Author: Ahmad Amirali

I’m Ahmad Amirali, a K–12 classroom teacher, mentor, and educator with over 10 years of experience guiding students and supporting fellow teachers. Through my blog, Think Chalk, I share reflections, research, and dialogues on the evolving world of education. My focus lies in adolescent development, emotional intelligence, and the growing influence of AI in classrooms. This space is where I explore questions, exchange ideas, and spark conversations that matter to both teachers and learners. Whether you’re an educator, parent, or simply curious about how young minds grow and adapt in a changing world, I invite you to think, reflect, and learn along with me.

Young Lives, Heavy Pressure: Listening to What Our Students Are Carrying

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Trigger warning: this post discusses suicide and self-harm. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services or a mental health helpline immediately. In Pakistan, national helplines and crisis support services are available to offer confidential support.

In recent months, we have seen a painful pattern repeating itself across Punjab: university students, bright, young people who should be building futures, are taking desperate steps or attempting to take their lives. These are not isolated tragedies; they are a mirror reflecting pressures that many families do not see clearly until it is too late. Recent reporting from Lahore and elsewhere has linked some of these incidents to academic pressure, failed relationships, and family conflicts, and universities and families alike are asking hard questions about what went wrong. (The Express Tribune, AAJ TV)

As a parent, it is natural to react with shock and guilt: ‘Kiya mein jaan sakta tha? Kiya mein pehlay qadam utha sakta tha? (Could I have known? Could I have acted sooner?) Those are painful but familiar questions. We also need to step back and look more critically at the systems surrounding our children, at what we ask of them, what schools expect, and how families respond when a child shows signs of pain. This is not about assigning blame to any single person. It’s about noticing patterns and changing them.

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Mental Health Is Not “Drama”: Why Does Even “Strong Bachay” Need Support

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Understanding Stress, Anxiety & Burnout in Our Pakistani Children: A Quiet Moment, Many Parents Will Recognise

In many Pakistani homes, the value of strength is instilled from an early age.

Rona nahin – Don’t Cry
Strong bano – Be Strong
Sab theek ho jata hai – Everything will be fine

These words are usually said with love. Parents want their children to thrive in a challenging world. But sometimes, without realising it, these same words send another message: Your feelings are not important.

When a child says, I’m tired, and we reply, Yeh koi baat hoti hai?

When a teenager says, Mujh se aur nahin ho raha, and we say, Drama band karo.

That is where the silence begins.

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Career Confusion: Science, Commerce, Arts or “Bas jo mile”

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Why teens feel lost about subject choices, fear disappointing parents, and struggle to see value beyond “doctor, engineer, CSS.”

Choosing subjects after middle school is one of those small crossroads that feels enormous when you’re living it, both for the child and the parents. In Pakistan, that crossroad often looks like a short menu: Science (pre-med/pre-engineering), Commerce (business/accounting), Arts (humanities/social sciences), or “Bas jo mile”, take whatever seat opens up. Why does a 14- or 15-year-old face such pressure and confusion? Let’s unpack the feelings behind the choices and offer a kind, practical way forward for parents and families.

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Why Do Teens Leave School? A Simple Reflection on Gender, Culture & Education in Pakistan

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Every child deserves to learn with confidence, feel safe while travelling to school, and dream about a bright future. But for many teenagers in Pakistan, especially girls living in rural areas, staying in school becomes more challenging as they grow older. When a girl drops out, her education doesn’t just pause; her opportunities, independence, and future possibilities shrink with it.

In this reflective piece, I aim to explore why many adolescent girls drop out of school and how parents, teachers, and communities can collaborate to support their continued learning.

What the numbers show and what families feel

Research from the World Bank highlights that girls in rural Pakistan face the highest dropout rates due to poverty, early marriage, unsafe travel, and lack of school facilities. Challenges and Solutions for Girls’ Education in Pakistan.

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AI, School Stress, and the New Classroom: How Technology Is Reshaping Education in Pakistan

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AI Generted Image for Think Chalk blog

In the winding corridors of our schools, whether in Karachi, Lahore, or a remote village in Sindh or Balochistan, echoes of chalk on slate and the crack of old benches still dominate the classroom. As a teacher-mentor, I often reflect on the immense pressures our children face: cramming for board exams, rote learning, large class sizes, and limited time with overworked teachers. Now, as artificial intelligence (AI) begins to infiltrate global classrooms, the question arises: Could AI transform education in Pakistan and if so, how?

