Issue #264, 29th July 2025
“Help me understand what happened” or “What were you thinking in that moment?” This approach keeps communication channels open and helps teens feel heard, making them more receptive to guidance and less likely to shut down or become defensive. Focus on connection before correction. When your teenager makes a mistake or you need to address a behavior, lead with understanding rather than immediate consequences.
Give teenagers meaningful choices whenever possible, even in small ways. Whether it’s choosing between two essay topics, selecting their seat for a group project, or deciding how to demonstrate their understanding of a concept, having agency helps teens feel respected and invested in their learning. This sense of autonomy often translates into better engagement and fewer power struggles in the classroom.
Yes, teenage is difficult for children, parents and teachers. Try working as a team together and collaborate, instead of compete.
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Three Images of the Week



Two Thoughts of the Week
“The youth need to be enabled to become job generators from job seekers.” A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
“Being a teen can be tough. Just try to surround yourself with really good friends that really have your back, and also be a really good friend to those who really care about you. If you’re not sure about certain things, talk to your friends that you trust and your family.”Victoria Justice
One Video of the Week
School counselor and child and mental health advocate Ruth Oelrich theorizes that just as a child develops from a young child to an adolescent, the way the parent communicates with the child must change over time. Creating a parental mindset shift from one of guiding the child to collaborating with the teen increases the ability to connect with the adolescent and guide them as they transition into young adults. Ms. Oelrich shares ideas and strategies for parents to better understand what it is an adolescent needs and how to unlock the lines of communication to better foster understanding and connection with your teen. Ruth Oelrich, a native of Davenport, IA, has spent the last 20 years working in the field of education as both an educator and school counselor. She received her MSE degree from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 2002. She has worked with youth in inner-city and rural communities, in public, private, and charter school systems. She specializes in Attachment Theory, Suicide Prevention, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Adolescent Mental Health. She has volunteered her time as a Crisis Response Counselor for both the YWCA Domestic Violence Program and the American Red Cross. She believes in leading a life of simplicity, calmness, and passion and strives to instill the belief in her students.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Literacy Lever: Connecting
Roads to reading are personal. As a parent/educator in the thick of leveraging resources for your child’s benefit, you will often cross paths with others who may alter your course. They may share an idea, information which might spark your child’s interest or skills in unexpected ways or step up to support you when your time, energy or resources flag.
Teachers: Educators will facilitate vital literacy skills as always, but they can be just as valuable in identifying issues that require additional support and directing you to other professionals who can better meet your child’s needs. So, try to connect with teachers and go side by side with them.
Librarians: A good children’s librarian can help you find your next favorite read, but that’s not all librarians are becoming a vital part for families who need support in cultivating key early literacy skills through talking, reading, writing, singing and playing. They are responding by showing parents how to make the most of story time through asking questions and engaging kids in dialogue and play around stories. Always recognize libraries and librarians themselves as resources beyond the books on their shelves, and you may access a range of learning experiences for your child and activity ideas for yourself.
Happy Reading!
Meenu Gera, Consulting home and school librarian reading guide.
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
Do you know the Aviation Capital of the World?
5 reasons for Montreal, Canada, being referred to as the Aviation Capital of the world:
Top 4 Aviation Colleges in Canada
Top 8 Aviation Colleges
Fermata Career Solutions inspires young individuals aged 13 to 30 to unlock their potential through focused and customised career and college counseling. With expertise in University Readiness, CareerGym, and Master Parenting, the experts empower you to pursue your dreams and shape your future with confidence. More about us on www.fermataco.com
Showcase: Thrive Beyond School – A unique STEAM education project for very young learners.

Neev & Mayra 6 year 11 months old children built and tested two types of model fish a round balloon fish and a long straw fish to investigate how different shapes respond to water pressure. The children discovered that the round fish got squished more easily, while the long fish stayed strong and flexible, just like the real oarfish that lives deep in the ocean. They recorded their observations using recording sheet and reflected on which shape would survive better under high pressure. They were able to share about why deep-sea fish are long and skinny, what happens when these fish are brought to the surface, and how submarines deal with pressure. To wrap up, everyone created their own colorful ribbon fish and took part in a fun quiz to share what they had learned. This hands-on activity helped them to understand how body shape and design help sea creatures adapt to extreme underwater environments
Dear reader,
I work with the school leadership team as an advisor and collaborate with teachers as a pedagogical trainer. I also help parents as a parenting counselor and regularly engage one-on-one with students as a personal guide and mentor. This weekly newsletter shares what I read, learn, and experience.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Issue #262, 15th July 2025
“What would I do differently if I knew that no one else was coming to fix this situation?”
