We are witnessing an era of transformation and modernization in all fields. This continuous wave of change demands that individuals be prepared to handle rapidly changing situations.
So, how do we prepare our students to face the future world?
The recipe to a holistic development of students involves so many ingredients.
It is important that students are equipped not just with the knowledge, but much more. It requires students to possess a range of skills in order to face the realities of life and overcome challenges. It paves the way for students to grow into a lifelong learner, which by the way, is the perfect recipe!
The skills which aid students in becoming lifelong learners are called 21st Century skills or Learning skills.
Let’s take a peek into what these skills are:
- Critical thinking skills –
A famous quote by Albert Einstein goes, “The important thing is not to stop questioning”.
A question arises out of this thought – Why is it necessary to ask questions?
It is not the answer that always makes us wonder but rather an interesting question. Great minds have spent a lifetime asking questions on various things. It is what made them become brilliant ‘thinkers’. As teachers, we should nurture the skill of logical or evaluative thinking in the young minds. It is essential for them to be able to analyse and process the world around them, which circles back to the art of questioning.
In my class, enabling students to create their own questions has been a powerful strategy to impart ‘Critical thinking skills’. Providing them the clarity between what is a ‘Thick’ question and a ‘Thin’ question helped them to frame deeper open-ended questions.
It doesn’t stop with just questioning but goes above and beyond. The spark of wanting to reason out the what, why, how becomes the eternal flame of curiosity in the minds of the learners. It paves the way for challenging different perspectives and drawing conclusions out of evidence. It is a skill which equips learners to reflect on and justify their understanding and the process.
Fig (above): Shows the questions created by a student on the topic he is exploring. These open-ended questions enable him to make the scope of his inquiry deeper.
- Creative thinking skills –
Ever felt inspired by someone’s distinctly unique ideas which made the impossible, possible or had mind blowing moments when exposed to a fantastic new perspective? The answer is their ability to be creative. To look at things differently or find novel solutions to problems.
The focus on creativity and lateral thinking is of paramount importance for the young learners to sharpen their instincts and think out-of-the-box or rather beyond the traditional ways. Being a ‘risk-taker’ and tread waters which have never been explored before, is what made many of the dreams of the human race come true. We don’t want Newton to have just eaten away the apple…..do we?
- Problem-solving skills –
How do you feel if you can’t solve a puzzle or a sudoku? Or think of a conflict in real-life situations. Would you rather feel frustrated or have sparks firing in your brain looking out for ways to solve the problem in focus?
The answer to this question has always kept me thinking on how we develop this skill in students. As humans are not isolated islands but rather social beings. Problems are natural and tend to rise when there are differences in perspectives.
Thinking of this brought me into context about the importance of individuals honing problem-solving skills. This is essential for a learner or any individual to be adaptable to any kind of situation. Being able to solve problems is also attributed to the development of Social skills in students. It also makes them regulate their emotions and understand others emotions with an open mind.
A very day-to-day example of my students demonstrating this skill is during group projects. Simple conflicts tend to arise out of different perspectives and many other aspects. Them, being able to think about the problems and resolve it as a group, shows their Problem-solving skills. Providing them with varied opportunities to look into problems of real life as a part of their learning and having them inquire about it to understand and think about ways to solve the problem, is also one of the strategies I follow to develop Problem-solving skills.
In the end, isn’t it always exhilarating once we solve the puzzle and understand the full picture?
- Leadership skills –
Are leaders born or made? – is a question that is still speculated upon. Being the future adults who need to take responsibility, it is important (and possible) to impart and train students to imbibe leadership skills. It is not a skill that can be gained in an instant, but developed over time, through continuous practise and determination.
To be able to inspire and empower others, working collaboratively, being proactive, having strategic lateral thinking and taking ownership are a few notable traits of being a good leader. Developing leadership skills makes a student become agentic and understand how to manage oneself. It instills a profound sense of maturity in students and also helps in building interpersonal relationships.
Having ‘Three way conferences’ (an open discussion on the student’s strengths, areas of improvement and goals; between the student, parent(s) and the teacher) has helped us, at Akshar Arbol International School (AAIS), to provide the students with the opportunity to demonstrate agency. Being able to share about their learning journey helped them take ownership of their learning. Also, being able to make their own ‘Choices’ in learning engagements such as, ways they would like to present their understanding, which resources they would like to use, are few instances where students demonstrate agency.
- Effective communication –
The ability to exchange information efficiently among varied personalities is one of the necessary skills to be nurtured in students. It is vital that students build fluency in listening and speaking and reading and writing to be an effective ‘communicator’.
If we think deeply, it would become evident to us that the process of learning is ultimately sharing and exchanging ideas; responding to different perspectives and making conscious choices on ways to comprehend our own thought processes.
Quoting the fabled Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar:
“சொல்லுக சொல்லைப் பிறிதோர்சொல் அச்சொல்லை
வெல்லுஞ்சொல் இன்மை அறிந்து”
Which translates to, “The words used should be carefully selected so that no other words can effectively replace them.” What better example for effective communication than this couplet, which conveys such a deep message in two simple lines!
- Digital Literacy skills –
The evolution of technology by leaps and bounds in the last few decades has opened up opportunities in unimaginable ways. Children have become digital natives and understanding the need to engage with technology in a responsible way is crucial in a digital world. Young learners should also be aware of evolving technology which would help them make informed choices on the technology tools for various purposes.
At Akshar Arbol International School, we integrate technology into our teaching-learning practices which empowers students to navigate and effectively use digital platforms in their academic activities as well as their day-to-day life.
We show them various ways to record references online on the resources they have used in their learning journey, which are the beginning steps towards nurturing Academic Honesty in students.
We provide opportunities for students to understand what Digital Citizenship is. The importance of being cognizant of their digital footprints are exposed to the young learners. This enables them to be aware of their online presence and perceive the digital world in a more safe and secure way, while taking advantage of its benefits to grow into competent and capable digital citizens.
The quick peek we just had, let us say, is just the tip of an iceberg with so much more to explore! But the idea of experiencing it is breathtaking and exhilarating.
But, as we always say, it is the journey rather than the destination that makes it all worthwhile. Enjoy and treasure the process of facilitating the young minds evolving into lifelong learners.
