Riya (Fictional name) was the kind of bright, diligent student every teacher admired - attentive, polite, disciplined. But when she entered grade 10, her spark faded. Her answers shortened, her laughter grew rare. The hand that always shot up much higher than that of others now rested quietly on her desk.
Her class teacher noticed it. When asked gently if she was feeling unwell, she initially hesitated, then whispered, "I'm just tired, Ma’am".
It wasn't physical tiredness, but emotional exhaustion. Emotions act as inner signals-joy, sadness, anger, or curiosity reveal needs and values. This emotional compass helps us navigate life's ups and downs.
The Invisible Connection Between Mental Health and Academic Success
When a student struggles with behaviour, use a language that focuses on the impact and the repair rather than judgment.
Instead of asking, "Why did you come late?" ask, "What made you come late? This shifts the focus from punishment to self-reflection and future planning.
In education, sometimes, we tend to separate academic achievement and emotional well-being. But they are in fact deeply intertwined. A student’s mental state determines how effectively he /she learns, remembers, and performs.
Research shows that emotions have a great influence on the formation of memories and their quality. Emotional intelligence has profound implications for mental health and overall psychological well-being. Individuals with high levels of EI are generally better equipped to cope with stressors and challenges that life presents.
A calm mind learns faster than an anxious one.
A confident learner takes risks, asks questions, and explores. A stressed learner retreats, memorises mechanically, and fears mistakes.
Teacher as an emotional compass reader
A teacher who serves as a compass reader in the classroom plays a pivotal role in guiding both the emotional and learning journeys of the students. The teacher helps them to navigate challenges, uncertainties, and shifts in their emotional states. Students absorb knowledge best in environments where they feel safe, valued, and supported.
The Silent Struggles in Today’s Classrooms
Every classroom holds a quiet spectrum of emotions. The perfectionist who burns the midnight oil, the quiet child who never raises her hand, the teenager who scrolls through social media, and has little interest in academics. It is a tough task for the teacher to deal with this diversity.
Read more about - Creating Thinking Classrooms
In India, academic pressure is among the top causes of student anxiety. It is complex in the sense that the impact of peer comparison, digital overload, and parental expectations takes its toll on the young teenager. The student moves from one coaching class to another to get more marks, and there is no ME time left.
We measure success in grades and forget the aptitude of the child, and pressure them to perform.
Rethinking What Excellence Means
When students are emotionally grounded, their capacity to focus, analyse, and innovate multiplies. When they are emotionally burdened, this bandwidth narrows. We often equate excellence with marks, medals, and ranks.
If the school culture prioritises wellbeing, the teachers show empathy and create psychological safety, and students begin to focus on learning. This thinking is extended to the parents as well. A student or a child who feels cared for works not out of fear of punishment, but out of pride in his / her growth. That shift changes everything.
What Schools and Teachers Can Do
Creating a mentally healthy learning environment does not require elaborate programs - it begins with human connection.
Here are a few simple, effective approaches:
- Start with empathy.
- Encourage expression.
- Normalize struggle.
Remind students that mistakes are not failures but steps in learning. Replace “What went wrong?” with “What did we learn?”
- Integrate mindfulness and movement in the class to refocus and energise.
- Introduce Peer support programs.
Empower older students to mentor younger ones, building a community of care and shared responsibility.
- Teacher well-being is crucial.
Mentally healthy teachers create mentally healthy classrooms. Educators, too, need time, reflection, and recognition.
Read More about - How can teachers set an example for inculcating a sense of responsibility in kids?
In my years as a Principal, I have discovered that a kind word often did what a strict rule could not. The students who thrived most were not necessarily the most talented — they were the ones who felt understood.
The Role of Parents: From Pressure to Presence
Unintentionally, many a parent adds to academic stress by expectations, projections, and so on. Children who grow up fearing disappointment learn to chase approval, not purpose.
Parents can nurture balance by:
- Setting realistic expectations and celebrating effort, not just outcomes.
- Listening without judgment when a child expresses fatigue or fear.
- Encouraging hobbies, rest, and social connection.
- Talking openly about mental health is a normal aspect of growth.
Parents need to accept that "Excellence is not about being the best in class; it’s about being at peace while doing your best".
Building a Culture of Care
Mental well-being must become a shared institutional value, not a one-time awareness activity.
Schools can:
- Integrate socio-emotional learning (SEL) into curricula.
- Train teachers to identify early signs of distress.
- Ensure access to counsellors and peer mentors.
- Host workshops on time management, resilience, and positive mindset.
The Way Forward: From Marks to Meaning
Riya eventually got her rhythm back. With gentle encouragement, she opened up, gradually sought help, and began to rebuild her confidence. Her laughter returned, her curiosity rekindled. She got her confidence back, and her grades got better.
Her story is not extraordinary. It is a reminder that learning happens best when the learner feels relaxed, at peace, and happy. Holistic education, as mentioned in NEP 2020, is not just about learning academic subjects. It is about developing a holistic personality that includes ethical, moral, spiritual, and Social development.
In Conclusion, Mental health is the foundation on which true education stands.
We must first raise emotionally balanced human beings who value learning more than grades. Let's build classrooms where joy is as valued as achievement, where empathy is a learning outcome, and where every child feels seen and heard. Let's make a beginning.
To end, a quote, "The sun himself is weak when he first rises, and gathers strength and courage as the day gets on". - Charles Dickens