Accountability? Responsibility? Excuse/Blame?
Parents often expect the school to handle learning difficulties, hope teachers will motivate their child, or wait for their child to “mature out of” problems. This question challenges them: What if the teacher can’t fix my child’s study habits? What if the school won’t change its approach? What if my child doesn’t suddenly become responsible? It moves them from “someone else should handle this” to “what’s my role in creating change?”
Teachers frequently feel frustrated waiting for administrators to provide better resources, parents to be more involved, or the system to change. This question makes them confront: What if the principal never gives me more supplies? What if parents don’t respond to my emails? What if class sizes stay large? It shifts focus from “if only I had more support” to “what can I control right now in my classroom?”
Students often think “If only my teacher explained better” or “If my parents helped more with homework” or “The school system should change.” This question forces them to ask: What if I’m the only one who can improve my grades? What if no one else is going to make me study or pay attention in class? It pushes them from “someone should help me” to “I need to figure this out myself.”
This is a free newsletter. If you like my content, please subscribe by entering your email address here.
Three Images of the Week



Two Thoughts of the Week
“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” -Bob Dylan
“Being responsible is an enormous privilege… It’s what marks anyone a fully grown human.” -Barack Obama
One Video of the Week
Candy draws on her experiences of living with Type 1 Diabetes to illustrate the thought process of chronic illness sufferers. She explains the cycle of self-blame; blaming ourselves for outcomes out of our control, highlighting how biological factors are also at play. Candy Gan is a 3rd year Politics and Philosophy student at the LSE, and winner of the TEDxLSE Student Competition this year. She has lived with chronic illness her entire life, but never publicly discussed it until now. Her passion lies in healthcare policies and reform, specifically how society affects individual health. At TEDxLSE, she will be talking about accountability and responsibility, inspired by her personal experiences with chronic illness.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Book Reading:
As we have been talking about different levers for nurturing a child’s development either at home or at school, and of course book reading is pivotal for boosting brain capacity, stimulating language development, spurring vocabulary growth, increasing knowledge about the world, driving kid’s motivation to read on their own and more. Children have so much to learn in the first years of life, and book reading is one powerful strategy to support development as their needs change. Newborns developing their vision may prefer to look at high contrast images like those in black and white board books. Meanwhile 6-12 months olds get their eyes, hands, feet and mouths in on the action by engaging with different page features like textures and flaps. Toddlers are busy building their vocabularies and love simple books full of familiar items, plus a healthy dose of rhythm, Rhyme and repetition.
The benefits of reading aloud shift with the child’s age, needs, interests and the nature of the texts. Over time, family reading introduces more complex and novel words than typical everyday speech facilitates focus on the learning about print and spelling and delivers fodder for greater comprehension, to name a few benefits. Reading together creates rich conversations. Every parent/teacher should be able to select or have a guide to recommend engaging books to maximize learning.
Books are meat and medicine
And flame and flight and flower,
Steel, stitch, and cloud and clout,
And drumbeats in the air.
~ Gwendolyn Brooks.
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian reading guide
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
Careers in Information Technology
Professionals in this field use computers and technology to create, manage, and support complex systems that power our digital world. They work with both hardware and software, develop and maintain networks, and ensure smooth communication through telecommunications systems.
International Job Roles & Average Salary per annum
| Data Warehousing Specialist$120k | Computer Network Architect$120k | Database Architects $120k |
| Telecommunication Engineering Specialist $120k | Information Security Analyst$113k | Business Intelligence Analysts $108k |
| Computer Systems Analyst$100k | Health Informatics Specialist $102k | Information Technology Project Manager $98k |
| Geographic Information Systems Technologist $98k | Computer Systems Engineers $98k | Document Management Specialist $98k |
| Computer Programmer$96k | Database Administrators $96k | Web Administrators$98k |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst & Testers $98k | Video Game Designer $95k | Network & Computer System Administrator $91k |
| Web Developer$87k | Search Marketing Strategist $76k | Computer Network Support Specialist $70k |
This dynamic sector also includes creative roles like graphic designers, game developers, and technical writers, who combine technology with design and storytelling.
