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Extra-curricular studies: developing soft skills and discovering talents
- Does my child need the extra-curricular education?
- How must a child prepare for school?
- Why do we need extra classes on weekends?
- Is it better to attend one study group or to change the type of studies and try new activities?
- How many study groups are enough for a child?
Caring parents are eager to make their children feel happy, and do everything they can to achieve it. Self-realization is a vital part of a person’s happiness. Finding your inclinations, discovering new talents, gaining new skills, getting developed in the sphere you like – all this helps to find the inner balance and find your own path in life.
The majority of modern school students’ parents in Ukraine were educated in regular schools with no wide choice of extra-curricural activities. Some of them passed the vocational orientation test in the 11th grade. Then they graduated and enrolled at professional schools, colleges or universities. With a limited list of professional specializations taught in a limited number of educational establishments, and enrolment with a very high level of competition, people often chose a faculty not based on their preferences but based on open vacancies.
The number of educational establishments increased over time, and the range of specializations became wider as well. Still, the situation with professional occupation after graduating did not change essentially: 44% last year university graduates are employed in the spheres not connected with professional specialization they obtained, and 29%, are employed in the spheres only partially connected to their specialization.*
Maybe it’s because we should start analyzing the inclinations and search for a real callin in life on a much earlier stage?
It is in the childhood when a person reveals his or her own identity and shows talents, and the parents have to identify and discover them, and react accordingly. Additional extra-curricular classes and studies will help a child to define his or her inclinations, develop the necessary skills.
How can you select additional classes and studies for your child?
- Carefully study your children’s interests and the things that inspire them. If a child cannot formulate the wishes or likings distinctly, try to analyze them yourself, identify which classes the child is really interested in, discuss it with the tutors, mentors or teachers. You can also consult a psychologist
- Analyze the practical effect of the classes. They must include the development of hard and soft skills –the ability to work within a team, creativity, project-based thinking etc.
- Study the information about the teachers. They must be professional, easy-going with the parents and the children, inspired by the things they teach. Inspiration and energy are easily transferred to the children during the classes, making the process more efficient.
A child needs comprehensive development in order to grow up harmoniously. Performing interesting tasks and learning new information as applied in practice – that’s what forms the new neural connections. That’s why it is very important for the children to be within groups of other children united by a single goal or idea. This way, the children obtain new communication skills and learn to swiftly adapt to this dynamic modern world.
Understanding the importance of extra-curricular activities, in CISC network of schools, beside the regular program of studies, we offer a wide range of ,extra-curricular classes and activities, which both our students and the students from other schools can join. Extra-curricular classes are organised in the following formats:
Weekend school for the children of pre-school age and the students of junior classes
Main specifics and advantages of extra-curricular education in CISC:
- Testing. The children don’t always know what they are interested in until they try it. We have all the opportunities for a child to try him/herself in many types of activities: sports, technical and creative activities.
- Community. It sometimes happens that a child with special talents may feel lonely and uncomfortable in a usual group. Your child will be able to find friends with similar interests here. For example, we have study groups with narrow specialization, such as “programming”, “math for academic contests”, “architecture”, “physics and IT”.
- Comfort. As a rule, we have 5-10 students in each study group. It allows us to pay attention to every student and provides an individual approach.
The most important thing is to show interest in your child’s extra-school studies and activities. Visit the exhibitions, concerts, presentations. Find a place at home to exhibit your child’s “inventions” and creative works. This will make your child understand that his/her activities are valuable and important for the parents, that the parents can be relied on and will support the child in every initiative.
* according to information from hh.ua
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