Nivedita Mukerjee
Education consultancy for parents and schools
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
Issue #267, 19th August 2025
Can we look for evidence of growing efficiency, independence, and transferable understanding rather than just effort or time invested?
Student: “Am I getting better results with the same or less effort over time?”
If you’re working smart, you should notice that studying becomes more efficient – you retain information faster, understand concepts more deeply, and perform better on tests without necessarily spending more hours. If you’re just working hard, you might be putting in long hours but not seeing proportional improvements.
Parent: “Is my child developing independent problem-solving skills, or do they need constant help?”
A child working smart will gradually need less guidance and start finding their own effective strategies. A child just working hard might be putting in effort but still struggling with the same issues repeatedly, suggesting they need better methods rather than more time.
Teacher: “Are my students able to transfer what they’ve learned to new situations?”
Students working smart don’t just memorize – they understand underlying principles and can apply knowledge flexibly. If students can only repeat what you’ve taught in the exact same context, they may be working hard at memorization but not working smart at truly understanding.
Keep reading to find more insights on working hard and/or smart.
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
“Stars do not pull each other down to be more visible; they shine brighter.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo
“Those who work hard, work alone.
Those who work smart, work as a team.”
― Utibe Samuel Mbom
One Video of the Week
Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good — even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff analyzes the roots of this belief and suggests a shift towards a more meaningful way to think about effort, rather than admiring work for work’s sake.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
The Long Run: Reading Journey Stages: Birth to 6-month Book Behaviour
Beyond verbal communication, a lot of language development goes on through gestures, facial expressions and even eye gaze. Infants pay a lot of attention to and learn from what they see, including what they see you looking at. Evidence suggests that babies start following their caregiver’s gaze between 2 and 4 months old and evidence shows that they tend to learn more with gaze cues than without them. Even though they won’t be able to read the words, include books from day one to get yourself into a routine of talking and reading to your baby. By 6 months old, they can enjoy hearing and physically exploring books. Board or vinyl books with limited text and unadorned illustrations provide the right fit visual and tactile stimulation your infant needs. Books with poems and nursery rhymes too regardless of illustrations, make it easy to use your voice in a way that will please little ears.
Start sharing books with your baby and begin discovering what they like best. Every baby is different and yes, they have preferences. It’s fun to see their reactions reaching for the pages, pushing books away even falling asleep when uninterested. From the get-go your baby is driving their own learning by following their interests and gathering information. Isn’t that incredible?
Even some books make it easier to support your child where they are now, don’t stress about picking the “perfect” first books. There are none. Even the research shows your choice of books is not as important as making the choice to read to your baby on a regular basis. So, choosing books YOU enjoy is powerful too.
Judge books by their shortness and sweetness at this age, not their literary merits. You’re likely to hold your infant’s attention on a book for only a minute or two, so you might as well make it a fun complex experience by picking a book that delivers language and visual interest fast. And here is a tip for reading to your toddler: “Quit before they get restless. You end at the crest of the wave”.
Book Behaviour:
· Looks at books
· Grasps books without using thumb
· Sees print and images on pages
· Prefers to look at higher contrast images and human faces
Happy reading!
Meenu Gera, Consulting home and school librarian reading guide.
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
Media and Communication Hub
Do you know?
5 reasons for Los Angeles (Hollywood) and New York City being regarded as the media and communication capital of the world:
- Hollywood is the Global Entertainment Hub, home to major studios as Disney, Warner Bros, Universal, and Sony Pictures.
- New York City is a media and publishing powerhouse with headquarters for major global media conglomerates, including The New York Times, Bloomberg, CBS, CNN, and others.
- The US is home to some of the largest communication platforms, including Meta, Google, X, Netflix, Spotify, and Apple’s media services.
- New York City is a global center for the advertising and public relations industry.
- Global cultural influence is exerted through American media, films, TV shows, and music, which are consumed worldwide, shaping global culture, politics, and social discourse.
