As conversations on school safety continue to centre on physical infrastructure and disciplinary systems, a quieter but equally urgent reality often goes unnoticed, the emotional and psychological well-being of children inside the classroom.

Educators across India say that true safety cannot be measured by CCTV cameras or secure gates alone; it must also reflect whether children feel heard, respected, and protected from subtle forms of harm.

In this interview, Shaheen Mistri, Founder and CEO, Teach For India, reflects on how schools can redefine safety, the everyday steps teachers can take to build inclusive classrooms, and the systemic shifts needed to create learning spaces where every child feels genuinely secure and supported.

1) In today’s schools, safety often focuses on physical measures. How can educational spaces redefine safety, to include emotional and psychological well-being?

- Safety continues to be understood largely in physical terms, secure campuses, disciplinary measures, and the absence of corporal punishment. While these are essential, true safety extends far beyond what can be seen. It rests in how children feel, whether they experience respect, belonging, and emotional security within their learning spaces.

In our society, conversations about child safety often begin and end with physical punishment. Educators and community members rarely acknowledge that humiliation, neglect, or discouragement can leave deeper, more lasting scars than physical injuries. Because physical wounds are visible, they evoke immediate concern. Emotional harm, on the other hand, is invisible; it rarely becomes a topic of discussion, even though it silently shapes a child’s sense of self and well-being.

To truly redefine safety, educational spaces must move beyond physical protection and embrace the emotional and psychological dimensions of a child’s experience. This means nurturing empathy, respect, and trust within classrooms, ensuring that every child feels safe to express themselves and learn without fear.

At Teach For India, we believe that this transformation begins with our Fellows. When educators are equipped to recognise emotional distress, respond with compassion, and intentionally build safe and supportive classrooms, they create environments where children can thrive. A school that values emotional well-being as deeply as academic success does not just educate, it heals, empowers, and transforms the lives of students.

2) Many students face subtle forms of bullying or exclusion that go unnoticed. What steps can teachers take daily to build more inclusive and empathetic classrooms?

- Creating inclusive and empathetic classrooms begins with awareness. Many forms of exclusion or subtle bullying go unnoticed – which could in the form of being ignored, being left out of a group and ideas/ thoughts being dismissed publicly. Here, teachers hold the power to shift this dynamic by noticing these patterns and responding with intention.

Small, consistent actions can make a big difference. When teachers model empathy through their tone, encourage collaboration, promote fairness, and handle mistakes without judgement, they teach children that kindness and respect are non-negotiable.

At Teach For India, we have witnessed how the smallest gestures of care, such as a listening ear, a reassuring word, or simply remembering a child’s struggle, can transform the emotional climate of a classroom. Inclusivity thrives when every child feels emotionally safe and accepted for who they are. Through daily acts of compassion and connection, teachers can turn classrooms into spaces where students not only learn academics but also learn to care, listen, and stand up for one another. This helps shape both better learners and better human beings.

3) How does Teach For India train its Fellows to identify and sensitively respond to signs of trauma among students?

- Teach For India recognises that the students of TFI classrooms grow up facing layered challenges such as poverty, neglect, loss, or exposure to violence, which often show up in subtle ways within classrooms. Our approach to Fellow training, therefore, goes beyond pedagogy. It focuses equally on equipping Fellows with the emotional intelligence and practical tools needed to identify and respond to signs of trauma with empathy and care.

Through the Child Protection Policy training, mental well-being sessions, and on-ground coaching, Fellows are sensitised to recognise behavioural and emotional indicators that may point to distress. They learn to listen without judgment, ensure psychological safety, and follow appropriate redressal and referral processes whenever necessary.

What makes this approach powerful is that it places compassion at the centre of teaching. Fellows are encouraged to build trusting relationships where children feel safe to express themselves. They are also trained to maintain boundaries while ensuring that every child’s dignity and rights are upheld.

In my experience, this combination of awareness, empathy, and structured response systems allows Fellows to become not only effective educators but also strong advocates of child well-being. It reminds every teacher that before we can teach a child’s mind, we must first care for their heart.

3) In your view, what role does teacher-student trust play in shaping not just academic outcomes, but lifelong confidence and resilience?

- Teacher-student trust forms the foundation of every meaningful learning experience. When a child feels genuinely seen, heard, and respected by their teacher, the classroom transforms from a space of instruction into a space of connection. Trust allows children to take risks, make mistakes, and explore their potential without fear of judgment. It nurtures a sense of belonging and safety that fuels both learning and personal growth.

In my opinion, children who trust their teachers begin to develop an interest in academics and strive to excel. They learn that their voice matters, that their emotions are valid, and that they are capable of overcoming challenges. This sense of security builds resilience, the quiet strength that stays with them long after they leave the classroom.

At Teach For India, we often say that teaching is an act of love and leadership. When Fellows build trust-based relationships with their students, they are not just improving academic outcomes; they are shaping confident, compassionate individuals who can face the world with courage and empathy.

4) Looking ahead, what systemic changes, policy-wise or mindset-wise, do you believe India’s education ecosystem needs to make schools truly safe for every child?

- To make schools truly safe for every child, India’s education ecosystem needs both systemic reforms and a deep mindset shift. From a policy standpoint, we already have robust laws such as the POCSO Act, the JJ Act, and the RTE Act. However, the real challenge lies in their implementation. Many educators, school leaders, and even parents are either unaware of these policies or hesitant to act on them due to fear of stigma, reputational damage, or repercussions from the perpetrators. Strengthening awareness and accountability mechanisms within schools and ensuring that every adult in a child’s ecosystem, from the classroom teacher to the school management, is trained and empowered to act, is crucial.

But beyond policies, the greater transformation must come from changing how we view safety itself. Safety should not only mean protection from harm, but also the assurance of dignity, respect, and emotional security for every child. Schools must move from a culture of authority to a culture of empathy, where discipline doesn’t rely on fear but on understanding and connection.

We need to create an ecosystem where listening to children becomes a norm, not an exception. Where educators are not just academic facilitators, but compassionate caregivers. When we start valuing a child’s voice, emotions, and individuality as much as their marks or behavior, we will finally begin to see schools that are not just safe, but truly nurturing spaces for every child to grow and thrive.