Adults with good life skills are likely to be happier, more successful, and enjoy a higher quality of life than those having less developed. While a good education is important, it is good life skills that give an edge in the personnel and professional arena. This is why these must be incorporated into the school curriculum. School-going children today are rigorously taught subjects in classrooms, yet what they learn is largely factual and doesn’t prepare them for real-world challenges they will face as adults.  In the real-world, decisions need to be made every day using limited information. Often such decisions have a strong human element. A fact-based education cannot prepare children to thrive in a world where decisions involving people need to be constantly made; only like skills can. Unfortunately, many school-going children are enrolled in a curriculum that leaves them unprepared for challenges they will face as adults. Why Life Skills must be taught to School Children In every school today, students learn very little besides reading, writing, and counting. Hence they face a skill gap when they venture into the real-world because reading, writing, and counting can only take them so far; beyond a point, it is life […]

The large numbers of young Indians can be a demographic dividend if they are educated well and have the skills to work in jobs likely to arise in the 21st century. Conversely, they may become a demographic nightmare if they don’t have such skills. But what kinds of skills will students need to be successful in the 21st century? Understanding 3 Kinds of Skills As an answer to this question first consider that there are 3 kinds of skills people have, namely :- Internal Skills Interpersonal Skills Effectiveness related Skills. Internal skills include analytical skills, self-management skills, and planning and organization skills. Interpersonal skills are used to interact with internal teams and external customers. Collaboration, networking, teamwork, and negotiation are components of interpersonal skills. Effectiveness skills make people effective at their job.  People with good effectiveness skills are good at their work. Effectiveness skills include virtual productivity.Critical thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to research and analyse data are also components of effectiveness skills. The ability to research and analyse data is important because there is a plethora of data, yet using data to gain insights and drive intelligence requires considerable skill. Finally, presentation skills and communication skills are important skills […]

Shortly, success in the real world will be divorced from pure academic achievement. There are several reasons why this will happen of which the unstoppable march of globalization and greater interconnectedness are most important. When one’s colleagues are just as likely to be from New York or Shanghai as New Delhi or Bangalore, the skills essential for success will be unlike those needed by earlier generations. First and foremost, to be successful in the future, children must be taught life skills. Why Life Skills Should be Taught in Schools In the early part of this decade, a Harvard University study revealed adults having strong life skills were more likely to be successful and happy than those having only strong academic skills. Hence life skills have always played a part in determining success. What makes such skills even more essential today is the world is changing at mind boggling speed. An array of new technologies and evolving lifestyles mean children today need new kinds of life skills. So while a generation ago being computer literate may have been considered a vital life skill, today children must learn how to use social media responsibly and productively. They must also learn how to […]

With so much for the children to learn in today’s high-tech world, it’s all too easy for them to miss out on life skills, whether its planting a seed, preparing a simple or comparison shopping. Life skills go hand in hand with development and can help children succeed later in life. Role of Parents Parents play a crucial role in developing their children socially, emotionally, cognitively, and academically. They are always ready to help their children to get through life’s challenges—from the little bumps in the road to the big stuff. Today parents need to be more aloof when it comes to the development of life skills in children. When it comes to diagnosing the way their child is developing, they should be equally concerned about their skills-based learning, as similar as they are about the rosy picture of their children’s academic achievement. So, lets dive into the few of the essential life skills and the ways to develop them which will make a smooth transition to a child’s road to success-  Basic budgeting and Money management    “I want it! I want it! I want it!” How many times have you heard this when your kids spot candy, a […]