Other Significant media centers:
- London, UK: Major in global news (BBC, Reuters), publishing, and media.
- Mumbai, India: Bollywood is one of the largest film industries in terms of volume.
- Seoul, South Korea: Global influence in K-pop, digital media, and entertainment
- Tokyo, Japan: Animation (anime), gaming, and pop culture
Top universities for an undergraduate major in Media and Communication Studies:
- University of Southern California, USA
- London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
- University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
- New York University, USA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
- University of Texas at Austin, USA
- Stanford University, USA
- University of Pennsylvania, USA
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
- Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
- Boston University, USA
- University of Toronto, Canada
- Carleton University, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Canada
- McGill University, Canada
- Pennsylvania State University, USA
- Michigan State University, USA
- Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Top Media and Communication colleges in India
- Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai
- Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media, Bangalore
- Asian College of Journalism, Chennai
- Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
- Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
Issue #266, 12th August 2025
Anticipating a difficult conversation?
The most common pitfalls include teachers getting caught up in power dynamics. Parents often react emotionally. Students approach conversations reactively rather than strategically. Here is a question for you to ask yourself that is likely to help you engage more meaningfully.
For Teachers: “Am I approaching this conversation with the goal of understanding and solving the problem together, or am I primarily focused on being right or asserting my authority?” This helps teachers check whether they’re in a collaborative mindset that will lead to productive outcomes.
For Parents: “Can I stay calm and curious if my child says something that surprises, disappoints, or upsets me?” This question helps parents assess their emotional readiness to truly listen rather than react defensively or with immediate judgment.
For Students: “Do I know specifically what I want to achieve from this conversation, and can I explain my perspective without blaming others?” This helps students focus on constructive communication rather than just venting frustration, making it more likely the conversation will lead to positive change.
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
“The single most important thing [you can do] is to shift [your] internal stance from “I understand” to “Help me understand.” Everything else follows from that. . . .
Remind yourself that if you think you already understand how someone feels or what they are trying to say, it is a delusion. Remember a time when you were sure you were right and then discovered one little fact that changed everything. There is always more to learn.”
― Douglas Stone, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
The stronger person is not the one making the most noise but the one who can quietly direct the conversation toward defining and solving problems. — Aaron T. Beck
One Video of the Week
What stops you from speaking up when it matters most? Healthcare leader Sarah Crawford-Bohl offers a practical, compassionate framework to have difficult conversations with clarity and heart — and shows how it can lead to stronger teams and real impact.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
How to Nurture Reading : Their Age and Stage
In today’s article let’s explore the road to reading from a child’s perspective, from infancy through early elementary school. The best instructors are always attuned to what the student sees and understands, so that they can patiently guide them toward greater skill and knowledge.
We all know that babies cannot read. It’s not even something parents or guardians should aspire to, let alone try to teach, despite the bogus claims of some products and the wishful thinking of the parents who buy them. The path to reading unfolds over the course of years, not months and trying to shortcut the process can misdirect you from providing the critical early support and guidance that are shown to predict later reading achievement and school success.
Reading is making sense of print at a glance. It’s accessing the sound of words from letters and grasping words meaning to – the people, places, things and concepts they are meant to represent. There’s no evidence that babies can do that. At ALL. The parent’s job in the beginning is not to teach reading but to nurture its long-term development through active attention, book sharing and caring conversation. Think of these as your own ABCs. Do them thoughtfully and consistently from the start, you will create a rich early-language environment in which your child’s reading can bloom. No flash cards, computer screens or baby curriculum required. Just your thoughtful and meaningful conversations!
Happy reading!
Meenu Gera, Consulting home and school librarian reading guide.
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
ENGINEERING HUB
Do you know?
5 Reasons for Germany being referred to as the Engineering capital of the world:
- World-class engineering expertise
- Home to top engineering global brands like BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Porsche, Siemens, Bosch, and more
- Excellence in education and R&D: Germany’s dual education system is structured to create a highly skilled engineering workforce
- ‘Made in Germany’ – a hallmark of technical reliability, precision, and quality worldwide
- Leadership in Industrial Technology
Other strong engineering nations are the USA, Japan, China, and South Korea.
