Dr. Manila Carvalho: Leadership Rooted in Care & Quiet Strength

In this deeply reflective cover story, Dr. Manila Carvalho shares a journey shaped by empathy, resilience, and purpose. Moving beyond scores and systems, she makes a compelling case for educating the whole child—where mental wellbeing, compassionate leadership, and humane learning environments define true educational success. 

A Fortuitous Beginning 

My journey as an educator began in 1990 when my statistics professor asked me to teach statistics during his sick leave. At that time, I never imagined that teaching would become my lifelong career. After completing my graduation, my parents encouraged me to pursue a B.Ed. degree, believing that teaching was the most suitable profession for me. I am proud to share that I was awarded the Best Outgoing Student Teacher of my batch. From that moment on, there was no looking back. I joined a school as a teacher the following year and have continued in this noble profession for the past 36 years. 

Throughout my journey, I have encountered diverse types of learners, which inspired me to continuously adapt and refine my teaching methods. My goal has always been to support students in improving their academic performance and their participation in co-curricular activities. Working with students from varied backgrounds has taught me the importance of empathy, adaptability, and inclusiveness. Fostering curiosity, nurturing character, and preparing students for life beyond the classroom are the driving forces that continue to inspire me as an educator.

Educating the Whole Child 

We are in an era of results-driven ecosystems. Be it a child or an adult, everyone is driven to achieve that goal. “Educating the whole child” requires schools to primarily rethink what they value and how they measure success. 

Despite advanced technology, we still follow the conventional grading system. 

I may have great scores thanks to my memory skills, tagging me as a topper and intelligent

I may have scored less because I was physically or mentally unwell, making me an average student. 

I may be good at articulating my ideas but may not be good at putting it up in writing and I am considered no good. 

Standardised assessments have their place, but when they become the dominant measure of success, they can compromise creativity, character, wellbeing, and curiosity. Alongside intellectual growth, emotional literacy, ethical grounding, resilience, collaboration, and purpose are foundational to all-round development. Shifting from performance anxiety to growth orientation from “How much did you score?” to “Who do you want to become?” creates psychological safety. Educating the whole child means rebalancing the curriculum by integrating academics with arts, physical education, service learning, and student voice. 

Focus more on teacher training. They are not merely deliverers of content; they are mentors, designers of environments, and cultivators of character. 

Leadership Mantra 

School leadership carries an emotional weight that is rarely visible, but deeply felt. As a woman leader, I have learned that caring for my own mental and emotional wellbeing is not separate from my leadership. It is essential to sustain and balance both the job responsibilities. I have always believed that if my mental status is good then I can give 100% to my work in hand. 

Therefore, I have always focused on equipping myself with skills of resilience so that I could show up with clarity, patience, and steadiness when it matters most. 

Difficulties and challenges do crop up, but I believe that at the end of a tunnel there is always a bright light. That hope keeps me going. I have consciously added qualifications at different stages of my journey to lead with confidence and wisdom. Learning does not end; every day and at every step, I remain open to growing as a leader and as a person. I am a collaborative leader who believes in taking the team along, sharing responsibility, nurturing trust, and creating emotional stability, so leadership becomes a shared strength rather than a solitary burden. 

In addition I always plan for ME TIME after I reach home. Spending time with my pets and gardening rejuvenates me and gives me a lot of energy. 

Finally, I remind myself that leadership is not about being everything to everyone at all times. It is about being present, grounded, and purposeful. By caring for my own wellbeing with intention and compassion, I am better able to serve the school community with authenticity and strength. 

Raising Today’s Children 

The current generation of students need quick gratification and have less patience, due to a wide exposure to technology. This projects emotional disturbance which becomes a challenge in the classroom. Many such children are also attention seekers who end up doing wrong things and get reprimanded. 

Children need to experience school as a place where they are seen, heard, and accepted for who they are and not for what they achieve. Every child expects love and respect only then will they develop trust towards their school. When students sense that they are respected regardless of outcomes, they develop the confidence to take intellectual and personal risks. 

We need to make empathy a lived practice, not just a stated principle. This means listening deeply to students, understanding the context behind their behaviour, and responding with compassion rather than judgment. Emotional safety grows when children know their struggles will be met with support, not labels. When we moved beyond celebrating only academic toppers to recognising kindness, resilience, creativity, and perseverance, students who had never felt visible began to grow in confidence—not because expectations were lowered, but because their humanity was acknowledged. 

Fostering Mental Health Practices 

There was a defining moment that fundamentally reshaped my understanding of mental health in schools. It did not come through formal training or a structured programme, but through a deeply human experience with one of our students. 

It was brought to my notice that a bright Class IX student had begun missing school frequently and was avoiding his regular assessments. This was unusual for a child who had always been sincere, and it became a matter of concern for all of us. I decided to visit his home to better understand the situation. 

During my visit, I noticed gold medals prominently displayed on the wall. His father and grandfather spoke with great pride about their academic achievements and repeatedly expressed their expectation that the boy must follow the same path too. While their intentions came from a place of aspiration, the weight of those expectations had become overwhelming for the child. He began to internalise a deep fear, that if he did not achieve the same level of success, he would disappoint his family. 

This fear gradually manifested in avoidance. He withdrew from school, his academic performance declined, and more importantly, his confidence eroded. He began experiencing psychological and physical symptoms, anxiety, nausea, dizziness, and started isolating himself from his peers. What was most heartbreaking was that this emotional burden eventually prevented him from appearing for his board examinations, resulting in a significant disruption in his educational journey. 

This experience moved me profoundly. It made me realise that mental health is not an additional concern; it is central to a child’s ability to learn, grow, and thrive. Behind attendance, performance, and behaviour, there is always a deeper emotional story that requires our attention and empathy. From that point onward, I became far more intentional in ensuring that our school remains emotionally attuned, strengthening our systems of pastoral care with a dedicated counselling team offering consistent emotional support. 

Most importantly, it changed the way I lead. I became more conscious that every expectation we set, every conversation we have, and every value we reinforce must protect not only the academic growth of our students, but also their emotional wellbeing. Because when a child feels safe, understood, and accepted, learning follows naturally. 

Supporting Educators 

The first step is building trust through empathy and open communication. Teachers must feel that they can speak honestly about their challenges without fear of judgment or professional consequences. I make it a priority to listen actively, to be approachable, and to respond with understanding rather than immediate evaluation. When teachers feel heard, they feel valued. I am just a phone call away for my staff. They can reach me 24x7. 

I do conduct sessions on motivation to our teachers. On working Saturdays every staff member should pick up one activity that they like and enjoy it for one hour. It could be any sport, music, dancing, Zumba, yoga, debate sessions etc. 

Conclusion 

Look at your core values as an educator for you are there to shape the life of students and not to focus on academic achievement alone. Do not get rigid and be ready to accept change . Add qualifications to the existing one for we need to be at par with the current generation by being multi taskers.