Watch the transformation testimonial of this fearless communicator Rithvik Krishna, a Class 6 student from MCC Matriculation School. He wasn’t the same about 3 years ago. He was shy, had low self-esteem and was not welcomed by his classmates. Today Rithvik is the ‘Class Monitor’ and a role model for his fellow students.

Marooned on the sofa, transfixed to the screen, playing, twitching and punching as she furiously pushed the buttons, Hiba could not peel her eyes from the smartphone. Video games had invaded her life and weren’t leaving. Gaming is not kid’s play. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently added gaming disorder to its latest draft of the International Classification of Diseases, a highly regarded compendium of medical conditions.

Have you ever seen a child hunched over a book, giggling all by themselves? When you look closely, you’ll notice the expression of their feelings while reading – smiles during funny parts or frowns and tension during the exciting and anxious parts. I think it is a clear indication of reading and comprehending.

Writing is more than just putting words on paper. It is an important stage in communication. As parents we tend to forget that writing is a complex cognitive task. It requires putting to use a variety of mentally and physically demanding skills all at once.

School can be a strange and uncertain environment to parents whose primary language is other than English. Though unable to bridge language barriers, parents feel the need to be part of a system which socializes their children. For many, education is viewed as their family’s path to success. Like parents everywhere, Krishna’s parents also wanted him to do well, yet felt uncertain about a language and culture that was different from their own.