07 Feb 2019|Noida | F 3 Seminar Hall
Managing Diversity and Challenges in Schools
A workshop on Managing Diversity and Challenges in Schools was organized at Amity Institute of Psychology and Allied Sciences, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida on Thursday, February 07, 2019. The Workshop was attended by 24 Counsellors, Psychologists, Teachers from various schools across Delhi NCR along with 150 students and faculty members of AIPS, ASPES, AIRS.
The event started with invocation of the divine blessings by Lighting of the Lamp by Guest Speaker Dr. Roma Kumar, Clinical Psychologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr. Sunita Singh Pro VC AUUP, Dr. D.S. Rathore, Advisor, AIPS, Prof (Dr) Ranjana Bhatia, Acting Director, AIPS and Faculty members, AIPS.
Dr. Rathore initiated the Workshop by presenting his views on the topic of the day. He motivated and encouraged the participants by discussing their importance in the society in today’s scenario. He reiterated that the budding psychologists have the future of the society in their hands.
Dr. Bhatia, further presented her thoughts on the topic by substantiating the meaning of Diversity by sharing an acronym of the same.
Different
Individuals
Valuing
Each Other
Regardless of
Skin (Colour)
Intellect
Talent or
Years (age)
She beautifully presented her thoughts utilizing a poem ‘Beautifully different, wonderfully the same’ by Joseph Coelho. She also shared that Scientific Parenting plays an important role in every aspect of an individual. She stressed upon the importance of these deliberations for our Psychology students in order to bring about a positive change in the Society.
Dr. Sunita Singh during her address highlighted the importance of Psychology in day to day life. She shared her experiences with the University and also stressed upon the importance of managing Diversity.
Dr. Roma Kumar in her enlightening views spoke about the Mental Health Promotion and Challenges faced by individuals in today’s scenario. Some of the major highlights of the talk were:
· Diversity presents both opportunities and challenges in schools
· Major challenges faced by the schools:
o Drug use
o Aggression/Fighting
o Lack of parental support
o Overcrowded schools
o Lack of discipline
o Bullying
o Anxiety/stress
o Student Attitude
o Gender Issues
o Dating Relationships
o Inequity
o Lack of discipline
o Bullying
o Anxiety/stress
o Suicide
o Career choices
· School’s mental health begins with a positive school climate.
· School connectedness plays an important role and it refers to the belief by students that adults in school CARE about them
· The sense of connectedness also reduces fighting, truancy and drop out rates
· Student emotional engagement can lead to achievement.
· She also shared the importance for creation of Positive School Climate and the steps to create one:
o Build real relationships with your students
o Listen attentively
o Try to give individual attention
o Use praise and warmth generously
o Be a mentor
o Look for a child’s strengths and promote them
· She shared that it is extremely important for the parent to be confident in order to raise a confident child, she reiterated the same by a practical life example.
· Important to empower the child and also help them in regulating their emotions.
· Extremely important to teach children to be socially responsible.
Further, the participants who were already divided into groups, were asked to deliberate on the ways to Manage Diversity and Challenges in Schools. The different points shared through the same in Groups were as follows:
· Stigma is there in the mind of the Parent and not in children.
· Children are quite receptive and teachers can help the child.
· Early Psycho Education helps parents to understand child.
· Orientation programmes play an important role, 80% of the students get influenced during the same.
· Regular interactions with Parents and Teachers help.
· Regular follow up is the key to handling challenges
· Different therapies can be utilized to channelize their energy such as Play Therapy, Dance Therapy, Colour Therapy etc.
· Labelling by parents, teachers and students is an important challenge to be addressed.
· Self-awareness to be created among students
· Circle Time with parents
· Using techniques like Peer tutoring for children to accept people with special abilities
· It is important to create Awareness, Acceptance and Reflect.
· Stressed on importance of Paralympics-Acceptance of Physical Disability
· Empathy needs to be taught to students.
Dr. Roma Kumar concluded the event by saying that there is no ‘One’ tailor made solution to the problem. However, the counsellors and Psychology experts have the keys to solving the problems. Persistent and consistent working with Parents can actually improve the situation.
The workshop ended with felicitation of the Guest Speaker, Dr. Roma Kumar and Certificate Distribution Ceremony to the participants.
The feedback of the participant was Above Average and most of them recommend the same kind of workshops on different Psychology issues. Some of the verbatim are as follows:
“Such workshops are highly informative and beneficial and we should have such workshops more frequently”
“Such workshops should be organized with more different Psychological issues more often”
Main Outcomes of the Workshop
1. Discussion on the Management of Diversity and Challenges in Schools by the Psychology teachers, Counsellors.
2. Utilization of the same by the students of different Programmes of AIPS.
Future directions for undertaking workshops in the related areas.