It’s no surprise that kids may find it tough to express their emotions into words. When they’re feeling something they can’t quite put into words, they might act out in frustration. As parents, it’s essential for us to help our little ones learn about emotional literacy. This valuable skill boosts their overall wellbeing and paves the way for the future. Emotionally literate kids tend to have better self-control, improved physical and mental health, and they even perform better in school.

NEP 2020 highlights the importance of Social and Emotional Learning for children’s holistic development. It advocates for an education system that fosters logical, compassionate, and empathetic individuals. Accordingly, Delhi University introduced emotional intelligence courses in 2022-23. These courses empower students to create positive relationships, enhance personal competence, and develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management skills.

Here are some strategies that parents can implement to encourage emotional literacy in your children:

😊Encourage Open Communication

Creating an environment where your kid feels comfortable discussing their emotions is the first step in fostering emotional literacy. Encourage your younger one to share their feelings, thoughts, and experiences with you. Make it a point to listen actively and empathize with their emotions. This open communication will help your child feel supported and understood, making it easier for them to express their feelings in the future.

😊Be a Role Model

As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important role model. Demonstrating emotional literacy in your daily life will teach them how to recognize and express their emotions effectively. Share your feelings with your little one, and explain how you handle different emotions. This will not only help them understand the importance of emotional literacy but also give them a concrete example to follow.

😊Teach Emotional Vocabulary

Helping your kid build an emotional vocabulary is crucial for their emotional quotient. Introduce them to words representing emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, and fear. Motivate them to use these terms to convey their emotions. For example, when your child is upset, encourage them to say, “I feel sad” or “I feel frustrated,” helping them identify and express their emotions effectively. You can also introduce more complex emotions, like jealousy, embarrassment, or disappointment, as your younger one grows older and gains a better understanding of emotions.

😊Validate their Emotions

Validating your kid’s emotions means acknowledging and accepting their feelings without judgment. This is an essential aspect of developing emotional intelligence. Respond with empathy and understanding when your child shares their emotions with you. Avoid minimizing or dismissing their feelings. Instead, help them feel heard and valued by saying things like, “I can see that you’re upset,” or “It’s okay to feel sad sometimes.”

😊Encourage Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one’s own emotions. To help your kid develop self-awareness, encourage them to reflect on their feelings and emotions. Ask open-ended questions that prompt them to think about their emotions, such as “How did that make you feel?” or “What do you think caused you to feel that way?” This practice will help them become more in tune with their emotions and better equipped to manage them.

😊Use Books and Media to Teach about Emotions

Books, movies, and TV shows can be powerful tools for teaching emotional literacy. Choose age-appropriate stories that feature characters experiencing various emotions. Discuss the emotions portrayed in the story and how the characters handle them. This can help your child relate to the characters and learn from their experiences. Developing emotional intelligence through stories or films enables children to understand their emotions better, empathize with others, and effectively manage relationships.

😊Practice Empathy

Encourage your kid to consider how others might feel in different situations. Ask questions like, “How do you think your friend felt when that happened?” or “How would you feel if you were in their shoes?” This will help them develop empathy and become more emotionally literate.

😊Make Time for Play

Play is an essential part of a child’s emotional development. Through play, children can explore their emotions, practice social skills, and learn how to cope with different situations. Encourage them to participate in imaginative play, role-playing, and other activities that foster emotional expression. For instance, you could provide them with toys and props that inspire creative storytelling or set up scenarios that allow them to act out different emotions and experiences.

😊Seek Professional Help if Needed

If you’re concerned about your child’s emotional quotient or if they’re struggling to cope with their emotions, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. A therapist or counselor can provide guidance and support for both you and your child.

The Final Word

Recognizing the importance of emotional development in early childhood is essential for cultivating emotionally intelligent and resilient individuals who can navigate life’s challenges with ease. At Square Panda India, we firmly believe that emotional literacy is the cornerstone of personal growth and social well-being. Our comprehensive programs emphasize emotional intelligence alongside cognitive and academic development. 

Implementing social skills can be challenging for children. It’s not something that comes naturally to everyone, and it takes a whole lot of practice and hard work to get the hang of it. While some children pick up these skills naturally, others might find certain aspects tougher. If you notice that your little one is having difficulty making friends or getting along with others, take a step back and observe what’s happening. Think about possible factors like starting a new school jitter, being a bit on the shy side, or maybe even dealing with teasing from other kids. By considering these things, you can better help your child tackle their social challenges. 

The learning loss survey showed that 58% of teachers feel students’ social skills suffered due to Covid-related school closures, leading to shorter attention spans and distractions. Thus, it’s vital to help children develop their social skills now more than ever. With some good old parental guidance, kids can conquer the social pressures of school, level up their social skills, and build some seriously awesome relationships along the way.

