August, 2026.- The sheer intent and energy of the Rangeet team drew Sonia Relia to their work. Her 36 years of experience in curriculum development, teacher education, and experiential pedagogy have always focused on moving beyond information to creating experiences where children think, feel, explore, communicate, and learn. Rangeet’s belief in a canvas of experiences resonates deeply with her.
In this interview, Relia discusses why this is the right moment to focus on teacher empowerment in social-emotional learning. As AI and technology advance rapidly, the human touch and social-emotional learning become even more important. Empowering teachers is therefore critical—they translate these experiences into meaningful, empathetic classroom practice and nurture emotionally healthy learners.
Relia also explains the single most important thing a teacher needs to feel empowered: the recognition that their Human Intelligence—to observe and adapt—is respected, while giving them access to every tool they need to create a rich canvas of experiences for learners. At a time when technology and AI dominate the narrative, Rangeet places teacher’s skill at the heart of creating emotionally healthy, responsive learning environments.
On the SEEK™ curriculum, Relia notes that the biggest challenge teachers face is the lack of enough time. Almost every teacher understands and wants to allocate more time to social-emotional and ecological learning because they know this is what will make a difference. The design of Rangeet’s coaching works within short timeframes and showcases how a consolidated platform can aid time management.
Relia also emphasizes the importance of investing in coaches who support teachers. Coaches are the vital connection between the curriculum, its ethos, and the teachers who bring it to life. When coaches feel empowered and supported, they are better able to create that same sense of confidence and connection among teachers.
From 36 Years of Experience to Rangeet: You’ve dedicated 36 years to curriculum development, teacher education, and experiential pedagogy. What drew you to Rangeet specifically, and why is this the right moment to focus on teacher empowerment in social-emotional learning?
The sheer intent and energy of the Rangeet team made me want to discover their work. My work has always focused on moving beyond information to creating experiences where children think, feel, explore, communicate and learn. Rangeet’s belief in a canvas of experiences resonates deeply with me. As AI and technology advance rapidly, the human touch and social-emotional learning become even more important. Empowering teachers is therefore critical—they translate these experiences into meaningful, empathetic classroom practice and nurture emotionally healthy learners.
Teacher Empowerment as the Key: Rangeet believes that “lasting change in education begins with confident, supported and inspired educators.” What’s the single most important thing a teacher needs to feel empowered, and how does Rangeet’s approach provide it?
At a time when technology and AI dominate the narrative, Rangeet places teacher’s skill at the heart of creating emotionally healthy, responsive learning environments so this is actually the best time to introduce teachers to all the support they can get, yet to keep their individual unique styles. The single most important thing that a teacher needs to feel empowered with is the fact that she / he and her HI- Human intelligence to observe and adapt is respected while giving her the access to every tool she/he will need to create a rich canvas of experiences for the learners.
The SEEK™ Curriculum in the Classroom: You’re helping teachers bring the SEEK™ curriculum to life through practical classroom strategies. What’s the biggest challenge teachers face when implementing social-emotional and ecological learning, and how do you support them through it?
The narrative of the teachers across the board is the lack of enough time. Almost every teacher I have met understands and wants to allot more to social- emotional and ecological learning because they know that this is what will make a difference but the schedules set are so vast that they really feel challenged. The very design we created for the coaches was to work within short timeframes and showcase how a consolidated platform can aid time management. The five layers of curriculum, pedagogy, teachers development implementation and monitoring are woven into the introductory visits of the coaches that help the teachers optimise their time.
Mentoring the Mentors: You’re also working with Rangeet’s coaching team to build a high-quality support system. Why is it important to invest in the coaches who support teachers, not just the teachers themselves?
Coaches are the vital connection between the curriculum, its ethos and the teachers who bring it to life. Their ability to understand, empathise and place themselves in the classroom alongside teachers can make all the difference.
In fact, we can already see a significant change in engagement because of the strength of the coaching team and the mentors supporting them. When coaches feel empowered and supported, they are better able to create that same sense of confidence and connection among teachers.
My role is simply to trigger, enable and help the coaches join the dots—between the curriculum, the classroom and the people at the heart of learning.
From Author to Teacher Facilitator: You’ve authored a foundational learning series, My Learning Train, and worked extensively with Oxford University Press India. How does your experience designing learning materials inform your approach to supporting teachers in the classroom?
Designing My Learning Train and developing KinoLearn over decades has taught me that a resource is meaningful only when it uses easily accessible tools and translates pedagogy into experiences teachers can facilitate. Teachers are and always will be the connection I deeply believe in. The children in their classrooms are handled by them and as a developer my first attempt always was to visualize HOW the teacher will take it to the children and then enable the process- whole to parts.
My work with Oxford University Press India, from research through more than 700 workshops and interacting with about 3.5 lakh educator’s, curriculum development to teacher training, has reinforced the importance of contextual and classroom-ready support. This experience shapes my approach: listening to teachers, understanding their realities, and enabling them to connect resources, pedagogy and children’s learning.
Joyful, Child-Centered Learning: You’ve dedicated your career to creating “joyful, child-centred learning experiences.” What does joy in the classroom look like, and how does the SEEK™ curriculum help teachers create it?
Joy is simple – one feels it! You see it in a quiet smiling child, you see it when a teacher feels valued, you see it when children work together, when the class sings and smiles a bit more, children and teachers share thoughts and emotions without inhibition, when a story becomes a piece of art. We see joy when the curriculum designer Karishma’s eyes light up when she talks about a story, about how tomatoes talk to each other or the characters that represent emotions though textures and colours! When I see the Rangeet founders and teams drinking tea together and experiencing success and challenges in the same breath! When each concern of the teachers translates into a solution that the team creates. This, to me, is simply JOY.
