How to support the development of students’ skills?

One of the most important responsibilities of a teacher is to develop the skills of their students. The ability to think critically, communicate effectively, collaborate with other people and manage stress are all examples of skills that can be developed over time. These skills are probably the last things that come to mind when you think about what it takes to become a teacher. But there are several ways for teachers to support the development of students’ skills. Let’s look at the different ways you can help your students develop their skills as teachers.

Upskilling: definition
In the economic field, the increase in competence consists of an employee going through the acquisition of new skills to better fulfill his functions. The objective is to train the employee so that he can expand his knowledge and improve his skills.

In the field of education, skill development is defined as the acquisition of new knowledge and skills. It is an increase in knowledge and an improvement in skills. Competence is a key element of student success. It is essential for them to be able to move successfully from one skill level to another.

Skills development plan
Preparing our students for the real world around them is a constant concern of educators. We teach them reading, writing and arithmetic, of course, but we also teach them to work in a team, to think critically and to be curious about the things they encounter every day.

We want to ensure that our students are ready to lead successful and productive lives when they leave us and enter the world of adulthood. But what will the future of our students look like? Did teachers twenty years ago foresee that much of our world would be based on computers and technology? Could they have anticipated the demands of today’s job market? Probably not, but they still had to make sure their students were prepared. Today, teachers are still tasked with preparing students for the future, a future they cannot anticipate.

To create a list of seven survival skills needed to survive and thrive in the 21st century, Harvard University’s Tony Wagner interviewed hundreds of CEOs of corporations, nonprofits, and educational institutions. education. He asked them what survival skills people would need in the 21st century, and their answers were used to create a list of seven survival skills.

Skill #1: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Students need to be able to see things from all angles and find their own solutions. Whatever their career, speed is essential.

If teachers want to teach students to think for themselves, they must present them with situations in which they must find solutions on their own.

Instead of teaching students that there is only one solution to every problem, we need to teach them that problem solving is a creative and personal process. Mathematics provides an excellent example of this approach in action.

Read also: How to facilitate learning and critical thinking?

Competency #2: Collaboration and Leadership by Influence
It is true that not everyone is a natural leader; However, leading others can certainly help one achieve success in one’s chosen career. Also, it can be especially difficult to work closely with other people if you don’t have to. Students in this major should not learn teamwork alone. They should be encouraged to take on different roles on each project.

Students can fill several roles during a project with their classmates, from “manager” to “organizer” to “graphic designer”. Working collaboratively on a project rather than just piecing it together at the end allows them to take on a variety of roles.

Skill #3: Agility and Adaptability
Our students must be comfortable with the idea of ​​change and ready to adapt to the changes around them. Classrooms can be very dynamic, so teachers can prepare students for the future by varying the teaching strategies used, classroom setup, how we demonstrate learning, and even related guidelines. group work or homework.

For example, you can have students create a storyboard and then surprise them by demanding to include some of them.

elements, or even asking them to switch positions and perform one task based on the preparations for another. They may protest at first, but the skills learned will be very beneficial!

Read also: Pedagogical competence: definition and examples

Skill #4: Initiative and Entrepreneurship
Students need to be able to take initiative and play a role in shaping their classroom experience. Teachers should encourage these skills in their schools. Students are often incredibly imaginative and eager to contribute to their learning. They can therefore expect much more from them than a list of do’s and don’ts.

It is important for teachers to show students that they are willing to listen to their suggestions for improving the classroom or the school. Even if a concept fails, they can help them organize their ideas and implement them. This can be a useful lesson in how to assess what went wrong and figure out how to improve it. We cannot prevent students from trying anything for fear of failing.

increase in student skills
Skill #5: Effective Communication
Despite advances in technology, these capabilities remain essential. Do you remember a boss or manager who sent you an email full of grammatical errors or who read aloud an entire presentation on a piece of paper? What would you really think? What makes some of the best communicators you’ve seen stand out? We need to teach our students to communicate with confidence and clarity.

Teachers can help students learn enunciation, speed, volume, gestures and eye contact, but it doesn’t come naturally. The same skills that help in acting can also help in oral communication. Take some time to start a lesson ineffectively and see how long it takes your students to wonder what you’re doing. They should be able to tell you what’s wrong with your communication skills.

We must continue to emphasize the importance of meeting standards when teaching students to use the technology available to them to check their written work. Students should learn and begin to apply the distinction between formal and informal writing.

Read also: The competency-based approach: definition, stages and principles

Skill #6: Access and Analyze Information
Students can find an almost endless amount of data online. The internet is a wonderful resource for research, but it can also be a terrible enemy if they’re not careful. It is not difficult to obtain data, but it is often difficult to find correct data. Students must be able to determine what they want from the millions of web pages available on a subject and be able to trust the information they find. They must also be able to distinguish factual information from factual opinions.

Despite the fact that many students collect data on “answer” sites without considering whether the information was composed by someone incorrect or uneducated on a subject, many students still use these sites . In the same way that a teacher “thinks aloud” about reading strategies, we can also “think aloud” about Internet search tactics. Project your screen on the board and work with your students on a topic. Show your students how to search for answers and how to avoid being deceived!

Skill #7: Curiosity and Imagination
Our students come with an overflowing and wild imagination, and ask to discover the world around them. It is our duty as teachers to nurture the imagination of our students and make it thrive. Rather than ensuring that students are curious and imaginative, we need to ensure that we don’t take those qualities away from them. We must continue to encourage the development of these skills and use them in creative and useful ways. Now imagine a little boy who likes soldiers and robots, but not princesses.

When he shows you his new drawing of a soldier using a robot-inspired weapon to destroy a princess, how do you react? Do you admire his creativity the same way you admire the world-saving robot drawn by the student next to him? Do you hang this picture on the wall?

We all have different tastes and appreciations, so an educator must be careful about how they develop and nurture the creativity and imagination of their students.

. We can explain what is acceptable in certain circumstances without making them believe that their thoughts are bad or incorrect.

Conclusion
When it comes to learning, being able to practice and improve your skills is extremely important. By improving your existing skills and discovering new ones, you can better serve your students and prepare them for the future.

You can use a variety of strategies and tools to help your students develop these skills. Use real-world experiences. This is one of the most effective ways to help your students develop their skills.

Real-world experiences are experiences your students have outside of the classroom. By modeling the skills and attitudes needed to be successful in their career of choice, you can help your students learn these skills on their own.

You can also use real-world experiences as a way to connect with your students. By reflecting on your own life experiences, you can help your students make connections between the skills they are developing in the classroom and those they will need in the future. Use student projects in class.

Student projects are good opportunities to showcase student work while supporting their learning process. Projects can be assigned as homework, undertaken as an independent learning activity, or even as a way to revise the classroom curriculum.

By involving your students in projects, you normalize these types of activities and make taking on new challenges less daunting. You can also use it to encourage creativity. Your students’ projects can be a way for them to share their ideas and connect with other students. Help your students create memorable projects