Conventional education systems often lay extreme emphasis on grades. While good grades definitely help parents understand the child’s quantifiable performance; there are plenty of other factors that help students with overall growth for a brighter future. This new outlook is shaping many curricula and approaches to education as Indian International schools adopt a more flexible approach to teaching.
Here are some things students can do for a brighter tomorrow:
1. Talent Development
If a fish is judged by its ability to climb the tree, it will spend its whole life thinking that it is a failure. Each student has a unique talent at which he/she is best. It could be anything from coding skills to culinary skills. Recognising those skills and working on them during academic learning years, is something students should concentrate on to give themselves an extra edge among peers. Subject specialisation will then come easily, and students will be able to bring an additional something to the table in their future endeavours. For example, if a student has a knack for photography, international schools will do better to hone this skill to give this student advantage in the wider world. Some Indian International schools like GIIS have included skills as part of the curriculum much to the benefit of students
2. Building contacts
Networking is the buzzword in today’s world. Students can do well for themselves if they start the process of building their network very early in life. This will help them have the right contacts at the right places when they go out in the wide world to carve a niche for themselves. For example: a student who has a natural inclination towards learning music, would do well to start accounts on Instagram or Tik Tok and build a community of followers, who will be his/her early supporters and part of their network for the future.
In the bargain, students can build great relationships, friendships and memories which will help enhance the rich experiences that will be useful in the future.
3. Educational trips and exchange programmes
As everyone goes global, one of the best ways to ensure overall development and cultural exchange in students is by making the young people meet their contemporaries. Many Indian international schools have started facilitating exciting exchange programs between their students from other parts of the world. There are many institutes that help with these tie-ups as well through programmes like Model United Nations etc. Such exchanges are good to expand knowledge, understand the cultures and traditions of others and have experiences that will benefit them in future.
4. Learn a language
Additional languages have become a mandate in most school curricula. Young age is supposed to be the best time to grasp and pick up a new language. Learning an international language not only gives the student an insight into a different culture but also arms them with an additional skill which can be used effectively when they step into the career world. Like GIIS Tokyo Summer School program offers English language support to students for effective learning and an opportunity to master the language.
Additionally, learning Japanese or Spanish can help them with both professional and personal opportunities as they are largely spoken across the world. Students can really concentrate on these additional skills which open a whole new world of opportunities for them. Schools like GIIS offer languages as optional subjects and study materials for students with the future in mind.
Also Read: Productive Things to Do in the Summer for High School Students
5. Look for a mentorship
Students doing summer jobs or internships during holidays, or even volunteer work in their free time have a better chance of being worldly wise from a young age. This experience will go a long way in teaching them the ropes of worklife, dealing with colleagues and customers, as well as managing time and personal life balance from an early age. Working on check-out counters, helping with data entry, helping with accounts or running errands or doing chores are simple yet useful life experiences that shape the personality of students.
Developing hobbies and joining societies, clubs and groups which help you pursue that hobby is a great way of building a good personality. That hobby can be anything from playing a sport to birdwatching. Each hobby teaches something good to anyone who pursues it, be it collaboration, communication, teamwork, patience, eye for beauty, appreciation of nature, caring for the environment etc. Hobbies help you be socially responsible, respectful to the abilities of others and accommodative to the needs beyond self.
Lastly, students should travel and gain more experiences by meeting new people and interacting with strangers. Travelling nurtures an independent spirit, teaches students to think on their feet, look after themselves and deal with pleasant and unpleasant situations with confidence. These experiences are a good foundation for the future.
All of the above skills help students shape their life with a strong basic understanding of university life and work life. Even the most esteemed universities in the world emphasize extra achievements as academics. Employers too, appreciate these skills more than just a strong resume.
Grades and marks are important, but they do not define a person in the long run. Judging a student only on the basis of their scores is a practice that is slowing dying. A student is appreciated for their multidimensional and multifaceted personalities, and people are treating them as such. Skills clearly give a defining picture that marks are only given for indicative purposes and should only be treated as such. Parents should look for schools that focus on giving overall development to the students and help them enhance their skills and talents. Building an overall strong, focused with a balance of sound education makes for a perfect student.
