School provides a basic educational structure to a child, which helps him/her throughout life. It plays a crucial role in all-round development. Education System has itself observed a great transformation over the centuries. Earlier, ‘Gurukul System’ was followed in Indian Aryan history, where the student used to live with the teacher, and learns all necessary skills and gains insight and knowledge. Now, education is much more formal and structured. But modern education lacks in many aspects of all-round development of the child, including an important aspect of skill and personality development. We all are so much busy in teaching mathematics, science, literature, and social sciences to our children that they are nothing but bookworms. They might excel in school but fail in life as they lack in many essential aspects required for survival in this modern world.
“To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” – Leonardo Da Vinci.
Let’s start with those skills which are very important for personality development. But when it comes to learning these skills, the education system largely avoids a large population of students. Only those students who are predisposed in the skill or are extroverted in their efforts are only ones to bear the fruits.
1. Effective communication
Communication is the most crucial aspect of both personal and workplace development. What differentiates a leader from the follower is the way you express your emotions and information to others. In personal life, communication helps to resolve relationship problems, with clarity and direction. It also increases one’s awareness of himself and the surrounding. In a professional setting, it helps in building trust in employees, promoting teamwork and increasing productivity. Effective communication includes both verbal and non-verbal part, and there are strategies to develop both. Such techniques and strategies should be taught in school for life.
2. Public Speaking
Public speaking is a deciding factor in one’s career, education and even personal life. Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. This is the power of public speaking. It is the power to influence, to move and to change. Apart from impacting others, it changes you, provides self-confidence and opens a ton of possibilities. It is also good for the workplace environment, leading to a successful career. Schools should encourage each student to participate in activities around public speaking.
3. Group work – “Let me tell you something about wolves, child. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” This dialogue from Game of Thrones speaks volumes of importance of group work. But it is not an easy task. It leads to development of enormous skills, like leadership, communication, decision-making and conflict revolution. All of them are important for career of the individual, as most of us work around people. Schools should encourage more and more group activities for students.
4. Emotional Intelligence- Emotional Intelligence (EI) the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. Goleman said, “the part of the brain which supports emotional and social intelligence is the last circuitry of the brain to become anatomically mature and because of neuroplasticity, the brain shapes itself according to repeated experience”. When you are self-aware and self-satisfied, it will help to bring healthy relations with others. Researches have shown that EI is best developed in childhood. School should promote activities to develop EI.
“If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand if you don’t have self-awareness if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.” -Daniel Goleman.
5. Self Defense – “When it comes to self-defence, it is better to have the power and not need it than to need it and not have it.” Self-defense is not the preparation for war, it is the preparation to save yourself when it comes. Initially, it helps you to prevent yourself from physical danger and difficult situations. But it is much more. It teaches you discipline, dedication and a whole new perspective. It is the responsibility of the schools to teach the students various skills to defend oneself. They should approach proper classes and inspire sports and activities which keeps one fit and active. These skills are very important for the overall development of the child. It will ensure success in life and the career. Academics are the main ingredients for a good career, but these are the necessary catalyst which cannot be avoided. Along with these skills, there are several other things the school have excluded in their curriculum. It is discussed it in the next edition of this article.
The blog post has been written by Utkarsh Shukla.
About Utkarsh
Utkarsh Shukla is an Applied Psychology Honours student from Ramanujan College, University of Delhi. Motivated in studies and an academic achiever, he secured 10th National Rank in ISC Board Examination. He has published several articles and poems in the field of psychology, mental health and social welfare in various websites and magazines. He has worked in platforms like Counsel India and Into Legal World as a Content Writer. As a psychology enthusiast, he is interested in exploring career in the field of cognitive and behavioural sciences.