Fermata Career Solutions inspires young individuals aged 13 to 30 to unlock their potential through focused and customised career and college counseling. With expertise in University Readiness, CareerGym, and Master Parenting, the experts empower you to pursue your dreams and shape your future with confidence. More about us on www.fermataco.com
Dear reader,
I work with the school leadership team as an advisor and collaborate with teachers as a pedagogical trainer. I also help parents as a parenting counselor and regularly engage one-on-one with students as a personal guide and mentor. This weekly newsletter shares what I read, learn, and experience.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Issue #261, 8th July 2025
Am I approaching this with curiosity rather than certainty?
This single question cuts across all three roles because it shifts our mindset from passive consumption to active engagement. When we are curious, we naturally ask follow-up questions, look for connections, and seek to understand rather than just get through the moment.
As a parent, it means wondering “What is my child really trying to tell me?” instead of assuming you know. As a teacher, it’s asking “What are my students discovering that I hadn’t considered?” rather than just delivering information. As a student, it’s approaching material with “How does this connect to what I already know?” instead of just memorizing for the test.
Curiosity transforms any situation – whether it’s a difficult conversation, a challenging lesson, or a confusing concept – into an opportunity for genuine learning and growth. It’s the difference between going through the motions and actually extracting value from every experience. What’s your view on this? Have you been more often curious or certain recently?
This is a free newsletter. If you like my content, please subscribe by entering your email address here.
Three Images of the Week



Two Thoughts of the Week
Seize the moment of excited curiosity on any subject to solve your doubts; for if you let it pass, the desire may never return, and you may remain in ignorance. William Wirt
A lot of our creative flow comes from a place of curiosity and exploration. It often feels like we’re excavating and asking questions and not just giving answers but really just exploring. Adrianne Lenker
One Video of the Week
In this deeply inspiring talk, Dr. Tanu Jain shares a powerful message about the beauty and necessity of embracing change. With raw honesty and wisdom, she walks us through the idea that life doesn’t follow a perfect timeline. Instead, our growth often comes through uncertainty, failure and the courage to start over. Whether you’re a student, professional, or someone navigating life’s transitions, this talk will remind you that it’s okay to change, pause, and reinvent yourself. Dr. Tanu Jain holds a Bachelor of Dentistry degree from Subharti College and successfully cleared the Civil Services examination in 2014. Throughout her career, she has maintained a commitment to social service initiatives and has garnered recognition for her motivational speaking engagements, particularly renowned for her mock interview sessions. Dr. Jain recently resigned from her professional position to establish the Tathastu Institute of Civil Services. Dr. Tanu Jain teaches philosophy and ethics and actively engages with various social organizations, contributing significantly to societal advancement. Her overarching goal is to mentor and cultivate students of strong character, instilling in them a dedication to family, society, and the nation, thereby fostering individuals in whom the country can take.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Reading Aloud is a multivitamin for kids and a proxy for a good start too. If you do it each night as a parent or daily in your classroom, you can build their brains and inspire a lifetime of literary delight, family bonding and accomplishment.
Of course, there’s more to the story. Reading aloud, though valuable, isn’t everything. It’s time to move beyond fairy tales and to root your own reading story in reality.
There are countless ways that a parent/teacher can make a difference early on, but these are the most powerful ways to leverage as infants and toddlers grow into preschoolers and kindergarteners.
Let’s discuss the research based top six parent levers for literacy each week:
Conversation:
Want your child’s IQ and academic performance to land off the charts? Then launch their learning language development with lots of conversation when they’re young. It’s been proven that kids who engage in more back and forth dialogue with adults when they’re 18 to 24 months old tend to have a significantly higher IQ and better language skills as adolescents than kids who lack frequent back and forth adult child conversations.
The data showed that talkative toddlers with talkative parents/teachers grew into middle schoolers with better reasoning, logic, problem solving abilities, verbal comprehension and vocabulary skills than kids who had experienced fewer “conversational turns” during the pivotal time frame.
