What Skills Should a Child Be Learning in School?

In recent times, parents have realized that they just don’t want their children to be academically inclined but want to have an all-round development of their children’s personality.  And the foundation to this starts with learning the right skills in school.

Since children spend half their time at school. And during that time, they experience certain events which cause them to come to conclusions about who they are, their role in the world, and their value.

It’s fantastic to see that some schools have already acknowledged the importance of life skills and have made it part of their curriculum. Teaching ‘Personality and Values’ as a core subject. They have started teaching life skills in primary school only.

Most schools have realized that success is 80% psychology and 20% mechanics. It doesn’t matter how many degrees children have. Without a healthy self-image, confidence and great communication skills – their success will be limited. They will suffer from a fear of failure and rejection. Meaning they will never go for the things they want. They won’t take risks. They will avoid social situations or opportunities to shine. They will constantly doubt themselves at every turn. They will continuously compare themselves to others, believing they will never be enough. Or, driven by insecurity, they will become angry, rude, arrogant or obnoxious and sabotage their success by not being able to build good relationships. Or make a good impression. It’s high time schools understand how to teach life skills to students.

Hence, it is imperative a school should include certain Life skills, skills that children learn with intentional daily activity. Here are a few skills learned in school that is useful in the job and further life:

1. Focus and Self-Control

Children thrive on routines, which not only create a feeling of security, but also help children self-control and focus. Talk with your child about what to expect each day. Organize your home so your child knows where to put shoes, coats, and personal belongings. Engage them in puzzles which help them to focus for longer hours without getting distracted.

2. Perspective-Taking

Emotional Intelligence is one of the most important quality that children can develop in school and one of the life skills every child should know. Thinking about another’s point of view doesn’t come naturally to most children, but it can be developed. Discuss characters’ feelings and motivations in the books you read.

3. Communication

Children need high-touch personal interactions every day to build healthy social relationships including the ability to understand and communicate with others. While the pace at which they develop these skills may vary, children need to learn how to read and listen carefully. They must consider what they want to communicate and the most effective way to share it.

4. Making Connections

The more connections we make, the more sense and meaning we make of the world. Young children begin to see connections and patterns with basic household items like toys and socks. Simple acts, such as choosing clothing appropriate for the weather, helps them build connections.

5. Critical Thinking

We live in a complex world in which adults are required to analyze information, make decisions about myriad things every day and gain life skills activities for students. One of the best ways to build creative thinking is through playtime. Make sure your child has time each day to play alone or with friends. This play might include taking on roles (pretending to be fire fighters or super heroes), building structures, playing board games, or playing outside physical games, such as tag or hide-and-go-seek. Through play, children formulate thoughts, take risks, try out their ideas, make mistakes and find solutions—all essential elements in building critical thinking.

Times are changing but with schools incorporating changes in their teaching methods we can raise the next generation to be better people – and the world could be a better place with the child development skills list.

Finding the right school for your child that provides a balance of academics and overall development can be a tiresome job. Moreover, it should also be acknowledged if the school ensures the development of skills other than academics too. Edustoke can help you make the process easier. Talk to our counselors for genuine advice on school search. Connect for a free counseling session today!