A child’s formative years are crucial for the formation of their future. During these early years, parents and schools need to establish a strong foundation for the child to develop into a stronger and better individual. The role played by school education is undeniably very important in moulding the child’s personality.
When parents pick an IB school in Riyadh, they probably equate the word education with just academic excellence; however, the school imparts skills that go beyond academics. Today’s rapidly developing world requires that a child has more than just excellent scores and academic brilliance in their achievement set – they need to acquire life skills, and this needs to start very young, from kindergarten education itself. IB schools in Riyadh focus on this holistic and well-rounded development by providing opportunities and avenues to nurture and enhance life skills.
This addition of artistic, emotional and physical skills will help children strive and thrive in today’s competitive world.
What are Life Skills?
To put it in a simple language, life skills are those skills that are required to achieve excellence in different sections of life. These skills enable students to address issues and problems effectively, think independently and tackle common daily challenges. Life skills enable children to adapt to be positive in challenging situations and address them effectively. In short, a skill that will be useful for people and make life better for them is considered a life skill. In-school skill development equips students to thrive in the classroom as well as outside of it.
Importance of Life Skills
Life Skills are imperative as they positively impact an individual’s life. In the 21st century, these skills are essential not only to be successful personally but also to create and partake in a healthy society. These skills are indispensable, making it essential for schools to impart skill training among children at an early age.
What is Life Skills Education?
IB schools in Riyadh go beyond the traditional textbook learning style and involve children in activities that allow them critical thinking, decision-making, collaboration, problem-solving, and effective communication. All this, along with them developing a sense of responsibility, being more inclusive, and contributing positively to society, constitutes Life Skill Education. Through inquiry-based learning, experimental learning, two-way communication, and individual attention, these skills are developed from the very start in a good school.
Life skills must be compulsory in school for children to take on real-world responsibilities. Here is the life skills education that schools need to start imparting from the very start:
· Collaboration traversing networks
· Unique problem-solving methods
· Critical thinking.
· Entrepreneurship and Initiative
· Curiosity and Imagination
· Adaptability and Agility
· Effective communication (written and oral)
· Interpretation, analysis and deduction of information.
· Leadership skills Teamwork
· People management
· Time management
· Sympathy
· Empathy and inclusiveness
The Importance of Skill development at an early age
The world is constantly changing, technology is playing a pivotal role in it, innovation is at its peak, and the world is becoming more interconnected. As discussed above, life skills are imperative to survive in this constantly shifting environment – from dealing with daily problems to taking on significant challenges, life skills are necessary.
Here is how skill development will benefit children:
1. Enhances creativity among students: When schools expose children to new experiences, they become more imaginative and creative.
2. Encourages students to take responsibility for their actions: Children become accountable rather than shifting blames or hiding things.
3. Facilitates independent thinking: Students are exposed to different situations and made to apply themselves. They are trained to think analytically and critically from an early age, making them independent thinkers.
4. Builds confidence in children: Confidence is key to being successful in life. Confidence while communicating, collaborating and cooperating in a group with joint effort and participation.
5. Improves decision-making: Through analysing the various alternatives available to them, taking decisions after deliberating, and getting clarity about why a decision has been taken and how it will; affect them, the classroom, and the world outside it.
6. Develops a better sense of self-awareness: Students become more mindful of others and start appreciating others.
7. Improved tolerance and inclusiveness: If a child attends an IB school in Riyadh, they will interact with students from all over the world and learn to respect different opinions, cultures, and value systems. They will expand their view on life.
8. Ensures better self-management: They learn how to self-manage and deal with challenges while understanding distinct responsibilities.
9. More employment-ready: Students become more flexible and adaptable, which are vital skills needed to be successful in a workplace.
10. Helps develop higher self-esteem: With self-confidence and self-realisation, they become more confident about themselves and have a voice of their own.
11. Improves resilience: Students accept failures gracefully as skill development instills emotional maturity in them. They face failures and disappointments but become more resilient by developing a ‘never give up’ attitude.
To conclude, the benefit of skill development is not limited to the individual alone. The more students hone these skills, the more they can benefit the world they live in by being cultured, inclusive, and responsible citizens. Skill development fine-tunes students’ minds to become more culturally aware, independent, and self-assured, thereby contributing positively to the child’s growth, society, and nation as a whole.
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