It’s amazing to see how verbal exchange works their brain-magic to boost language skills, cognitive capacity and academic achievement down the road. Also, there are some suggested strategies to nurture a child’s linguistic development from day one by exchanging words, gestures, and expressions with them as it is not easy to do in the age of smartphones and social media. But your every effort and attention will show up in their IQ, listening comprehension, and vocabulary scores when they are teens.
Stay tuned for the continuation of this conversation until next week. Till then…
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian reading guide
Showcase: Thrive Beyond School – A unique STEAM education project for very young learners.
The children took part in a fun, hands-on learning activity about where fish live. They showed a lot of interest and creativity as they talked about what makes a good home for fish and shared their own ideas and stories. Using recycled materials, they built fish habitats, which also helped them learn about taking care of the environment. As a group, they showed a good understanding of how fish, their homes, and nature are all connected.
Havishka: 7 years 3 months old
Tashi:7 years old
Tara: 6 year old

Dear reader,
I work with the school leadership team as an advisor and collaborate with teachers as a pedagogical trainer. I also help parents as a parenting counselor and regularly engage one-on-one with students as a personal guide and mentor. This weekly newsletter shares what I read, learn, and experience.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Issue #260, 1st July 2025
“What kind of reader does your student/ child see themselves as right now?” This question helps you understand the child’s current self-perception. Do they think they’re “bad” at reading, or that reading is boring? Do they only see themselves as capable of certain types of books?
“How can I connect reading to what this child/student already loves and values?” Every child has interests, whether it’s dinosaurs, video games, sports, art, or friendship drama. The key is finding books, stories, and reading experiences that tap into these existing passions.
“What reading successes can I celebrate and build upon?” This shifts your focus from what the child can’t do to what they can do. Maybe they’re great at predicting what happens next in stories, or they remember incredible details, or they ask thoughtful questions. Maybe they love being read to, even if they struggle with independent reading. Recognizing and celebrating these strengths helps children see themselves as capable and builds the confidence they need to take on new reading challenges.
Go on, have a read through this news letter for the next couple of minutes and perhaps you will be able to help your student, your own child or even yourself to build your reading identity.
This is a free newsletter. If you like my content, please subscribe by entering your email address here.
Three Images of the Week



Two Thoughts of the Week
“Few things linger longer or become more indwelling than that feeling of both completion and emptiness when a great book ends. That the book accompanies the reader forever from that day forward is part of literature’s profligate generosity.”
― Pat Conroy, My Reading Life
“One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time.” – Carl Sagan
One Video of the Week
According to the US Department of Education, more than 85 percent of black fourth-grade boys aren’t proficient in reading. What kind of reading experiences should we be creating to ensure that all children read well? In a talk that will make you rethink how we teach, educator and author Alvin Irby explains the reading challenges that many black children face — and tells us what culturally competent educators do to help all children identify as readers.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Work towards Raising Readers:
Let’s trace the path to literacy from birth through early elementary school with stories and science that illuminate the way we can influence our kid’s success. It is always suggested and done by many parents to buy picture books, read to kids at night, enrol them in good schools and it’s over.
But the fact is, a more expansive approach is both possible and invaluable today because of the increasing demands of modern work, school and life. Your aim isn’t to do what proved sufficient for some in previous generations, but rather to do what’s like to prepare your children to reach their full potential. Is it enough to just read to them every night? With this fast-paced life surrounded by technology, I wonder about these questions:
· How do you make family reading a habit?
· And if you do, does that ritual really bring about the host of benefits it’s been praised for?
· What else is required for parents to get the job done?
· What are the fun ways to encourage, teach and advocate reading habits for your child?
· How to envision the idea in place that you’ll be better equipped to nurture your child’s literacy, years before they can be expected to distinguish letters or sounds, let alone read words or paragraphs.
Think about all these pointers and stay tuned for the research-based answers in our next week’s literacy article. Until then keep reading!
