Why a Life Skills Program?
ADORE made the decision to begin a Life Skills Program for Primary Aged children when holding our very first holiday program. We witnessed that the children were very shy, lacking in self confidence and social awkwardness was evident. These children live a life of survival. Important roles like collecting wood for the fire, buckets of water for bathing and drinking, farming, fishing, washing clothes in the river and taking care of younger siblings are the responsibilities these children. Time for play or study is minimal. Children are tired, irritable and anxious due to their harsh living conditions, therefore lacking in essential life skills. Oour program provides readily available tools to deal with life challenges and the demands of daily living like managing their emotions to make an informed decision.
What Are the Most Important Life Skills for Children to Learn?
How do we Teach? - Our programs has been adapted to suit the culture in which we teach. We use simple teaching methods such as play, workshops, role-playing, show and tell, skits, , crafts and related activities. Throughout our program we are providing children with opportunities to learn as they discover, create, improvise, test theories, imagine and engage with others.
ADORE made the decision to begin a Life Skills Program for Primary Aged children when holding our very first holiday program. We witnessed that the children were very shy, lacking in self confidence and social awkwardness was evident. These children live a life of survival. Important roles like collecting wood for the fire, buckets of water for bathing and drinking, farming, fishing, washing clothes in the river and taking care of younger siblings are the responsibilities these children. Time for play or study is minimal. Children are tired, irritable and anxious due to their harsh living conditions, therefore lacking in essential life skills. Oour program provides readily available tools to deal with life challenges and the demands of daily living like managing their emotions to make an informed decision.
What Are the Most Important Life Skills for Children to Learn?
- Focus and Self-Control - involves executive functions of the brain. These are the skills used to manage our attention, our emotions and our behavior in order to meet goals. These skills begin to develop when children reach preschool age and continue to develop through the school-age years and into adulthood.
- Perspective-Taking - allows for effective communication, empathy, and building meaningful connections by understanding others' thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Developing perspective taking skills enhances communication, conflict resolution, empathy, relationships, self-awareness, and personal growth.
- Communication - By delivering messages clearly, there is no room for misunderstanding or alteration of messages, which decreases the potential for conflict. In situations where conflict does arise, effective communication is a key factor to ensure that the situation is resolved in a respectful manner.
- Making Connections - When we focus on cultivating deeper connections (including those with people whose opinions differ from our own), we are better able to recognize and accept our similarities and differences (there will always be both), which fosters empathy and self-awareness.
- Critical Thinking - A well-developed set of Critical Thinking skills builds self empowerment and confidence. It enables you to efficiently gather knowledge, quickly process information, and intelligently analyze data. Armed with critical thinking tools, you will be able to confidently adapt to most issues, in life or work.
- Taking on Challenges - Challenges are generally an opportunity to grow and learn about ourselves. We can often accomplish more than we ever thought possible if we trust God, seek the wisdom of others, work hard, and do what is right.Self-Directed,.
- Engaged Learning - gives a child an insight into their skills, interests, passions, and values. It helps them understand the person they are and who they want to be. It brings them out of the survival mentality and helps them focus on the future.
How do we Teach? - Our programs has been adapted to suit the culture in which we teach. We use simple teaching methods such as play, workshops, role-playing, show and tell, skits, , crafts and related activities. Throughout our program we are providing children with opportunities to learn as they discover, create, improvise, test theories, imagine and engage with others.
