What is education? Is it only letting the kids learning to read and write? Gain a degree which guarantees them a job?
To my mind, it is much more than that. Today, the world is looking at skills much beyond the knowledge that has been stamped on paper. Here I mention a few skills that are imperative for any child to inculcate and survive in the competitive world.
Language Skills:-
The art to express your thoughts in appropriate words is absolutely essential in today’s world. Expressive language and receptive language are areas that most children lack because their immediate environment does not demand it. We tend to understand a child’s need without stressing on the verbia and that is where the lacuna starts. Develop the child’s ability to recognize his feelings and talk about it. This would not just develop his language skills, but would also develop his expression to convey his emotional needs, further developing a strong individual.
Attention span:-
We all are experiencing an age of very little attention span. When we scroll through the screens, we tend to avoid reading the text and just focus on getting a glimpse of the content. A research says that the average attention span an individual has today is not more than 7 seconds. When we expect our children to perform, we forget that they are very much a part of this generation which has extremely low focus. We need to teach them to read and understand the deeper meaning of a content that is displayed- be it in the textbook, an article for online reading or a documentary on television. Rushing through screens or channels only adds to the indecisive nature of the child.
Adaptability:-
Our life revolves around our children. As parents and educators, we want them to get best of the both worlds. What we forget is that we might not be always there to keep this cushion around them. The need of the hour is to let them get exposed to uncertain situations and sudden change of plans. The adaptability at this level might help them develop as individuals who embrace every change in their life in a very positive and opportunistic way.
Self-control:-
Outbursts and meltdowns are very common with children nowadays. This happens because the threshold to bear rejection, difference of opinion or argument with the other person is very low. The children need to learn the art of being agreeable. In a heated argument, let them calm down and then understand the ideology of the counterpart, accepting their flaws and getting over their emotional outburst.
Creativity:-
Ability to thinking out-of-the-box ideas is what everyone is looking for. The school, friends and even employers (at a later stage) applaud and appreciate a person who is original. Creativity helps the children to solve problems critically and take initiatives and further helps them stand out.
Perseverance and Resilience-
Sometimes called “grit”, this is a trait that helps the child overcome obstacles and reach the goal despite all odds .The ability to bounce back even after an adversity or disappointment is resilience. When we help a child understand that he or she should be persistent enough and try harder for a target, we build his character and a “Never give up attitude”.
Skill development is not restricted to the books. Life teaches us the real skills and its time, our children come out of the comfort zone ad experience Life skills which will help them develop as individuals personally and professionally.
Written By :- Ms. Sheetal Sharma, Counsellor, MRIS-Noida