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian reading guide
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
The Healthcare Industry internationally is currently valued at 8.36 trillion and is projected to reach 18 trillion by 2030. Here are the primary 57 patient-centric job roles creating extended jobs for assistants and technologists:
International Job Roles & Average Salary per annum (US market)
| Oral and Facial Surgeon$310k | Gynecologist & Obstetrician$300k | Dermatologist$300k |
| Radiologist$300k | Ophthalmologist$270k | Orthodontist$270k |
| Psychiatrist$250k | Internal Medicine Physician $245k | Pathologist$265k |
| Rehabilitation Physician$235k | Sports Medicine Physician$ 230k | Urologist$ 230k |
| Immunologists & Allergists$230k | Hospitalist$230k | Preventive Medicine Physician $230k |
| Pediatrician$200k | Dentist $165k | Podiatrist$158k |
| Prosthodontist$144k | Optometrist$125k | Nurse Practitioner$120k |
| Pharmacist$118k | Assistant Anesthesiologist$ 120k | Veterinarian$117k |
| Health Service Managers$119k | Medical Scientist$104k | Biomedical Engineers$100k |
| Radiation Therapist$ 95k | Occupational Therapist$90k | Vision Rehabilitation Therapist $ 89k |
| Audiologist$85k | Epidemiologist$87k | Genetics Counselor $86k |
| Dental Hygienist$80k | Sonographer$80k | Speech Language Pathologist $ 86k |
| Acute Care Nurses$ 83k | Chiropractor$81k | Registered Nurse$82k |
| Acupuncturist$73k | Prosthetist$80k | Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist $77k |
| Art Therapist$65k | Respiratory Therapist$ 68k | Nutritionist$67k |
| Midwives$65k | Hearing Aid Specialist$60k | Cardiovascular Technician$63k |
| Clinical Laboratory Technician $57k | Cytogeneticist$58k | Recreational Therapist$ 53k |
| Kinesiologist$52k | Licensed Vocational Nurse$51k | Exercise Physiologist$54k |
| Medical Transcriptionist$34k | Endoscopy Technician$41k | Phlebotomist$38k |
Fermata Career Solutions inspires young individuals aged 13 to 30 to unlock their potential through focused and customised career and college counseling. With expertise in University Readiness, CareerGym, and Master Parenting, the experts empower you to pursue your dreams and shape your future with confidence. More about us on www.fermataco.com
The career counselors at Fermat specialize in Profile Building and College Essays. More about us on www.fermataco.com
Dear reader,
I work with the school leadership team as an advisor and collaborate with teachers as a pedagogical trainer. I also help parents as a parenting counselor and regularly engage one-on-one with students as a personal guide and mentor. This weekly newsletter shares what I read, learn, and experience.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Issue #259, 24th June 2025
What kinds of questions did you ask today in your conversations? Parents, students, teachers? There are some tips for each of us about asking effective and non-effective questions. Here’s a quick check on your own style:
Parent:
Student:
Teacher:
This is a free newsletter. If you like my content, please subscribe by entering your email address here.
Three Images of the Week



Two Thoughts of the Week
When you ask questions, you send your constituents on mental journeys. – James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
Computers are useless, they only give you answers. – Picasso
One Video of the Week
The key to deeply connecting with others is about more than just talking — it’s about asking the right kinds of questions, says journalist and author Charles Duhigg. He explores research-backed tools to have more meaningful conversations, sharing a simple yet powerful approach to transform how you communicate.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Signs help solve problems:
What’s the purpose of signs, let’s get started by getting your class to think about what would happen if there were no signs. Joan Holub’s picture book Runaway Signs (2020) is a humorous take on just such a scenario. When the signs take a vacation, there is chaos everywhere. No one knows where it is safe to cross the street, where the library is, when the stores are open and even the road crew can’t find where to do their road work. Predictably the only sign that won’t take a break is CAUTION! Let’s set up the same concept by asking our students what would happen in your school if all the signs went on vacation or there were no signs. Students have to all memorize where the gym, learning center and health office are but about a visitor or new student?
It makes sense to have your students dig deeper in a new genre before we ask them to write in it. And this is easy to do right away as schools are full of signs. Go on a sign walk; explore your classroom hallway or school with your class to notice signs. Because sign makers anticipate questions, help your students to figure out which question each sign answers. You could help them start by listing the following.
· Signs for room names or supply labels answer: What is this?
