Beyond Words

  8 classroom activities to teach your students how to approach challenge and pressure with positivity In this article I will explain how these 8 simple activities, if included in your lessons, can help your students develop long-term strategies to cope with challenge and pressure. Let’s see how we can develop positivity and a proactive approach to pressure in our students.   The past 2 years forced educators to look further afield for different tools to engage and support students. I took inspiration from Terry Orlick’s work “In Pursuit of Excellence”: Terry Orlick is an internationally acclaimed sport psychologist, who helped hundreds of Olympic and professional athletes maximise their performances and achieve their goals. Why is mindset for learning important? Mental skills help students when facing challenges like learning new things or performing under pressure during an exam. All students are required to learn a set of knowledge during their studies; including ...

Becoming a stepmom at 43 was a life-changing experience, bringing with it a whirlwind of joy, nervousness, and countless questions. I remember meeting my two stepdaughters, Nour, then 14, and Ganna, 11, in Cairo after their father proposed to me. I was so eager to connect with them but also worried—Would they like me? Would I fit into their world? That trip to Makadi Bay marked the beginning of our journey together as ONE FAMILY , a diverse unit blending four nationalities, three languages, and two religions. Navigating this new family dynamic taught us all invaluable lessons in adaptability, empathy, and resilience—skills that I see now as vital “ soft skills ” for life. Embracing Adaptability When I joined their lives, Nour and Ganna welcomed me with warm smiles and open arms. As we adjusted to each other, we all learned to let go of assumptions and adapt to new family rules and routines. This flexibility allowed us to thrive as a blended family, showing me the power of adaptability....