Top universities in Germany to study engineering:
- Technical University of Munich, Germany
- RWTH Aachen, Germany
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
- Technical University of Berlin, Germany
- TU Dresden, Germany
Top universities globally to study engineering:
- Harvard University, USA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
- Stanford University, USA
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
- California Institute of Technology, USA
- Princeton University, USA
- University of Oxford, UK
- University of Cambridge, UK
- University of Waterloo, Canada
- University of Toronto, Canada
- National University of Singapore
Top universities in India to study engineering:
- IITs
- NIT Trichy
- VIT Vellore
- IISc Bangalore (top research-driven STEM university)
- BITS Pilani
- Delhi Technological University
- Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology
- Jamia Millia Islamia
Plaksha University, Mohali, is a new-age, pioneering institution offering BTech programs in four core areas, designed to develop engineering minds equipped with entrepreneurial skills.
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.fermata.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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
Issue #265, 5th August 2025
“How do I respond when my original plan doesn’t work?”
This single question cuts to the heart of adaptability because it reveals whether someone sees obstacles as dead ends or as signals to try a different approach. An adaptable person’s answer typically involves words like “I look for alternatives,” “I ask for help,” “I try a different method,” or “I step back and reassess.”
Someone who struggles with adaptability might answer with responses like “I get frustrated and give up,” “I keep doing the same thing harder,” or “I blame external circumstances.”
Go on ask it to yourself.
This question works well for students facing academic challenges, parents navigating parenting situations that don’t go as expected, and teachers dealing with lesson plans that aren’t landing with their students.
Here are some ideas that you might want to give a thought about.
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
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
― Leon C. Megginson
“If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.”
― Jeff Bezos
One Video of the Week
When venture investor Natalie Fratto is determining which start-up founder to support, she doesn’t just look for intelligence or charisma; she looks for adaptability. In this insightful talk, Fratto shares three ways to measure your “adaptability quotient” — and shows why your ability to respond to change really matters.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Literacy Lever: Budgeting
As we continue talking about the levers of reading this week it’s important to do budgeting for your child’s literacy journey. Money talks. Or, in this case, money can pay people to talk with, assess, read to, teach and support your child. We should not over burden our children with so many activities. And sometimes it’s important to say no, plainly no so we understand it’s among our options. We do see when children enter elementary schools, and it is shocking to see how parents pay tutors just to have repeat reading lessons over the summer. Joyous reading with your child’s willingness to read should be a way to do it but not forcing them to do so. It is important to invest in an educator who can be a guide, a mentor and a guru to elevate a child’s literacy interests. I think we should focus on free and inexpensive ways to nurture reading; I’m a huge fan of the free books and programming that libraries provide.
Literacy spending may deserve a place among the priorities, but it has to be done wisely. Financial investment in learning evaluations, educational experiences, private schools, and high-quality childcare are all major factors driving better literacy outcomes for many of us. And don’t discount smaller everyday purchases like books, field trips and after-school activities. They also contribute to the richness of a kid’s vocabulary, background knowledge and enthusiasm for learning.
Happy reading!
Meenu Gera, Consulting home and school librarian reading guide.
Showcase: Thrive Beyond School – A unique STEAM education project for very young learners.
Children explored honey badger adaptations through the Zoom-In Thinking Routine and matched animal traits to everyday materials. They made thoughtful comparisons—for example, raincoat fabric was linked to the honey badger’s tough skin, and scissors were linked to its sharp claws. During a treasure hunt, they searched for classroom items (like a fork, bottle, and honey) that represented different honey badger traits and shared their reasoning.
In group discussions, children reflected that adaptations help animals survive by keeping them safe and helping them find food. Some said they would love to have night vision or tough skin like a honey badger.