· Signs with school rules or classroom norms answer: How are people supposed to act here?
· Signs like EXIT or Keep Right on the Stairs answer: Where do I go?
· Signs like Family/Teacher Conferences next week and Poetry Breakfast on Monday answer: What special event is coming and when will it happen?
Once your students begin to notice signs, you can help them dig deeper and identify both the purpose of each sign and how the message is conveyed. Ask questions like, “Are the signs long or short?” or What symbols or pictures do they use”? By now they will be ready to sort signs into the types of signage described next.
Happy Reading!!
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian reading guide
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
Article 3 -Careers in Transportation, Logistics, and Distribution
Transportation occurs through various modes, including roadways, pipelines, air, rail, and waterways. Individuals in these roles are responsible for planning, managing, and executing the movement of people and goods. Professionals in this field include pilots, air traffic controllers, automotive technicians, bus drivers, and ship captains. They are also involved in the maintenance and repair of vehicles and transportation systems.
Career pathways in this sector include Logistics Planning and Management, Sales and Service, Transportation Operations, and Warehousing and Distribution.
International Job Roles & Average Salary per annum
| Airline Pilots, Co-pilots & Flight Engineers $200k | Air Traffic Controllers $ 125k | Commercial Pilots$115k |
| Captains, Mates & Pilots of Water Vessels$100k | Ship Engineers$95k | Logisticians$80k |
| Logistics Engineers$80k | Logistics Analysts$80k | Locomotive Engineers$75k |
| Aircraft Mechanics & Service Technicians$70k | Avionics Technician$70k | Electrical, Electronics Installers & Repairers, Transport Equipment$70k |
| Gas Compressors & Gas Pumping Station Operators$67K | First Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers& Material Movers$60k | Flight Attendants$63k |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor$60k | Rail Car Repairers$60k | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics$57k |
| Sailors & Marine Oilers$57k | Airfield Operations Specialist$55k | Bus & Truck Mechanics & Diesel Engine Specialist$55k |
| Automotive Service Technicians & Mechanics $50k | Heavy & Tractor Trailer Truck Drivers$50k | Bus Drivers, Transit & Intercity$50k |
| Cargo & Freight Agents$48k | Freight Forwarders$48k | Motorboat Operators$45k |
| Automotive Glass Installers & Repairers$40k | Billing & Posting Clerks$42k | Bridge & Lock Tenders$45k |
| Ambulance Drivers & Attendants$ 30k | Automotive & Watercraft Attendants$30k |
What Employers Look For
| Attitude | Skills | Knowledge |
| Adaptable | Active Listening & Speaking | High School Diploma |
| Customer Centric | Oral Expression | Degree |
| Public Safety & Security | Problem Solving | Vocational Qualification |
| Analytical |
The career counselors at Fermat specialize in Profile Building and College Essays. More about us on www.fermataco.com
Dear reader,
I work with the school leadership team as an advisor and collaborate with teachers as a pedagogical trainer. I also help parents as a parenting counselor and regularly engage one-on-one with students as a personal guide and mentor. This weekly newsletter shares what I read, learn, and experience.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Issue #267, 10th June 2025
“When a lesson fails or students struggle, do I see it as a problem to solve or a reason to give up?” This reveals whether as a teacher you view setbacks as learning opportunities or personal failures, which directly impacts your resilience in the classroom.
“When my child faces disappointment or failure, do I rush to fix it for them or help them work through it?” This shows whether as a parent you’re building their resilience or inadvertently weakening it by removing all obstacles.
“When something gets difficult, is my first instinct to quit or to try a different approach?” This indicates whether as a student you’ve developed the persistence needed for long-term learning and growth.
Suggested here are ways to check and build your mental toughness whether you are a teacher, parent, student.
This is a free newsletter. If you like my content, please subscribe by entering your email address here.