🤝The Importance of Social Skills in School

Kids also need to be able to express themselves clearly and effectively so that others can understand what they’re saying. This includes being able to share information about themselves and their interests without feeling self-conscious or embarrassed about what they’re talking about. It also means being able to read other people’s facial expressions and body language to better understand what they’re trying to communicate.

Before diving into the tips, let’s first understand why social skills are so crucial for children in school. Building social skills helps children:

• Feel more confident and secure in their school environment
• Foster a sense of belonging and acceptance among peers
• Enhance their communication and problem-solving abilities
• Build resilience and cope better with challenges or setbacks
• Improve their overall academic performance and future career prospects

Making friends and building relationships is a challenge for many kids, often because they feel intimidated by the social expectations of school. However, socializing in a positive way doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating – it can be accomplished with a few simple strategies.

🤝Encourage Active Listening

Listening is a crucial social skill that lays the foundation for effective communication. Teach your child the importance of active listening by giving their full attention to the speaker, making eye contact, and showing empathy. This will help them better understand others’ feelings and perspectives, making it easier to build connections and friendships.

🤝Practice Good Manners

Good manners go a long way in creating a positive impression on others. Encourage your child to say “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” in their daily interactions. Teach them the importance of respecting others’ personal space, waiting their turn, and sharing. These simple acts of courtesy will make your child more approachable and likable among their peers.

🤝Teach Empathy and Compassion

Empathy and compassion are key ingredients for building solid relationships. Teach your child to put themselves in others’ shoes and understand their feelings. Encourage them to offer help and support to classmates who may be struggling or facing challenges. Your child will naturally attract positive relationships by being a caring and empathetic friend.

🤝Promote Positive Body Language

Non-verbal cues play a significant role in communicating and connecting with others. Teach your child the importance of positive body language, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, and having an open posture. This will make them appear more approachable and friendly, helping them attract new friends and build relationships.

🤝Encourage Participation in Group Activities

Participating in group activities, such as sports, clubs, or after-school programs, provides an excellent opportunity for your child to meet new friends with similar interests. Encourage your child to join activities they enjoy and actively engage with their peers. This will not only help them develop new skills but also foster a sense of belonging and harmony.

🤝Develop Conversation Skills

Being able to initiate and maintain a conversation is essential for making friends. Help your child develop their conversation skills by practicing open-ended questions, showing genuine interest in others, and sharing their experiences. Role-playing different social scenarios at home can also be a fun way to practice these skills and build your child’s confidence.

🤝Foster Resilience and Conflict Resolution

Conflicts and disagreements are a natural part of any relationship. Teach your child the importance of staying calm and composed during conflicts and finding constructive solutions to problems. Encourage them to apologize and forgive when necessary, and help them understand that it’s okay to agree to disagree sometimes. Building resilience and conflict resolution skills will help your child navigate challenging social situations and maintain strong relationships.

🤝Be a Positive Role Model

Children learn a lot from observing their parents and caregivers. Be a positive role model by demonstrating healthy social skills, such as active listening, empathy, and effective communication. Show your child the importance of maintaining strong relationships with friends, family, and colleagues, and they will likely follow your example.

Final Thoughts

Helping your child with strong social skill development is an ongoing process that requires patience, guidance, and encouragement. Using these tips and strategies, you can support your child in making friends and building lasting relationships in school. Remember, every child is unique, and it’s essential to be patient and understanding as they navigate their social journey. They’ll grow into confident, compassionate, and socially adept individuals with your love and support.

Square Panda India’s comprehensive programs go beyond teaching basic academic skills. They also emphasize the importance of social skills and provide children with the necessary tools to understand and develop them. By incorporating interactive activities and engaging content, we aim to empower children to navigate social interactions with confidence and empathy.

Inclusive Education means making real learning opportunities accessible for all types of learners, including ones with diverse abilities, backgrounds, special needs and students from marginalized groups. The term ‘inclusive education’ goes beyond the fence of supporting students with special needs. Inclusive education considers all students as full participants, and it means giving equal opportunities to them all.

To optimally implement inclusive teaching practices, our education system demands a few modifications in areas like infrastructure, support services, curriculum, teaching methods, and learning resources. In most countries, teachers undergo annual training that focus on upgrading skills, and teaching techniques. Focusing on Teacher Training to derive better learning outcomes is underlined by the NEP2020, and the education system is working towards its end goal. 

In this article, we will take a closer look at how teacher training can support inclusive teaching practices, and will also help one identify types of inclusive education.   

🧑‍🏫Benefits of Teacher Training

🧑‍🏫Learning the right techniques to teach

There are myriad ways to teach and deliver curriculum, but it’s important to be mindful of every child’s capacity, accessibility, and ability to grasp concepts. Teaching also involves taking a conscious effort to recognise every child’s strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. Every child has a different learning style, some prefer auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learning. Children have their own ways to retain information and use different strategies for the same.       

🧑‍🏫Recognising the right resources and optimally using them

Age-and-grade-appropriate resources need to be used to teach new concepts, tell different stories, and teach new techniques. Using the right learning resources is key to effective teaching; for instance teaching children about different colours, shapes, and animals can be best done using games, puzzles, and cutouts.   