The following day, children recalled key traits such as sharp claws, a strong sense of smell, and bravery. They created honey badger crafts using textured materials. Samyuktha spoke about bees, and Havishka built a forest model. They labeled body parts and used tools to test materials for strength, stretchiness, and toughness. The session wrapped up with a quiz and thinking questions where they confidently shared their ideas.
Samyuktha & Havishka – 7 years 3 months
Neev, Mayra & Tashi – 6 years 11 months
Tara – 5 years 11 months
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
Business and Finance Capital of the World
Do you know?
6 reasons for the US, especially New York, being referred to as the Business and Finance capital of the world:
- Home to the largest stock exchanges – the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ
- Headquarters for global financial institutions – JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and more
- Global Influence – the US dollar remains the dominant global reserve currency
- Wall Street – A symbol of global finance
- United Nations Headquarters
- Business ecosystem
Cities like London, Hong Kong, and Singapore play critical regional roles. New York City retains the top spot globally due to its scale, influence, and financial depth.
Top 10 US universities for a major in Business and Finance:
- University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Sloan)
- New York University (Stern)
- UC Berkeley (Haas School of Business)
- Columbia University
- University of Chicago (Booth)
- University of Michigan (Ross)
- Northwestern University (Kellogg)
Top universities in the UK for a major in Business and Finance:
- London School of Economics
- University of Cambridge (Judge)
- University of Oxford (Said)
- Imperial College London
- University of Warwick (WBS)
Top universities in Canada for a major in Business and Finance:
- University of Toronto (Rotman)
- University of British Columbia (Sauder)
- McGill University (Desautels)
- Western University (Ivey)
Top universities in Asia for a major in Business & Finance:
- National University of Singapore(NUS Business School)
- Nangyang Technological University (Nangyang Business School)
- HKUST Business School
- The University of Hong Kong (HKU Business School)
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
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.
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
“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:
- Home to Major International Aviation Organizations: Like the
- Headquarters to the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO
- Headquarters to the International Air Transport Association, IATA
- World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA
- Thriving Aerospace Industry: Montreal has one of the largest aerospace clusters globally.
- Research and Innovation: Montreal is a hub for R&D in aerospace, with collaborations among companies, governments, and universities.
- Educational Leadership: Montreal offers specialized programs in aviation, aerospace engineering, and air transport management, producing highly skilled graduates.
- Strategic Location and Infrastructure: As a North American gateway, Montreal efficiently connects Europe and America.
Top 4 Aviation Colleges in Canada
- University of Waterloo
- Seneca Polytechnic
- British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Mount Royal University
Top 8 Aviation Colleges
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, USA
- Purdue University, USA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, USA
- University of Oxford, UK
- Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
- Stanford University, USA
- RMIT University, Australia
- Cranfield University, UK
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
Issue #263, 22nd July 2025
“Am I solving the problem I think I should solve, or the problem I actually need to solve?”
When you find yourself giving answers like “that’s not how it’s done,” “people like me don’t do that,” or “that would never work,” you’re likely bumping against the walls of your current box. The barriers you’re breaking are often mental ones that existed long before any external obstacles appeared.
So what are the barriers you are breaking for yourself and for your child/student as a parent/educator?
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
“The rooms to explore are not limited only to the ones on planet earth. Don’t be afraid to also explore the spaces above, below, within, and beyond.”
― Mitta Xinindlu
“Traditions are just peer pressure from dead people.”
― Eliot Schrefer
One Video of the Week
What can’t Candace Parker do? A two-time NCAA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time WNBA champion, Parker knows what it takes to fight for your dreams. In this inspiring talk, she shares what she’s learned during a career spent not accepting limits — and how her daughter taught her the best lesson of all. “Barrier breaking is about not staying in your lane and not being something that the world expects you to be,” she says. “It’s about not accepting limitations.”
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Let’s discuss the third lever for Literacy.