Three Images of the Week



Two Thoughts of the Week
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson
“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” – Edmund Hillary
One Video of the Week
Joe Risser MD, MPH has been doing clinical research for over 40 years. In this insightful talk, he shares important recent findings, with examples and evidence of how anyone can improve their mental toughness. TeamHoodWorldRecords.medium.com #Grit#Plank#MentalToughness#Yoga#Clinical Research #TEDxSanDiego#TEDx#TEDxSpeaker Dr. Joe Risser is a Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego and a board-certified physician in Preventive Medicine. With over 40 years of research experience, Joe has pioneered studies on therapies, diagnostics, and behavior change strategies. He chairs the first Department of Clinical Research in one of over 15,000 community clinics in the U.S., serving vulnerable populations. Joe also holds a master’s in Biostatistics, completing his education and residencies at the University of Hawaii and UC San Diego. His lifelong passion lies in studying mental toughness, or “grit,” and its profound connection to the protein Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Joe unveils groundbreaking research on BDNF, sharing the life-saving stories of two extraordinary individuals who embody extreme mental and physical resilience. Joe reveals how anyone can strengthen their mental toughness, making a tangible difference in their lives. http://teamhoodworldrecords.com This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Beyond the words themselves: Adding visual cues to strengthen meaning
As we know more about the Word Stones let’s plan word stones can be an opportunity for learning about graphic design. Students can probably describe some of their favorite logos, icons and T-shirts. Ask your students about which fonts catch their eye. Which fonts might they use to convey Christmas or Diwali words? To create a mood? They probably already know that a message in all capital letters implies shouting – how might a particular font help convey the meaning of whisper on a word stone? The size of the word can also send a message; if students fill the whole space of a stone with words “large” and “tiny” that might be found in a small corner of the stone, they begin to see the artistic and symbolic power of visual literacy. Do use books featuring concrete poetry like Meow Ruff(Sidman 2006) or A Poke in the I (Jeneczko 2001) to help students get a sense of how these decisions support meaning. Color wheels, font charts and other tools of graphic design will enable your students to study all the variables that visual artists consider to grab our attention and send a message. These examples of graphic design can be found in all the graphic novels. Here is an example of Word stones with different fonts and colors.

Happy Reading!
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian, reading guide
Despite all odds…
Can’t fly a plane? Build one.
Not traveled? Become a diplomat.
Struggled in the 10th? top in 12th.
Vidya Stars – In Conversation with Nivedita: Meet Khushi, Rinkesh and Shikha. Stars of 2025 scoring well above 90% and realising their dreams despite all odds. About VIDYA, a school for children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Home
Know more about VIDYA by visiting : https://vidya-india.org/
Dear reader,
I work with the school leadership team as an advisor and collaborate with teachers as a pedagogical trainer. I also help parents as a parenting counselor and regularly engage one-on-one with students as a personal guide and mentor. This weekly newsletter shares what I read, learn, and experience.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.
Issue #256, 3rd June 2025
When children with potential fail, is it their fault? Their teacher’s or their parent’s? What could possibly be holding them back from their potential? Does high potential always translate to high achievement? What could be some of the reasons that come between potential and achievement?
Mismatched Learning Environment The teaching methods, pace, or classroom structure may not align with how the child learns best.
Emotional and Social Factors Anxiety, low self-esteem, peer pressure, or social difficulties can significantly impact academic performance. A child who fears failure might avoid challenging tasks, while another might underperform due to family stress, bullying or feeling socially isolated.
Unidentified Learning Differences Conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, and processing disorders often go unrecognized. Intelligent children may develop coping strategies that mask their struggles.
Lack of Appropriate Challenge and Engagement When schoolwork is too easy, gifted children may become bored. They may also become disengaged. These children can develop poor study habits since they’ve never had to work hard. Conversely, if suddenly faced with challenging material without proper preparation, they may encounter academic difficulty for the first time. They may lack the resilience or strategies to push through.
Perfectionism and Fear of Failure Many high-potential children develop perfectionist tendencies that become paralyzing. They may avoid taking risks, procrastinate on assignments, or become so focused on producing perfect work that they fail to complete tasks. This perfectionism often stems from always being praised for being “smart” rather than for effort and growth.
Let us give it some thought. And don’t miss the TED talk in this issue by the gifted child with ADHD diagnosis.
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Three Images of the Week



Two Thoughts of the Week
“Presuming that a nonspeaking child has nothing to say is like presuming that an adult without a car has nowhere to go.”
― Ellen Notbohm, Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew
“Embrace the unique way your child is blooming — even if it’s not in the garden you imagined.”
