Making Our Students Future Ready

There is an ongoing debate within the Education Think Tank as how and what can make our students ready for the future. Our education system is still based on the models that worked in past.

In today’s fast and unpredictable world, it is not possible to list the type of jobs which will exist few years hence. What is relevant today might not be relevant 4-5 years from now. So, the big question all the stake holders and educators in schools, face today is how do we make sure our students are ready for the future in this ever-changing scenario.

With disrupting innovations like Uber, Air BnBs and much more it is not possible to prepare them for certain types of jobs. So, we as educators should make sure they have a certain skill set which will help them live, learn and work in this complex world.

• Collaboration is something which is to my mind first. In today’s hyper connected world students can learn a lot by collaborating with each other across cities or countries as physical boundaries do not matter much. They gain a deeper insight into other places or culture; their day to day issues and challenges. To understand and navigate through the cultural nuances of other students is a great learning and teaches them to look at the bigger picture of solving global issues/problems. It is good for students to team up with other pupils beyond their comfort zones, forcing them to adjust in their thoughts and actions, in turn widening their own horizons.
• Resilience teaches them to bounce back after making mistakes. The educators need to create a culture in their classrooms where failures are taken in a stride, as a part of the learning process. Once the students are not afraid to make mistakes, their learning takes a big leap giving them a high dose of confidence and self-esteem.
• Teaching students to think helps them to develop critical thinking skills. It’s time we cultivate curious classrooms. In a typical classroom where the number of students is usually large, the teacher invariably does not like to answer too many questions coming from students. The reason usually is lack of time and sometimes lack of intent.  A sense of wonder is missing in our students. A good question forces us to think. Learning begins with a question! Using 5 W’s (who, what, where, why, when) and H(how) with any topic can make learning more meaningful and engaging.
• Good communication skills can enable our students to convey their thoughts and ideas successfully beyond their classrooms. In the current scenario where social media plays a significant role, being able to communicate effectively to the right audience is the key. 
• Being creative enables them to have fun while learning. Making connections to the real world and finding out of the box solutions enable our students to adapt easily to something unexpected. It allows them to be more flexible and open to learning.

I firmly believe that students with these range of skills and competencies will be able to navigate our ever-changing environment successfully. 

~ Jyoti Chaba is a Tech Enthusiast, Education Evangelist & Founding Partner, De Pedagogics. Her email id is Jyotichaba@hotmail.com