Teaching: As educators or even as parents we need to teach reading, not just model it, because (unlike with spoken language) most kids don’t learn to read well without intentional, direct instruction – which many of us are ill-equipped to do so. A lot of times we do see low reading achievement scores among our students and to solve that problem is more gradual and integrated than typical reading instructions. We know that our students have to learn words, so we all get a list of words or stare at them and ask them to memorize these words. A better approach would be to give them multifaceted experience with same word family spellings, pronunciation and meaning. It takes knowledge of all three (preferably in contexts kids care about, like conversation, books they’re reading, even shows they are watching) to make a word stick in memory.
Effectiveness comes with matching the lesson with these words to the child and the moment. Even pull-out vocabulary words on the topic your students are learning in class. This would be helpful to understand the topic and they can relate to it. Depending on their age, stage and interests you could be teaching through song or play, reading or writing or talking and listening.
When teaching, give your students a preview of the insight you’re about to share, so they know what to look and listen for, talk out your thought process step by step and then sum up your point.
The teaching of reading is too important, so let’s learn ourselves and pass it on to our students.
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian reading guide
Career assessment, guidance, and placement strategies:
Careers in Science, Tech, Engineering & Mathematics
Individuals in these professions engage in scientific exploration and research, working in both laboratory and outdoor environments. They take on roles as scientists, mathematicians, technologists, and engineers, with some focusing on testing and support services. Possible career paths within this field include Engineering, Physical Sciences, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Health, Safety, and Environmental Management.
| Astronomer | Atmospheric & Space Scientist | Physicist |
| Aerospace Engineer | Architectural & Engineering Manager | Electrical Engineer |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | Electronics Engineer | Energy Engineer |
| Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineer | Fuel Cell Engineer | Health & Safety Engineer |
| Industrial Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | Marine Engineer |
| Material Engineer | Chemical Engineer | Mechanical Engineer |
| Microsystems Engineer | Automotive Engineer | Geological Engineer |
| Nanosystems Engineer | Nuclear Engineer | Photonics Engineer |
| Quality Control Analyst | Robotics Engineer | Solar Energy Systems Engineer |
| Environmental Economist | Environment Restoration Planner | Environment Scientist & Specialist |
| Mathematician | Biostatistician | Remote Sensing Technologist |
| Statistician | Ergonomist | Geographer |
| Economist | Industrial Ecologist | Precision Agriculture Technician |
| Cartographers & Photogrammetrist | Climate Change Policy Analyst | Conservation Scientist |
| Anthropologists & Archaeologist | Geoscientist | Hydrologist |
| Biofuels Technology & Product Development Managers | Clinical Data Manager | Molecular & Cellular Biologist |
| Biochemist & Biophysicist | Biologist | Geneticist |
| Microbiologist | Chemist | Material Scientist |
| Bioinformatics Scientist | Zoologist & Wildlife Biologist | Park naturalist |
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.
The children explored how animals adapt to survive in extreme environments, focusing on the fascinating case of the silver ant. Through the story of Sammy the Silver Ant, they learned that his shiny silver coat helps him reflect sunlight and stay cool in the hot desert. To understand this adaptation better, the teacher led an engaging activity using black paper, white paper, and foil under a lamp. The children used their hands to feel the heat difference and magnifying glasses to observe the surface textures. They discovered that black paper absorbs more heat and gets hotter, while shiny and white surfaces reflect sunlight and stay cooler. To apply this understanding, the children built mini shelters for Sammy using recycled materials such as white and brown paper and a foil roof.
This helped them explore how reflective materials can keep things cool just like Sammy’s coat. During the group reflection, Samyuktha (7 years 3 months), Tashi, Neev, and Mayra (6 years 11 months), and Tara (5 years 9 months) shared.
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
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:
- Effective: “What was the most challenging part of your math homework today, and how did you work through it?”
- Non-effective: “Did you do your homework?”
Student:
- Effective: “I’m struggling with how photosynthesis connects to cellular respiration – could you help me understand the relationship between these two processes?”
- Non-effective: “I don’t get this. Can you just tell me the answer?”
