It is about the right attitude, not just good results

The switch happened on Sunday, from a long summer break to hectic school days. The stress is not just on students. Teachers and parents are under pressure, too. Students should take this new academic year as an opportunity to start afresh in their effort to acquire knowledge, build on character, and develop their minds. The key is to arm themselves with the right strategies, tools and resources. And for teachers, the aim should not be to enforce regulations and routines, but to build a healthy relationship with students and successfully guide them towards their goals and objectives.

As far as parents are concerned, getting the child back to school entails much more than the usual chores of purchasing uniforms, books, stationery, cooking a healthy breakfast, and making sure homework is complete. Parents are real partners in the education system. Good education is not just about good results. It is about raising wholesome human beings with the right attitude. It boils down to teaching children to take responsibility for their actions — for what they achieve and what they do not. It’s about honing their abilities to respond to challenges. It is about teaching them not to vilify those who reject them, but to practise forgiveness and compassion. It is about working as a good team member, and being able to provide leadership. It is about being both a speaker and a keen listener. But if you get caught in the rigmarole of results, grades and unhealthy competition, remember, it might just do more harm than good to the little ones. Children grow up way too fast. Today, they might have just started kindergarten or gone to the next grade along with over a million other students in the UAE. And very soon they will graduate and leave their nests. So enjoy every moment of your children’s school years as you raise them with a sense of empowerment to become achievers and good individuals.