― Jenn Soehnlin, Embracing This Special Life
One Video of the Week
Jessica McCabe tell us the story of her life. Once a gifted child with bright future, who later lives a life of a constant failures, because one thing – her ADHD diagnosis. Until one thing changed everything and she realized, that she is not alone. Her Youtube channel HowtoADHD is dedicated to help not only people with ADHD, but also their parents, partners a teachers and to remind them, that they are not alone. Jessica is the author of popular YouTube series How to ADHD focused on educating and supporting ADHD brains around the world.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Word Gardens:
What is a Word Garden?
If you’ve played around with magnetic poetry, then you’ve already got the idea of a word garden. Imagine the words on stones, blocks of scrap wood, painted jar lids, or other materials placed in a corner of your playground, a bed of gravel, or any available space. The words might be painted, etched, or written on the stones with chalk or a marker – the result provides many options for wordplay and learning. Like magnetic poetry, students enjoy moving these words around, but word gardens invite participation far beyond the physical task. Your students can leave messages, create poetry, start a discussion, make a joke and just about everything else you can do with words. Deciding which words go together allows students to generate ideas, but they also delight in finding poetry, humor and thoughts from the words that are serendipitously next to each other, creating found poetry.
Logistics: How to make a Word Garden
The beauty of a word garden is that once you have a space, you can launch one simply by finding smooth stones, pieces of wood (sanded), metal jar lids, other smooth surfaces and a box of chalk. Because chalk is a temporary medium, it offers the benefit of allowing students to think of new words. You might keep a master list of words related to your curriculum and invite students to add more. And if it rains, they will be practicing spelling and handwriting by rewriting their favorite words! An added benefit of chalk is that it is erasable and forgiving of mistakes. Other mediums work too and are more permanent; some schools use permanent markers and others have used paint. Jar lids with a coat of paint can provide colorful backdrops for words written with bright colored markers.
We will continue further on more components of Word Gardens in upcoming weeks. Until then… Happy reading!
Happy Reading!
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian reading guide
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
Navigating the College Application Journey: 5 Ways Parents Can Empower Their Grade 12 Child
Grade 12 is a whirlwind of emotions, academic pressure, and big decisions, especially regarding college applications. You naturally want to help as a parent, but finding the right balance between support and overstepping can be tricky. This post offers five key tips on empowering your child to navigate this exciting yet sometimes stressful process with confidence and ownership.
It’s easy to get caught up in our own aspirations for our children but remember: your child is the one who will be attending college, not you. Encourage them to take the lead in researching institutions and developing their college list.
While fostering ownership is crucial, providing guidance on creating a realistic list is equally important. A well-rounded college list typically includes a mix of ‘reach,’ ‘target,’ and ‘safety’ colleges.
Encourage your child to think about their passions, strengths, and what subjects genuinely excite them. The goal here is to help them identify areas of study that spark their curiosity.
For some students, the specific course or program they want to study is paramount, while for others, the prestige or reputation of the college holds more weight. This can be a point of discussion and gentle guidance.
The college application process is emotionally charged. Your child will experience moments of excitement, frustration, anxiety, and perhaps even rejection. Your emotional support is invaluable.
The career counselors at Fermat specialize in Profile Building and College Essays. More about us on www.fermataco.com
In Conversation with Nivedita
He leads one of the best-known day schools in India. A school that is known for its amazing confluence of an International curriculum, local context, and sustainable design. A school that is decades old and yet, at the frontiers in not just digital learning for its own school community but in supporting other schools as well – modeling it themselves while leading and handholding other institutions.
In the historical town of Jodhpur that is steeped in heritage and culture, there is a quiet revolution going on in school education. At the helm of it is Vaibhav Doshi. An engineer by education and an educator by passion. Vaibhav, along with his sister Archita Tatia are the torch bearers who are showing by doing and sharing their vision and learning with the community of schools and school leadership teams. True to the name of the school, they are the Alma Mater. https://www.almamater.education/
Dear reader,
I work with the school leadership team as an advisor and collaborate with teachers as a pedagogical trainer. I also help parents as a parenting counselor and regularly engage one-on-one with students as a personal guide and mentor. This weekly newsletter shares what I read, learn, and experience.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.