Life Skills Education & CCE

Classes IX To X

Adolescence, a vital stage of growth and development, marks the period of transition from childhood to adulthood. It is characterized by rapid physiological changes and psychosocial maturation. Adolescence is also the stage when young people extend their relationships beyond parents and family and are intensely influenced by their peers and the outside world in general. As adolescents mature cognitively, their mental process becomes more analytical. They are now capable of abstract thinking, better articulation and of developing an independent ideology. These are truly the years of creativity, idealism, buoyancy and a spirit of adventure. But these are also the years of experimentation and risk-taking, of giving in to negative peer pressure, of taking uninformed decisions on crucial issues, especially relating to their bodies and their sexuality. Adolescence is thus a turning point in one’s life, a period of increased potential but also one of greater vulnerability.

The Ten core Life Skills as laid down by WHO are:

1. Self-awareness

2. Empathy

3. Critical thinking

4. Creative thinking

5. Decision making

6. Problem Solving

7. Effective communication

8. Interpersonal relationship

9. Coping with stress

10. Coping with emotion

Life skills-Commandments to Remember

(I read, I forget, I discuss, I remember, I do, I inculcate)

1. Life skills are essentially those abilities that help promote overall wellbeing and competence in young people as they face the realities of life.

2. Life skills are the beginning of wisdom which focuses on behaviour change or developmental approach designed to address a balance of three areas- knowledge, attitude and skills.

3. Life skills enable individuals to translate knowledge, attitude and values into actual abilities i.e. what to do and how to do it, given the scope and opportunity to do so.

4. Life skills however are not a panacea of “how to do abilities” as they are not the only factors that affect behavour. There are many factors such as social support, culture and environment that affect motivation and ability to behave in positive ways

5. Effective acquisition and application of Life Skills can influence the way one feels about others, ourselves and will equally influence the way we are perceived by others. It contributes to perception of self confidence and self esteem.

6. Life skills for psychosocial competence needs to be distinguished from other important skills that young people will acquire as they grow up such as reading, numbers, technical and livelihood skills.

7. Life skills education involves a dynamic teaching process. The methods used to facilitate this active involvement includes working in small groups and pairs, brainstorming, role plays, games and debates.

8. We all use Life Skills in different situations such as:

• To negotiate effectively at home, school or work place, we need to have thinking skills as well as social skills

• When faced with difficult situations we tend to think critically , to analyze all the pros and cons of the situation to think out of box to find a solution to seemingly difficult problems.

9. Many life skills are required to manage a particular situation effectively. In a way, various Life Skills work best in conjunction. In fact, the appropriate combination of Life Skills in a given moment is an art.

10. Children learn their Life Skills from parents, teachers and significant others who act as their role model. They gradually learn to use a particular skill effectively in diverse situation to cope with challenges of life

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Courtesy : CCE