Sharing Good Practice
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE-LONG LEARNING TO YOUR CHILD IN THE YEAR OF GIVING
By Zoe Griffiths
coming academic year ?
The strong foundation of love at home is an exemplary model for building quality social connections with extended family , friends and the community . Opportunities for your children to take on responsibilities within the family , to be loving contributors to something larger than themselves , has been found by the Harvard study to enhance the development of key life skills in later life . How do your children contribute to your ‘ Family team ’?
It ’ s 2038 , 21 years from now , and the next generation of bilingual , responsible , tolerant , happy citizens are entering the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) labour market . Positive energy abounds , high emotional intelligence runs deep , and digital and human collaboration , drives innovation and entrepreneurial spirit . Change is constant in the job market within every sector and all of this is viewed as part of life , in the fourth industrial revolution .
For these young people , the Qualifications Framework Emirates ( QFE ), has been their travel guide on their exciting journey , from school leaver or national service graduate , to live-at-home student , international student , or work-based learner , locally or globally . The QFE advocates equality in terms of gender , and provides access to the learning opportunities that best meets each individual ’ s needs , the learner becomes the trailblazer of their own destiny . But the journey , not the destination , is truly the reward , as learners enjoy the opportunity to learn a new language , play a musical instrument or practice yoga , before setting off to explore the next path . For it is the kaleidoscope of human interactions , cultural experiences , obstacles and challenges that bring the greatest rewards in life . Welcome to life-learning edutopia !
Robert Waldings , in one of the longest studies of human behaviour ever conducted at Harvard University ( 75-year-old study on happiness ), found that a good life is built upon quality relationships , not success or wealth . So how can you invest in your family ’ s relationships and future , this
Each day , working alongside our children , brings fresh opportunities for guiding them ; do you view a failure to remember their lunch , forget their homework , PE kit or musical instrument as an opportunity for your child to learn about independence and responsibility ? If not , how about empowering your child to take ownership of their situation and resolve the problem . Children need to display courage , to inform their teachers and will demonstrate a level of integrity to explain the oversight to a figure of authority ; life skills that are invaluable in later life for high levels of emotional intelligence and leadership . Allow your children to make mistakes in order to create a learning opportunity .
Small ‘ teachable moments ’ pass quickly and may never come again . Play a leading part from home and enrich your school ’ s curricula by looking out for learning opportunities . Help develop the next generation to have social , cultural and emotional intelligences to navigate the world today , as well as the world of the future . One that will be a complex , dynamic landscape that constantly changes according to economic trends , technological shifts and political movements .
Feel life ’ s potential this academic year and give your family the gift of the values of life long learning .
Zoe Griffiths is a former international athlete , authentic leader and socially responsible entrepreneur with sustainability rooting all that she does . Zoe is currently serving as regional director of Life Learning ; a NZ educational consultancy based in Dubai .
Class Time | | Sep - Oct 2017 | 25