Teacher:
- Effective: “What patterns do you notice in these historical events, and what might have caused them to unfold similarly?”
- Non-effective: “Who can tell me what happened in 1776?”
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.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
Issue #258, 17th June 2025
Where does your child/student play? how much time in your school timetable/home-weekend routine is allocated for outdoor, free, unstructured play? Is the playground natural/nature based or sterile, rubber and metal structure? Last week celebrated international day of play, where did your child/student play?
Here are three natural, easy, and affordable features you can add to create a nature-based playground:
Log Balance Beams and Stepping Stones using fallen tree logs or large rocks arranged at ground level for balance challenges. Simply place them strategically to create paths, balance beams, or stepping stone patterns. They develop gross motor skills and spatial awareness naturally.
Digging and Sand Play Area by designating a section for digging with basic tools like small shovels and buckets. Kids can dig, build, and explore textures while developing fine motor skills and creativity. This connects them directly with earth elements and costs very little beyond the initial setup.
Natural Climbing Structure by creating climbing opportunities using sturdy tree branches, large rocks, or a simple mound of dirt covered with grass. Alternatively, pile up logs or rocks to form climbing challenges. This builds strength, coordination, and problem-solving skills while keeping children engaged with natural materials.
The idea is to encourage unstructured play, connect children with nature, which can be implemented with minimal cost using locally available materials. They also require little maintenance once established and blend naturally into the landscape.
Happy International Day of Play!
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
“Children engage in [free] play because they enjoy it – it’s self-directed. They do not play for rewards; they enjoy the doing, not the end result. Once they get bored, they go on to do something else – and continue to learn and grow.” – Sheila G. Flaxman
“In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
One Video of the Week
Designing playgrounds for happier, healthier kids | Sarah Werner Konradi | TEDxMileHigh
Imagine a playground. You’re probably thinking of hard plastic and rubber, right? Modern playgrounds are boring and sterile and have so little to offer for child development. Landscape architect Sarah Werner Konradi has a better idea. Sarah Konradi is a landscape architect working at the intersection of design, conservation, and health.
As Program Director of the National Wildlife Federation’s Early Childhood Health Outdoors program, Sarah works with underserved communities to re-envision outdoor spaces used by children and families, creating playgrounds that support child development and connection to the natural world.
Sarah lives with her German husband, 9-year-old son, and a cat named Chuck Norris. She is an amateur meteorologist, obsessively following the weather forecast.
Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week
Show Us a Sign:
Why Study Signage?
Signs play a vital role in our daily lives. Even before students can read words, they know that octagonal red signs mean stop. We teach children waiting to cross the street to look for the white or green walking figure as their cue to step into the crosswalk. Do they wonder what happened in your neighborhood before they lived there? Historic markers provide details that help us connect the present with the past. Maps help us get where we want to go. From the time we are young, signs are a part of our visual landscape and help us mediate our daily lives. In fact, they signal to us where to go, what to do when something will happen, and help us develop a deeper understanding of an event or place. Creating signage requires our young writers to consider audience, purpose and voice, and make decisions about using tools of visual literacy such as icons, arrows, bullets, maps and other types of graphic design elements to communicate effectively and efficiently. Since many of these are already a part of the literacy curriculum, making signs provides an engaging opportunity to apply these writing techniques in authentic ways. Studying signage as a genre requires readers to figure out the message created by a combination of words and images. It’s also a great way for young writers to use short text to problem solve about purpose and think carefully about ways to reach their audience. Because signs are relatively short, involve graphic elements and images and are used for authentic purposes in familiar settings, studying and creating signs offers multiple entry points for students. Not only will making signs provide students with new literacy experiences, doing so will also empower them to contribute to their school community in authentic and significant ways.
Happy Reading and stay tuned until next week to know more about how signs can solve problems!
Meenu Gera
Consulting home and school librarian reading guide
Despite all odds…
(posting it again in this week’s newsletter from last week as many of the readers could not access it)
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.
Nivedita Mukerjee 