Children are being prepared for jobs that do not exist yet. To help them get ready for their futures, we must provide them with the right skill set. According to many researchers and specialists, equipping children with 21st century skills will bear high importance for a child’s success in life and work. If you’re wonder what these skills are, keep reading!
1. Critical Thinking
Children who develop critical thinking skills have the ability to actively and skillfully conceptualize and analyze problems, synthesize and evaluate information gathered through experience, observation, reflection, and communication and come up with alternative solutions. While observation is the starting point of critical thinking, analysis and interpretation are important follow up features. To think critically, children will need to develop a growth mindset where their focus is more on the solution than the problem itself. When it comes time to decision making, critical thinkers will be the ones making the solutions that will change the world.
2. Creativity
Just a generation ago, society couldn’t have anticipated what technology we would have at hand, nor what obstacles we would face in today’s world. And though we haven’t developed a way to foresee the future, we can instill in upcoming generations the imagination to anticipate and develop new technologies, as well as solutions to future issues. The key to accomplishing this is enhancing and encouraging creativity. Kids should be encouraged to think and create freely. They should be able to bring to life whatever they have in their minds. Any creative act is also a form of self-expression.
3. Collaboration
When children participate in group activities, they learn a lot through collaboration. Especially in their early years, children who learn to actively share and cooperate with others are better prepared for school and the workplace, and are more open to learning from the people and resources around them. Placing children in situations where they are encouraged to work with others help them understand the meaning and importance of teamwork. Every technology we see around us is a result of a collaborative work. Thus, a good team player can achieve more and with better results!
4. Communication
Good communication skills are essential for building meaningful relationships. Like all of us, children have a need to be understood that often times rivals the urge to understand. This makes communication a fundamental skill for kids to develop. All the steps in life whether it is learning, playing or social interaction need at least minimum level of communication. Developing strong communication skills will aid your child to express their thoughts better and understand others as well.
5. Technology Literacy
Everything around us is evolving into some kind of digital format. In the 21st century, understanding how these technologies work is one of the most important skills a child can develop. Technology literacy is the ability to safely, responsibly, creatively, and effectively use technology to communicate, access, collect, integrate, and evaluate information. Immersing a child with the appropriate technology will equip them with the understanding and skills to navigate and succeed in a digital world that includes robots, coding and much more. It goes without saying that the future will be built upon ever advancing technologies; thus, kids who are competent in these areas will be more successful. It is better to start learning how to code as early as possible. Or, let your kids break devices into pieces to understand how they work. Sorry for the mess!
6. Flexibility
Among these 21st century skills, flexibility is the most comprehensive one. As a child becomes more dedicated to a certain field of study or interest, it should be encouraged that they also develop an interdisciplinary approach to that area of interest. The one constant of life and the future is change. This fact makes flexibility a golden skill that will help your little ones to adapt to any circumstance. The crises, breakthrough moments and drastic changes in technologies will become more frequent. As a consequence, children who can comprehend and react to each change will succeed in life as adults. Teach your kids how to embrace moments of change and turn them into an opportunity to grow. Be engaged and proactive! Learn with them on how to become more flexible and succeed together.
