all this reaction is stress.

Managing stress with the above stated three-phased stress management technique can be complemented with some more suggestions which can work wonders on the psyche of a growing child and are worth giving a try. The suggestions are as follows.

Maintaining Optimistic Attitude

The attitude of fear of failure is the root cause of stress and related problems. It is the attitude of the student, which may promote stress.

· I don’t want to do it
No chance of success
· I can do it
10% success
· I don’t know how to do it
20% success
· I wish I could do it
30% success
· What is it
40% success
· I think I might do it
50% success
· I might do it
60% success
· I think I can do it
70% success
· I can do it
80% success
· I will do it
90% success
· I did it
100% success

It is important to train the students to be optimistic in approach and vision and have a positive attitude. Attitudes are habits of thoughts and habits can be acquired and learnt. But the action required for a sizeable change in habits and attitudes may not be really noticeable. The result may take a long time to come through and sometimes may be intangible. Training can be given to acquire a positive attitude by adopting the following steps.

· Ascertain who and what you are.
· Find out what you want to become and where you want to reach.
· Plan out how you are going to reach your goal from where you are now.
· Keep monitoring and correcting your steps – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and tangible.

Goal Setting

A basic trait of human nature is to aspire, to achieve, to accomplish, to attain, to believe in the future rather than in the past. Improving performance propels continuous improvement. Continuous improvement adds to personal accomplishment, professional success and pride in the achievement.

Set a goal which is SMART. Goals help in ensuring that time is spent on work that really matters. If the child learns how to set priorities in achieving goals, stress management will be much easier.

When goals are set they work in two ways. You work on them and they work on you. Once a goal is set with firm and unequivocal belief, it can work wonders. The greater the belief, the more rapid is the success. If, however, the goals are not clearly defined, it can hamper the progress and hence cause stress.

Successful people are the ones who have worked with goals, tangible goals, small goals and achievable goals. It is only then that they have been able to utilize their full potential, and even that full potential is only 25 per cent. You can imagine what role goal-setting plays, if you have to tap the 75 per cent balance of success.

As the student recognizes his/her potential of achieving the set goal, his/her image automatically improves. He/she learns to believe that he/she has great potential and tremendous abilities that he/she has not begun to use. Train him/her to have belief in himself/herself and his/her capability. Teach him/her to discover his/her unlimited potential. Tell him/her to stand in front of the mirror and say- I am capable. I can do it. Teach him/her the power of thoughts which transform into words and then into action. Positive thoughts, affirmation and visualization supplemented by small weekly/monthly goals will help in reduction of stress to a very large extent; and when each victory is celebrated it will work like a magic tonic for success and hence reduce stress.

Faith in Oneself

Faith in oneself stirs every dormant force within and pushes one to use one’s full potential to reach set goals.

Teach the students to develop faith in the potentialities that they have in order to reach the set goals. This is possible when he/she has an understanding of his/her own self. He/she has to understand that he/she is the only one accountable for his/her performance, he/she is the only one who can accept responsibility for his/her success. Other factors may contribute to success but his/her success will result from primarily what he/she gives – the long hours of practice, the sacrifice to keep body and mind in condition and dedication to goals. Any distraction or interruption destroying his/her attention will deviate him/her from his/her set goal and hence cause stress. It is never too late to learn this.

The best way to guarantee reduction of stress is to get started on the job on hand NOW. Two reasons account for failure relating to stress – children either never start or never finish. Both these unproductive patterns fall under stressful situation. Several patterns of faulty thinking are evident if time is not managed properly. The following guidelines will enable one to avoid to these pitfalls.

· Begin required work and continue without relying on “feeling like it”. Getting started is often the most difficult part but once begun inspiration often follows. Thomas Edison, the famous American inventor, has put it well when he said, “Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.”
· Break the difficult task down into easy and logical steps to make it more manageable at each stage. Getting started on the job and working systematically keeping the goal in mind will give a sense of mastery that enables one to complete the job on hand with less stress.

Strive for Result, Not Perfection

Overemphasis on perfection nearly always brings negative consequences – immobilization, fear of making mistakes, discouragement and preoccupation with what others think rather than genuine work. Train the students to be result-oriented rather than being fussy about perfection.

External Circumstances as Cause of Stress

Numerous circumstances outside the control of an individual can cause stress. These can be competition, financial condition, sickness in the family, etc. Though difficult, students can be trained to refuse to let circumstances discourage them. They need to be trained to commit themselves to thinking positively and seeing possibilities. They must welcome these outside circumstances as challenges to their creativity and as signs of progress.

Commitment to an attitude of positive expectancy is the key to a stress-free situation. Refuse to let external circumstances become an excuse for inertia or decreased output. Instead give demonstrations of how to cope with external circumstances and see the changes they produce. This attitude helps in transforming problems into upturns, stumbling blocks into stepping stones and hence in reduction of stress.

Understanding Attitudes of Parents and Teachers

The basic human need, it is said, is to understand and appreciate. The traditional viewpoint on understanding takes into account a stable and an orderly way of doing things through established rules, procedures, regulations and principles. This is called ‘orderly way of understanding’.

Based on the rationale of various studies, aspects of understanding is the systems approach, i.e. breaking the whole in two parts first and then sensitizing it as a whole, and behavioural concept of understanding takes into account the integrative relationship between the two.

Since students spend most of their time either in the school or at home, parents and teachers play a vital role in helping them to overcome stress. The following guidelines should help.

· The students are spoken to objectively and in warm tones.
· They are encouraged to express themselves objectively and freely.
· They are motivated to use their potential and capabilities.
· They are provided an open and free environment at home and in school.

Students often feel stretched as they feel that there are many people who know them but very few who understand them. Understanding has to be more of the heart than that of the mind.

Intellectual identification with a person’s feelings, thoughts and attitudes is essential in understanding the frame of mind of the student. Correct understanding of their feelings, being able to see beyond the obvious, the ability to communicate this understanding by verbal and non-verbal expression reduces stress and elevates self-respect and honour.

When the student gets to learn that the teacher has also gone through what he or she is going through, it soothes his/her nerves. Personal experiences of adults sharing something personal with them appropriately timed with humour is a fresh stress reducer. A dry nature of teachers and parents aggravates the situation while a jovial personality helps in reducing stress.

Power of Prayer in Stress Reduction

We are instruments in the hands of God. We make out daily plans and when these plans do not work we feel stressed. Students have to be taught to accept and be grateful without forgetting the theory of Karma – Nishkam Karma – as the Bhagwad Gita has taught us. Once we have done our best, nothing should worry us. We should not worry and feel stressed, if our daily plans fail.

Above all, to make the students stress free, wear the crown of authority in your heart and not in your mind while dealing with them.

References :

Bloom. 1971. Report of Pilot Project. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Das, Manoj. 1999. Shri Aurobindo on Education. New Delhi : NCTE.

Joshi, Kireet. 1997. Education for Character Development. Dharam Hinduja International Centre of Indian Research.

Mayer, Paul. 1995. Success Motivation in Personal and Professional Programme.

Sri Aurobindo Society. 1996. The True Teacher. Integral Education Series.