🧑‍🏫Accepting Diversity and Equity

Inclusive education’s primary principal is to recognise the value of diversity of students. Every child belongs to a different background and culture, features a unique style of learning and has different abilities; that said teachers need to be trained to cater to different types of students. Acceptance of diversity among children in class makes for a healthy environment, where students learn to respect one another. This makes for a very big part of a child’s upbringing, where they learn to accept that differences among people are normal.     

🧑‍🏫 Child-centered learning environment

Child-centered environment is essential to put the needs of the students first. Inclusive teaching practices include teaching techniques that cater to different types of students. Class management and creating a positive and healthy environment is one of the primary teachings of child-centered learning. Different from a conventional classroom, a student-centered environment, the student assumes a more active role than teachers, which enables students to share their ideas, provide feedback, and participate in decision-making. By and large, the end goal is to make students feel valued for their opinions and suggestions, which in the long run adds value to their life in the form of self-confidence and social interaction.   

🧑‍🏫Collaborative and team-based approaches

Besides benefitting the students and their learning outcomes, teacher training can promote team-based approaches among multidisciplinary teams such as teachers, special educators, therapists, and support staff. This calls for collaboration, effective communication, and coordination among professionals, who provide comprehensive support to students with diverse needs.

🧑‍🏫Reduces bias

Teacher training for inclusive education can substantially shape educators’ attitudes toward unnecessary biases. The training facilitates identifying and addressing personal biases or prejudices that pose a huge hindrance in inclusive practices. Training impart soft skills among teachers that may include empathy, respect, and appreciation for diversity. 

🧑‍🏫Involving families and communities

Inclusive education also emphasizes the importance of involving families and communities in the whole education process. This collaboration drives understanding, support, and active involvement from people associated with the students. Teacher training for inclusive education facilitates learning strategies for effective communication and collaboration with families, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. 

🧑‍🏫Continuous professional development

As we all know and understand, teacher training is an ongoing process. These professional development opportunities take credit for enabling teachers to stay updated on the latest research, and policies. After all, it further helps teachers take an inclusive pedagogical approach. All in all, teacher trainings are designed to support growth and professional development among educators. It is imperative for teachers to have reflective practices, and ensure the ability to adapt to evolving needs of learners.

Bottomline

Comprehensive teacher training is curated to empower educators to create inclusive classrooms that support the diverse needs of all learners. The training also impart a positive attitude and an unbiased behavior that results in creating a positive classroom culture that celebrates diversity.

Square Panda India recognises the need for teacher training to derive better learning outcomes. It plays a key role in creating a synergy among all stakeholders involved in the education system. Square Panda India advocates taking a holistic approach towards learning, which puts teacher training at the center of the agenda. 

Inclusive education has evolved from being a mere buzzword to a fundamental right that empowers students with diverse learning needs to thrive academically and beyond. In today’s ever-changing world, it is crucial to recognize and address the unique challenges faced by students with different learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds. One avenue that has proven transformative for these students is vocational training and skill development, also known as career and technical education. This tailored approach to education equips individuals with practical skills, boosts their confidence, and opens doors to a world of opportunities, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable society.

Technical education offers a range of benefits for students with diverse learning needs, from hands-on experiences and real-world applications to individualized instruction and support. By embracing this educational approach, we can help break down barriers, foster a sense of belonging, and promote success for all students, regardless of their learning needs. 

📚Education Inclusivity Initiative Across Globe

Technical and industry-focused learning fosters collaboration among governments, institutions, and social partners, resulting in fruitful partnerships that significantly benefit learners, as per the UNESCO 2022 report. Below are some of the highlights:

• Germany’s 2019 National Skills Strategy highlights the strong alliance between the government and social partners, aiming to foster a culture of continuous vocational and general education. This approach makes lifelong learning a norm and improves access to diverse training providers and funding opportunities through platforms like INVITE, connecting federal and state programs.
  
  
• Government and private sector partnerships in England play a crucial role in Technical and Vocational Education and Training. T-Level qualifications work closely with industries and employers. This offers young people practical skills as an alternative to A-level academics. Employers also help develop apprenticeships, allowing youth to learn high-level skills and earn simultaneously. These collaborations ensure students gain the skills and experience needed by industries.
  
  
• Spain’s new vocational education law emphasizes social partner participation, including businesses, in training design, development, evaluation, and innovation. The law encourages small and medium-sized enterprise networks to rotate trainees. In addition, it introduces technological hubs, innovation clusters, and a platform for information exchange and collaboration among schools, partners, enterprises, and associations.
  

📚India’s Initiative on Vocational Education

Students from the 9th grade to 12th are provided NSQF-compliant vocational courses to help students acquire various skills to meet industrial needs. This scheme intends to help children make #career choices by providing additional lectures based on their competencies, aspirations, and aptitudes. The vocational courses are recommended based on the number of hours, student’s age and educational qualifications.

