Shalini Nair
Founder Principal
Kikani Global Academy (KGA)
Perur Coimbatore
Ms. Shalini Nair has experience in teaching and administration, spanning 14+ years. She has a Master’s Degree in English Literature and a Bachelor of Education Degree. She specialises in teaching English Language, Psychology and Career. Along with that, she has expertise in Psychological Counselling and is a trained career counsellor.
She strongly believes in collective efficacy and power of a team. An eloquent speaker and trainer, Shalini has spearheaded international programmes in partnership with various schools, pan India and abroad, on SDG projects. She recently connected her school, KGA, to a new digital journaling pilot program with 20 local elementary schools in Taiwan called, ‘Responsible Digital Citizens Program’, a part of #Envision2030 SDG Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Shalini Nair is presently the founder Principal of Kikani Global Academy, Coimbatore. She also holds the position of General Convenor in the Centre for Educational Initiatives and Research (CEIR Global) Trust, which is a forum of educational leaders.
Dear educators,
Have you, at times, had that overwhelming feeling that you can’t pull on anymore? That it is all too tedious and you need to switch off for a while? That’s a sign that we need to slow down, pause and recharge ourselves.
We all have different preferences and therefore it is good to explore different options for rejuvenating ourselves. We can try out choices that suit us: Come, let’s take a look at what different things we can do to reset ourselves.
Take a break from routine: When we immerse in mind-numbing routine we gradually lose our own creative and joyful self. Pausing for a few minutes, stepping back a little will help us reorient ourselves better. We can see the big picture clearly and then get back to our work with greater strength and focus.
Read up something: Taking time off to read up something new, exciting or even funny is the key to keeping our minds active and agile. It can be a simple article on the internet or newspaper, or a story, poem or a novel or nonfiction. Reading opens new windows for us
Pick up a new hobby: Try developing a new hobby such as collecting stamps/coins, gardening, visiting places of cultural/historical significance, learning keyboard or some musical instrument and so on. We will discover new facets of life and come out of our own small cocoon
Go beyond your subject: At times, teachers tend to get trapped in their own subject domains. It helps us to expand our horizons by learning something about related fields or even those areas not connected with our core subjects. We will develop new perspectives and add more to our learning. We will develop a sense of appreciation for many things that we have missed to learn about during our formative years.
Make new friends: There are times when we become just a member of a certain clique. While it is natural to feel safe and comfortable to be with the same set of people we are used to, it can also be detrimental to one’s personal growth. We need to actively seek out new connections and expand our social circle
Meditation: A calm mind is necessary to face and conquer everyday challenges of life. In simple terms, meditation is switching off the mind from everything while remaining conscious. Medically it has been proved that meditation results in a lot of health benefits. As we become more and more tranquil internally, we become more vibrant in our engagements externally.
Finally, a word: How particular are we about recharging our mobiles? Despite round-the-clock engagements of myriad nature, we see to it our mobiles get charged up and have sufficient energy level for optimum use. Now the question arises: do we charge up ourselves the same way? With the same frequency and intensity? When we can be so particular and caring about our mobiles, why can’t we show a similar consideration to our own selves? Isn’t it a priority? Unless we recharge ourselves at regular intervals, how can we perform at our optimum best? So, let’s make a resolve to renew ourselves every now and then to lead a life of purpose and joy.