Leaving school and entering the “real world” can be scary for students, especially if they aren't well-prepared. Being successful is more than learning how to read and write. There are other important skills you can teach your students to further their growth in and outside of the classroom.
Below are 4 ways to help your students be ready when they walk across the stage.
1. Incorporate Technology Into the Classroom
Technology is all around us, and we don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. Therefore, it's important for students to adapt and learn the types of technologies they'll encounter and use in their careers. From artificial intelligence to communication technologies, incorporating this software in the classroom is a great way to prepare them for success.
Scholarships or grants in your area can help fund these initiatives. For example, dfe connect the classroom is an initiative that strives to upgrade the wireless network infrastructure of schools. Through grants, programs like this are ensuring that students and educators have the tools they need to succeed.
2. Teach Students Life Skills
Yes, math, history, science, and other courses taught in schools are important and necessary, but what good will that do if your students don't know much about life skills?
Going in-depth and teaching your students about time management, communication, and more can help them be ready after they walk across that stage and receive their diplomas.
Time management is important in many ways. It can determine whether they make it to their appointments, interviews, and meetings on time or whether they're running late out the door.
Decision-making, problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-control are some of those life skills students should master. Encouraging teamwork can help build communication skills, compromising, and social skills. Working as a team helps students learn from each other and usually requires each to take on certain responsibilities to reach their final goal/outcome.
3. Volunteering
Volunteer work is one of the best ways to give back to the community through a rewarding experience. Encouraging your students to volunteer will not only look great on a resume but will teach them leadership, communication, project management, and organization. While not paid, volunteer work is a small taste of life after school.
Moreover, students usually have an idea of what they want to do for a living, but if they don't, this can help them find their calling. It's even beneficial for those that do know what they want to do. Through volunteer work, they may realize the career they thought they wanted to pursue isn't what they thought it would be. Volunteering can help them discover new career possibilities and interests.
4. Build Confidence
Students who believe in themselves are more willing to learn and take on challenges. Those who have self-confidence have a more positive outlook in life. They are also more likely to speak up and fight for what they believe in or want. Having confidence helps students feel ready for life experiences.
People who lack self-confidence tend to doubt their abilities which can stop them from going for their goals. Lack of confidence builds self-doubt and usually means more roadblocks they may have to tackle. If things don't work out the first time, confidence helps them go again!
Final Thoughts
As educators, we play a major role in the success of our students. It's important to go beyond basic skills if we want to see them succeed. It's not always the case that students get the skills mentioned above at home. By incorporating glimpses of technology, life skills, or volunteer work into the classroom, we'll be better preparing them for success.