The New India Literacy Programme or Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram is a government initiative in place for 5 crore illiterates, who have failed to complete their primary education. The idea is to provide foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, vocational skills development, and primary education. This scheme will continue to improve the skills of these individuals to such an extent that they can find gainful employment.

Now, let’s delve deeper into the benefits of vocational education for students with diverse learning needs and explore how it contributes to the broader goal of promoting inclusive education.

📚Tailored Learning Experience

Vocational training and skill development caters to the unique needs of each student. It recognizes that individuals learn differently and adapt the curriculum accordingly. By providing a more personalized and hands-on learning experience, students with diverse learning needs can engage actively and gain practical skills that can be utilised in their chosen fields.

📚Building Self-Confidence

As they master practical skills and witness their progress, students develop a strong sense of accomplishment and belief in their abilities. This newfound confidence transcends the classroom and extends to various aspects of their lives, paving the way for greater independence and self-advocacy.

📚Fostering Practical Skills

Vocational activities for students emphasizes hands-on learning and provides practical skills relevant to specific industries. This approach equips them with tangible abilities that are highly sought after in the job market. Whether carpentry, culinary arts, automotive mechanics, or graphic design, vocational training empowers students to enter the workforce with specialized expertise, increasing their employability and career prospects.

📚Promoting Social Interaction

Inclusive education extends beyond academics and embraces social inclusion. Vocational training and skill development programs foster a supportive and inclusive environment, enabling students to interact and collaborate with their peers, instructors, and industry professionals. Through teamwork, problem-solving, and communication, students with diverse learning needs develop crucial social skills that prepare them for the complexities of the workplace and build lasting relationships.

📚Enhancing Independence

Vocational training is vital in promoting independence for students with diverse learning needs. By focusing on practical skills, students gain the ability to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios, leading to increased self-reliance. Vocational programs empower students to take charge of their lives and reduce their dependence on external support, ultimately enhancing their overall quality of life.

📚Opening Doors to Employment

One of the primary goals of vocational training is to prepare students for gainful employment. By equipping them with job-specific skills, vocational programs enhance their chances of securing meaningful employment opportunities. In addition, employers increasingly recognize the value of diverse perspectives and abilities, making vocational training graduates with diverse learning needs an asset to the workforce.

The Final Word

At Square Panda India, we’re committed to enhancing vocational training in India. Our initiative focuses on using innovative, technology-driven solutions to improve learning experiences. We leverage cutting-edge tools and engaging content to make education accessible and enjoyable for all.

In our always-evolving world, thinking outside the box is more important than ever! Being able to tackle problems with fresh perspectives and inventive ideas is a valuable skill in any field. When we break free from traditional boundaries, we can make a real impact and flourish in a constantly changing environment. To help students succeed in the future, we need to empower them to break the mold and think creatively. Creating an educational environment that encourages curiosity, exploration, and imaginative problem-solving will give students the skills and mindset they need to navigate the future of work. Student thinking is a quality that needs practice to crucially develop problem-solving skills and creativity.

💡Challenges of Traditional Education

Traditional education systems are essential for teaching basics, but they don’t always nurture creative thinking. Instead, they often focus on memorization and conformity over critical thinking and problem-solving. Conformity can hold back creativity and innovation by imposing strict rules and norms that limit individuality and discourage originality. This leaves little room for students to explore their interests and ideas, turning them into passive learners instead of active thinkers. This hampers their ability to develop independent thoughts and creative problem-solving skills.

Additionally, societal and cultural norms often favor conformity and discourage deviation from established criteria. To overcome this, promoting awareness, open dialogue, and creating a safe space for diverse perspectives is essential. Creativity blossoms when children are encouraged to challenge norms and try unconventional approaches. Educators must challenge biases, celebrate uniqueness, and educate stakeholders on the value of unconventional ideas. Empowering teachers to empower students creates a supportive learning environment.

💡NEP 2020: Fostering Creativity & Critical Thinking

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on promoting creativity and critical thinking among 21st-century learners. Emphasizing conceptual clarity over rote memorization, the policy aims to develop ethical values and 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy. Replacing summative assessments with formative assessments, the NEP encourages competency-based assessments to foster higher-order skills. 

The policy’s primary goal is to shift India’s education system towards a better understanding, teaching children “how to learn” and moving away from traditional rote learning practices. The policy aims to transform India sustainably into an  equitable society of creative and innovative citizens with future-proof skills.

On April 21st, World Creativity and Innovation Day, the Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC) hosted “T-Innovation Mahotsavam” to encourage problem-solving among children. Supported by the Panchayat Raj Department, they held an “Hour of Innovation” webinar introducing design thinking to students. TSIC teams visited villages, organized innovation hours, and encouraged locals to identify problems and brainstorm solutions. In collaboration with Wi-Hub and Inqui-Lab Foundation, a webinar highlighted creativity and innovation significance in everyday life, promoting inclusivity in innovation. This initiative will lead to student thinking that fosters autonomy, motivation, and self-directed learning in students.

