Why do some kids excel and some don’t?
Do you remember that star kid in your class who was chosen for all hosting events, competitions or even a class president? To add a few, they were also the most sought-after child by all teachers and principals. How the whole auditorium would reverberate with applause whenever they would be on stage! Oh! How I wished I was one among those.
I am certain most of you recollected that child already in your mind. Did you feel anxious, agitated or envious? Well, I would feel all of these together, when this popular child kept hitting the home run. What was unique or different about her? I guess I now have a credible answer.
It is the ‘soft skills’ that differentiated her from all the other inept students.
Soft Skill is your ability to connect with others better. It is also called ‘people skills or non-cognitive skills and can’t be necessarily taught out of a book.
Soft Skills are not taught in school however, with changing trends in education schools are now designing activities to help children develop these skills at an early age.
Here are the top 8 essential Soft Skills:
1. Leadership skills: Ability to Coach, Motivate and Lead.
2. Communication skills: Story-telling, Persuasive speaking, Engaging the audience etc. are given the least preference over grammar rules and essays.
3. Interpersonal skills- Listening, Positive attitude, Speaking assertively and not aggressively.
4. Self-motivation: Being self-directed, Taking initiative and Managing time.
5. Teamwork: Collaborate, Cooperate and Work well with peers.
6. Problem-Solving: Make a well-informed decision, use Critical thinking and Logical reasoning.
7. Flexibility and Adaptability: Being open to change.
8. Ability to manage and resolve conflict: To find new ways of doing things and show good conflict management skills.
Your kids may not be taught soft skills in the classroom, but by teaching them these essential skills yourself, and incorporating them into your daily lives, you may find yourself connecting with your kids over stuff that really matters.
I figured out now how that star kid was so different from me and most of the school population who largely go unnoticed in their school life.
The vision to make every child heard and seen is what we strive for at Active Kids and our Public Speaking Curriculum is an integrated approach to developing every child holistically.
Which are the other soft skills you think are important?
