We equip Gateway students with life skills through a biblical worldview, fostering their faith for life beyond graduation.
Skills we need in everyday life that are not taught in the class or on the sports field.
There are many reasons why I believe Life-Skills is becoming a very important subject in our schools, but here are the three main ones:
- Reduced level of basic life skills as children enter school.
- The global village to which we are connected, trends instantly.
- The rise of social media and new technologies has made our students more skilled than we are, but they often lack the moral awareness needed to navigate these dangerous waters.
There is a noticeable decline in the ability to follow instructions and a lack of respect for authority among children. It is unclear whether this is influenced more by ECD (Early Childhood Development) centres or parenting practices, but there is definitely a reduction in the skills base we once observed. Additionally, the rise of more sedentary lifestyles and increased engagement with gadgets instead of outdoor play may play a significant role. Another contributing factor could be the growing number of absent parents, whether physically due to economic conditions or emotionally because of our high-tech lifestyles, where devices have replaced much of the personal interaction.
As a department at Gateway, we offer Life Skills from grade 1 through to Grade 7.
Grade 1 & 2 Life Skills:
Life Skills should be taught as early as possible because emotional Intelligence is VERY important and can be taught to our littlies!!
Since introducing Life Skills to Grades 1 and 2 in 2015, we have seen that the “proof is in the pudding”. These are lessons for life!!!
- They tend to only have the vocabulary of happy/sad, so we need to increase their vocabulary of emotions and how to identify and express these emotions appropriately. It also builds empathy in them and helps with friendships
- Listening and communicating skills – I feel…..when….. NOT You make me angry, etc
- They need to be taught how to be kind, etc – a culture of kindness helps reduce bullying incidents
- They need to know the different types of bullying – verbal, physical, emotional, leaving children out, etc and the necessary coping skills, including being an “upstander”
- Problem solving/Conflict resolution and when you need an adult to intervene
- Difference between reporting and tattling. The THINK chart is very helpful
- Discernment and self-control, especially with media. Making choices.
- Body safety – you can say NO!
Feedback from parents and fellow teachers has been very positive.
- They didn’t realise young children could be taught these skills
- Children can express their feelings verbally and this increases their confidence
- Problem-solving is very useful because it can resolve minor conflicts without involving adults. Some families have mentioned using the problem-solving chart as a tool among spouses as well
- To reduce tattling in school, it's important to address this common issue, as telling tales can be a significant challenge for teachers.
- Some teachers didn’t realise that isolation is a type of bullying
In higher grades, Life Skills lessons address similar issues but in greater depth, aiming to prepare students to cope with the pressures of high school.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
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