💡Strategies to Promote Out-of-the-Box Thinking:

• Encourage curiosity: Children are naturally curious, and fostering this trait can help them to think outside the box. Encourage them to ask questions, explore, and investigate the world around them.
• Provide open-ended activities: Offer activities that don’t have a single ‘right’ answer, such as art projects or brainstorming sessions. This allows children to explore different possibilities and encourages them to think creatively. Besides, a positive mindset for students fosters resilience and self-confidence.
• Teach problem-solving skills: Teach children how to identify problems, brainstorm solutions, and evaluate the effectiveness of their solutions. This fosters critical thinking and encourages them to look beyond conventional solutions.
• Promote independent thinking: Encourage children to form their own opinions and ideas, even if they differ from the norm. This helps them to develop their own unique perspectives and think creatively. Understanding the types of mindsets allows individuals to adapt and grow effectively.
• Support risk-taking: Encourage children to take calculated risks and learn from their mistakes. This helps them to develop resilience and willingness to try new things.
• Provide opportunities for hands-on learning: Give children a chance to learn by doing hands-on projects or experiments. This helps them understand how things work and encourages them to think creatively to solve problems.
• Emphasize the process, not just the outcome: Encourage children to focus on the problem-solving approach rather than just the end result. This helps them develop their creativity and critical thinking skills. Student empowerment builds a sense of ownership and responsibility in the learning process.

The Final Word

Today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators and problem-solvers, and society needs all the ingenuity it can get. But there is a concern that future generations will fall short when confronted with the significant challenges ahead. A disproportionate number of highly educated workers are nearing retirement age, and many younger people lack the skills to fill their roles. Meanwhile, technological advances are creating entirely new industries—from robotics to nanotechnology—that require people with a higher skill set. So we need more than just technical know-how; we need a workforce that can create innovative solutions to these problems by thinking outside the box.

One potential solution: education reform that encourages students to think independently and creatively. By challenging traditional educational boundaries and nurturing creativity, we can equip students with the skills to tackle real-world problems and drive progress. Educators, parents, and communities must collaborate to create environments that encourage exploration, curiosity, and unconventional thinking.

At Square Panda India, our team of experts creates an adaptive, self-paced curriculum that engages children throughout their learning journey. Our programs are tailored to deliver improved learning outcomes and provide a more holistic educational experience. To learn more, visit our website – www.squarepanda.in

In recent years, particularly following the pandemic, there has been a significant shift in the school education landscape as technology-based learning solutions have gained importance. New Education Policy 2020 has also adapted to these changes by introducing a revised grade structure for school students. Under this new system, students will only be required to take examinations in Classes 3, 5, and 8.

📖The 5+3+3+4 Formula

The new policy aims to provide a uniform and inclusive transition from pre-school to higher education. Under this system, the duration of a student’s schooling remains the same, but it involves restructuring the current 10+2 system into a 5+3+3+4 format. It divides the school education period into four stages:

1. The first stage includes five years of foundational learning that begins at the age of three. It consists of three years of pre-primary education, followed by two years of primary education, i.e., grades 1 & 2.
2. The second stage is three years of preparatory education that includes classes 3 to 5. This stage focuses on developing a solid foundation in subject-specific knowledge and essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication.
3. The third stage is another three years of middle education that includes classes 6 to 8. This stage aims to provide a holistic and multidisciplinary education that encourages creativity, innovation, and the exploration of diverse subjects.
4. The fourth and final stage is four years of secondary education, which includes grades 9 to 12. This stage prepares students for higher education or vocational education, focusing on specialized knowledge and skills.

📖Benefits of 5+3+3+4 Education Policy

The transition from Anganwadis and playschools to formal education is a significant challenge in India. Providing children with a strong foundation at the basic level is crucial for their continuous learning and future academic success. This requires a comprehensive approach focusing on early childhood care and education, including access, affordability, and quality. Implementing the 5+3+3+4 education system will address these challenges and provide children with more consistent and inclusive growth.

With this new format, the board exams will be simplified and designed to evaluate students’ essential competencies rather than rote memorization. The focus will be on assessing the application of core concepts and knowledge, making examination patterns more practical and relevant. This approach aims to reduce stress and anxiety among students and encourage them to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. 

As the new format emphasizes multidisciplinary education and provides the freedom to choose subjects in middle school, vocational guidance will play a crucial role in guiding students toward the best possible career paths. By eliminating the traditional streams of arts, commerce, and science, the new system will enable students to choose subjects that align with their interests and career goals. As a result, schools will be able to help students explore their options, understand the job market trends, and make informed decisions about their future. 

