Dale Carnegie famously quoted: “ If there is even one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as your own.”
We have to catch our children young to instill the right traits of co-existing in a society otherwise failure to interact with others could become a long arduous exercise for the rest of their lives.
Let us assess the current premise at schools today- digital technology has seeped into all aspects of a student’s life. Discussion and debate among students today mostly revolve around material aspects of academic life assignments, grades, and overall performance. It is teachers who anchor classes spending time imparting lessons as well as resolving conflicts and promoting overall student cooperation. Naturally, they have endless opportunities to teach students how to interact with peers, helping them create actual meaningful interpersonal relationships for their own welfare.
Let us remember that all of this begins with the foundation of a good teacher-student relationship, the ground rule applicable to the discussion ahead.
Tips to identify and work on the scope to promote students’ interpersonal skills:
• Creating study/activity groups and shuffling them periodically
Tweaking regular groups by shuffling and regrouping members based on similar interests but not on familiar terms is a great way to work on projects and collaborative activities to encourage teamwork in the classroom. Along the process of completing the project, the students gradually get to know one another. Form a new group for another project.
• Stepping outside of the classroom environment
Effective co-operation among students can also involve activities outside the classroom. Participating in various sports can help students learn the value of teamwork, healthy competition, and many also develop leadership skills. Grouping talents together such as for musical activities like band and choir may also help foster friendships based on shared feelings, relationships or experiences. Teachers can also ensure to involve all students in team activities conducted as part of learning. Organized fun games during recess or leisure periods during the day could enhance a sense of belonging and security
• Managing conflicts
The teacher must be able to demonstrate the right technique of intervention when two students are at loggerheads with each other. Helping them express their emotions in a productive way will help both parties learn. Teaching students to appropriately express their feelings and understand the consequences of their actions is key to developing positive relationships among peers. Explain by example that such friendships can lead to higher academic achievement and a pragmatic approach in the long term.
• Promoting kindness as a habit
A simple trick to inculcate kindness in the students is in the form of activity. The class could record one special act of kindness every day. Whether it’s hugging someone who seems a little sad or helping another complete an assignment- this exercise can help students become more aware of acts of kindness until they become a habitual way of life
• Practice scenarios can be rewarding.
While it is definitely beneficial verbally instructing students about character traits that enhance interpersonal relationships and expectations. Therefore, it works better if they spend time practicing these traits through situations that illustrate why these expectations matter. From time to time students could be given scenarios that could challenge their interpersonal skills. Say for instance how would a non-co-operative group member be addressed? How can a rude member be dealt with in a polite manner and so on forth?
Winmore Academy works at the core of student personalities:
A sound set of social skills from within is what we strive to instill in every student at Winmore Academy. Our co-curricular activities, as well as lesson plans for the academic year, are worked upon keeping in mind student collaboration and teamwork. Our faculty team consciously practices empathy, tolerance, and embracing differences are and our students emulate the same. Academic excellence with life skills is our mission.
Life Skills is integral to the school curriculum, incorporate them in the classroom teaching, or any co-curricular activities. It forms part of class assemblies where together with core values, we equip students with skills to face challenges head-on. Thus the school day starts with enlightening, uplifting life lessons. We believe that it is important to boost the wellness quotient – success will naturally follow. Life skills and values form components of the monthly bulletin boards by being relevantly woven into the topics. Students might never lose focus on character building and personality development. As part of the learning process, charts on life skills, weekly life skill slogans, and weekly values are amalgamated into the classroom setup. Learning outcomes of teaching include takeaways on life skills and values.