In this article, I explore the promise and the perils of AI in Pakistani schools. I try to see it through the eyes of concerned parents, busy teachers, and hopeful students, rooted in South Asian realities.

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Teen Academic Burnout: A Growing Crisis We Can No Longer Ignore

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I’ve been thinking a lot about the quiet exhaustion I often notice in teenagers today, the way their shoulders slump under the invisible weight of expectations, or how their eyes lose a little of their spark as exams approach. Sometimes, when I’m mentoring students or talking to parents, I find myself asking: When did learning become so heavy for our children?

In Pakistan, where grades are tied to prestige, opportunity, and sometimes even family honour, academic pressure doesn’t just sit in school bags; it follows students into their homes, their sleep, and their identities. And whether we admit it or not, teen academic burnout has slowly become a national concern.

What Exactly Is Teen Academic Burnout?

Academic burnout is more than just being “tired of studying.” Psychologists describe it as a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by long-term academic stress (Schaufeli et al., 2002).

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Navigating the First Steps: 4 Career Challenges Students Face After Graduation

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I often look back on my school and college days with a smile, the laughter with friends, the excitement before exams, and the small victories that felt like the world to us. Many of you, whether parents or students, can probably relate to those carefree moments.

But time changes everything, priorities, definitions of success, and even what the word “memorable” means to today’s youth.

Yet, one thing remains constant across generations: the question that echoes in every young graduate’s mind, “What should I do after college?”

Some students seem to have it all figured out: career goals, timelines, and strategies. Others, however, find themselves standing at the crossroads, uncertain about which direction to take. This uncertainty often brings anxiety, especially in a world that demands both academic excellence and “real-world” experience.

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Helping Teens Breathe: Supporting Adolescent Mental and Emotional Well-Being

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I often find myself pausing at the school gates, watching groups of teenagers walk in, some laughing, some silent, some with headphones plugged in, all carrying invisible loads on their shoulders. As an educator and parent, I can’t help but wonder: What kind of world are they growing up in?

It’s a world that expects them to excel, to fit in, to stand out, and to do all of that gracefully, all before they even understand who they truly are.

In writing this reflection, I wanted to look beyond test scores and report cards, and into the hearts of adolescents navigating their mental and emotional worlds. Whether in the busy school corridors of Karachi or the diverse classrooms of London, many young people share the same quiet struggle balancing their dreams with the weight of expectations.

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The Power of Deep Curiosity: Why We Fear Asking Questions

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Questions are the fuel for learning, so why do we sometimes fear asking them?

Last week, during a class discussion on the history of pandemics, a parent joined my session to observe her child’s learning. I often welcome parents to sit in and experience how their children engage in inquiry and discussion.

After the discussion, one of my students raised his hand and asked, “Sir, in medieval times, people did cover their faces, so what made the virus spread so fast?” For many, this might have seemed like an “obvious” question. We had already discussed this point earlier in class, using COVID-19’s rapid spread in 2020 as a reference. But instead of focusing on the content, what caught my attention was the parents’ reaction, a subtle, sarcastic smile that everyone noticed, including the student who had asked.

I didn’t respond right away. Instead, I encouraged the class to answer collaboratively, allowing them to revisit their understanding and refine their explanations. Later, as the class ended, the parent thanked me for letting her observe the session. Before she left, I gently asked about her smile. She said, rather comfortably, that she thought the question had already been discussed and felt the student must not have been paying attention, in short, that it was a “stupid” question.

Her response made me pause. Was the student inattentive, or was he genuinely curious to make sense of something in his own way? Was his question really “stupid,” or was it simply a reflection of how he processes understanding? And more importantly, what message would I send if I dismissed such a question as unnecessary or foolish?

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Why Gandalf Chose Frodo and What It Teaches Us About Growing Up

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“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” — J.R.R. Tolkien

The first time I watched The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, I was just a teenager. I enjoyed the battles, the adventure, and the mysterious beauty of Middle-earth. But when I revisited the movie years later, one scene hit differently when Gandalf tells Frodo that he must take the Ring to Mordor.

Back then, I didn’t think much about it. But now, that moment feels deeply human. Gandalf, one of the wisest beings in Middle-earth, chooses a small, humble hobbit for the world’s most dangerous task. Why Frodo? Why not someone stronger or smarter?

The more I thought about it, the more I realised Frodo’s journey is not just about fantasy. It’s about what every young person faces growing up: responsibility, fear, identity, and the courage to keep moving forward even when the weight feels too heavy.

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