The new 5+3+3+4 structure not only aims to revolutionize the Indian education system but also aims to bring about a shift in the mindset of parents toward their children’s career choices. The current system often puts undue pressure on children to pursue conventional careers considered safe and lucrative. However, by introducing multidisciplinary education and allowing students to choose their preferred subjects at an early stage, the NEP 2020 hopes to create a more inclusive and diverse education system that recognizes and supports a variety of career paths. This will help parents understand the importance of allowing children to follow their interests and passions, thus leading to a more fulfilling and satisfying career for the child.

📖The Bottom Line

The shift from the traditional 10+2 education system to the 5+3+3+4 structure presents a plethora of opportunities for students to grow and excel. Square Panda India supports this student-centric and personalized learning experience, as it enables students to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and become well-rounded individuals. Moreover, by aligning itself with global standards and best practices, this new education policy in India is crucial to building a brighter and more prosperous future for the country.

As parents and educators, we know that writing can be a daunting skill to learn. After all, it requires motor skills, dexterity, and precision—and this is just for starters! Just like developing any other skill, writing requires time to practice, and follow patterns before getting started on the main skill. For instance, when children opt to learn swimming, the coach makes them do several activities and exercises before they can begin swimming. There’s a whole routine to follow for multiple days, and students move on to swimming gradually.

✍️Writing makes for one of the most valuable tools we can teach our children to develop a foundation of learning. In this blog post, we’ll cover the ABCs of pre writing activities that will prepare your preschooler for the said activity. 

As with any activity or skill, basic writing skills have best outcomes when they’re tailored specifically to your child’s needs, and stage of development. While some activities may be more universally helpful than others, it’s essential to consider what your child needs at this particular time in their life. 

• If your child is a curious observer who learns by seeing what others are doing and imitates them, pre-writing activities should focus on observing basic shapes and patterns as models for writing. 
• If your child is a hands-on learner who learns by doing rather than watching, pre writing activities should be more interactive and engage both their hands and their brain.  
• If your child is a visual learner, who learns best through seeing things rather than doing them, pre writing activities might include pictures or symbols that represent a word or an idea to help them understand what it means before writing it down.

✍️So the following are some of the activities to prepare your child for writing:

✍️Fine Motor Skills Activities

Fine motor skills are essential for developing the hand muscles and grip that your child will need for the basics of writing. 

• Tracing Lines and Shapes: This is an excellent way to help your child develop the hand-eye coordination and muscle control needed for writing. You can use worksheets with dotted lines or simply draw lines and shapes on a piece of paper for your child to trace. Start with simple shapes like circles and squares and progress to more complex ones like triangles and stars.
• Drawing and Coloring: Encourage your toddler to draw and color pictures using pencils, crayons, or markers. This will help them develop the ability to hold writing tools correctly and control the pressure and movement of the pencil.
• Cutting and Pasting: Such activities will help your tiny tot improve their hand strength and coordination, and their ability to manipulate objects with precision. For example, you can provide your child with child-safe scissors and various materials to cut and paste, such as construction paper, tissue paper, or even pictures from magazines.

✍️Hand-eye coordination activities

Hand-eye coordination is an essential skill for writing, as it involves using the eyes to guide the hands in completing tasks.   

• Playdough and Clay: Encourage your kindergartner to manipulate and mold the playdough or clay with their hands, making different shapes and objects. This activity will help them develop the muscles in their fingers and improve their hand-eye coordination.
• Sorting and Stacking: You can provide your pre-k child with various objects to sort and stack, such as blocks, cups, or socks. This exercise will help your child understand spatial relationships and improve hand-eye coordination.
• Bead Threading: Give your toddler large beads and a string or pipe cleaner to thread them onto. This will help them develop the ability to use their hands and eyes together to complete a task.

✍️Cognitive development activities

Cognitive development is essential for your preschooler’s overall growth and learning. 

• Matching and Sorting: These activities help your child develop their ability to recognize patterns and categorize objects. For example, you can provide your child with objects of different colors and shapes, and ask them to sort. This activity will help your child develop their critical thinking skills and improve their ability to recognize patterns and categorize information.
• Memory Games: You can play simple memory games with your child, such as matching pairs of cards or remembering a sequence of colors or objects. This will help your child improve their ability to remember and recall information.
• Alphabet and Number Recognition: You can use flashcards, books, or toys to help your child recognize letters and numbers. This exercise will help your child develop the ability to identify and distinguish between letters and numbers, which is crucial for reading and writing.

The Bottom Line

Fostering creativity and developing basic writing basics of writing in preschoolers is essential for their overall growth and learning journey. At Square Panda India, we understand the importance of engaging, customized solutions that cater to the unique needs and interests of each child. Our comprehensive programs offer a wide range of interactive and stimulating pre writing activities designed to ignite the imagination and prepare young minds for writing. With a focus on creativity, fun, and learning, Square Panda India is dedicated to helping preschoolers develop the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. To know more, visit https://www.squarepanda.in/

Children navigate through different phases in life in order to evolve, learn and strengthen the right skills; all of it is orchestrated to make the right choices and become self-sufficient. And along with the children, the parents have to navigate through the same paths. 

Since we’re all in it together, let’s discuss the toughest phase of a teenager, a phase that children and we, as parents, struggle to keep up. The phase of oblivious peer pressure in school, one that our children are sure to encounter.

When people spend time with each other, they can significantly influence others for their choices, behaviour, fashion, thought process, and more. That said, all we as parents are always rooting for is good company and a healthy circle for our children to thrive in.

While our children would need a little bit of handholding in identifying good company from bad, we could teach them mechanisms to cope with peer pressure at school. Afterall, peer pressure can be the primary source of stress and anxiety, which leaves no room for growth for our children.   

Ways to help Children Cope with Peer Pressure

😊Create an Environment where Children can Talk Openly 

Create an environment where children can freely talk about their feelings and how they perceive a situation, and other’s behaviour; even if that is of their own parents. This will encourage them to share their thoughts openly, and you as a parent will get a chance to understand how they perceive things. There are many ways to deal with peer pressure but let’s begin with a comfortable environment.    

😊Help them Identify Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is when one may feel pressured to do the same things as other people from the same social group in order to fit in. Children follow peers in order to get respect or to avoid being teased. Get your child into the habit of sharing everything with you, be their friend and they will let you in. Help them identify the right from the wrong, and that is a good enough start. For instance, if a child’s friend offers to take something that belongs to someone else, teach your child to say no to that kind of behaviour. If they get pulled down, let them know they did the right thing to not join forces with the wrong.

😊Negative and Positive Peer Pressure

When identifying peer pressure, it’s also essential to differentiate positive peer pressure from negative peer pressure. When others try to force children into making poor choices like bunking school, bullying a student, making use of substances, or dressing a certain way, these qualify as negative peer pressure. However, when a child’s friend or group encourages them to score better, share tips for better memory, and help learn concepts, it qualifies as positive peer pressure.        

😊Teach them about Individuality       

Individuals have their unique characteristics and traits, and we must help our children understand their strengths. Tell the children it’s okay to have different taste from others, a difference of opinion and different instincts. This will help them identify their character and build towards it, regardless of other’s opinions. Encourage them to trust their choices, and help build them into confident individuals.

😊Tell them walking away is an option

Re-emphasise on how it is okay to walk away from peers or situations that make your children uncomfortable. Children shouldn’t grow into becoming people pleasers where their time and effort is not respected. Let them know it’s ok to say “no” to people instead of regretting later on. This also promotes a healthy mindset among growing children.

It is an inevitable event in a child’s life but there are many ways to manage peer pressure among children. The primary step is to begin talking about it at home. We need to set clear expectations from our children when it comes to their behavioural and social patterns. It is essential for our children to know it is healthy to not try to fit in for the wrong reasons.

Once the child discovers their coping mechanism towards peer pressure in school, they will definitely try and stick to their healthy habits and healthy group of friends. 

Second to the home environment, school has the biggest influence on young learners. School is where the children build their own experiences, be it with friends, peers, teachers or that of learning. This is the place where they learn their social skills, and create a network that’s exclusive to them. School is a place where children grow in each other’s company.

Unfortunately, most of us tend to forget the big picture of it all and simply focus on the grading system, academics, and acing everything. Attaining education doesn’t limit itself to acquiring knowledge or information, but it is a whole system that is in place to shape the mindset of young and growing children.

Schooling aims at holistic development, teaches a range of skills, behaviours, and the right attitudes that are essential to live a successful life. That said, schooling does go beyond grades. Let’s dive in to discover the primary reasons for schooling.

🎒Holistic Development

Education aims at building a self-sufficient individual, a person that is known for their range of skills and qualities they possess. Schools aim at fostering essential skills like emotional intelligence, social skills, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

🎒Life skills

Life skills are important to lead a successful personal and professional life. School is the best place to learn essential life skills, such as organization, time management, communication, leadership, and teamwork.

🎒Character Building

Schooling also plays a vital role in teaching values such as integrity, honesty, empathy, and respect for one another. These are some of the most essential qualities for building character that eventually helps contribute positively to society.

🎒Future-Ready

Education moulds students to create successful careers and achieve life goals, which honestly demands more than just academic achievements. It includes imparting a sense of responsibility, adaptability, resilience, and an appreciation for diversity.

In a big pool of skills, abilities, and qualities, the education system puts emphasis on types of grades. Grades are just a means of measuring students’ academic success, it is not the only measure of a student’s abilities and success.

🎒Grading system India- The Real Problem

Educators have conventionally relied on student assessments that compare an entire class with a few successful peers with the false idea that they are motivating other students to catch up with them. In fact, it has an unpleasant effect on the entire class. Instead of encouraging the majority of students to do better, it instils the feeling of failure and defeat.    

Using grades to make a scale only goes to show that it is all a big competition, when in reality it isn’t. The grading in school only puts the children up against each other, which isn’t healthy for them to experience in their growing years. This may also hamper their relationship with their friends and peers, developing an unnecessary competitive environment. Besides, the rote learning method of most students and teachers have long been debated to base the grading system on something so inefficient.   

🎒Rethink Assessment to Improve Learning Outcomes

Assessment should be more student centric; it should help students learn and store information better. Assessment needs to be based on purpose that ensures a coherent and effective way of measuring a student’s learning pathway and capabilities. Another aspect of assessment is to understand the gaps in the students’ understanding of concepts and where they need assistance.  
When the assessment helps point out gaps in learning, teachers get an opportunity to go around the same concept again using a different approach. This way, the learning is effective and makes a difference in a student’s learning experience.

The purpose of assessment derives into how assessments should be constructed and used. When assessment is curated to enhance learning, students needn’t feel anxious or censured when appearing for one. On the contrary, students should take this as an opportunity to make their learning more apparent. As for the sake of reporting and checking if the concept is clear among students, teachers should closely look at the quality of assessment given. 

It’s imperative for the education system to recognise the purpose of the assessment to derive best results for students and teachers. We look forward to an education system where types of assessments are curated for better learning outcomes, and not developed just as a measuring tool.   

The Bottom Line

At the end, every school and educator must focus on creating a learning environment that feels secure and safe for the growing children. Assessment is a big pillar in the learning process that leaves a substantial impact on students’ confidence and self-esteem. That said, assessments and evaluations should be curated to serve as a basis for professional learning that enables assessing students effectively, efficiently, and fairly. Rethinking assessments and evaluations would be a big step towards making education more inclusive in ways more than one.   

A growth mindset is a belief that one’s abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work and dedication. This mindset encourages students to embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and persist in the face of obstacles. It’s easy to assume that students understand this and apply it in their own lives, but what if they don’t? What happens when they start believing that their intelligence or abilities limit them? What happens when a student thinks they can’t do something because of who they are? That’s when quiet quitting begins–the act of giving up without even trying because you feel there isn’t any point in trying.

☹️Causes of Quiet Quitting

☹️Lack of Motivation

When students do not feel invested in their education, they may disengage from the learning process and lose interest in pursuing their academic goals. This can result in a decrease in effort and performance, leading to feelings of frustration and ultimately leading to quiet quitting.

☹️Negative Self-Talk

Negative self-talk causes quiet quitting because it adds up to the negativity and eventually makes students believe that they are less capable than their peers. Negative self-talk can include thoughts like “I’m not smart enough,” I shouldn’t even attempt this,” “I’m not good enough,” “I’ll never make it,” “I don’t belong,” and more.

Praising students for their effort rather than their natural abilities can help them grow out of a fixed mindset. When students hear their hard work and dedication are valued, they are more likely to believe they can improve their outcomes.

☹️Fear of Failure

If a student believes that they will not be able to succeed at a certain task, then the student will most likely give up before even attempting it. This is especially true if the student has had past experiences where they felt like giving up because they failed at something in school or elsewhere. However, when students are encouraged to try new things, even if they might fail, they learn that mistakes are growth opportunities.

🧠Strategies for Nurturing a Growth Mindset

At the core of a growth mindset is the conviction that people can change, grow, and succeed if they work hard enough. Here are some strategies:

🧠Encouraging a Positive Learning Environment

One of the best ways to do this is to establish rituals in your classroom or school—you can start by implementing daily routines and procedures, such as encouraging students to greet each other at the beginning of class every day and having them take turns introducing themselves. Each ritual you establish should be designed to help establish order in your classroom and promote positive interactions among students.

🧠Foster a Love of Learning

Students need to see that learning isn’t just about meeting expectations—it is about finding enjoyment and fulfillment in new information, new skills, and new experiences. When you make learning enjoyable, students will want to learn more on their own. This doesn’t mean that all learning has to be fun—students still need time for the serious business of homework. But it does mean that when possible, you should find a chain of connection between what students are learning with things they find pleasant.

🧠Developing Resilience and Persistence

Students need to learn how to overcome setbacks, failures, and challenges and develop the ability to persevere in the face of adversity. Teachers can help students develop these skills by providing opportunities for problem-solving, modeling resilience, and providing encouragement and support.

The Bottom Line

It’s not easy at any age to deal with failure or disappointment. Whether it’s not being picked for a team or not getting into your first-choice school, many opportunities can lead to feeling like a failure and leave an impact on a child’s positive mindset. This is where teachers, parents and educators can help kids look at failures and disappointments as opportunities. The key is to show them that their intelligence isn’t tangible —it’s something that they can develop and grow over time.

At Square Panda India, we provide education and interactive learning programs that instill a growth mindset. Our learning programs are humanized and dynamic. Unlike a traditional school, we design lessons based on each student’s unique pace and requirements and monitor their progress through these metrics instead of giving them grades. To know more, visit https://ecce.squarepanda.in/