Break The Chains: International Women’s Day with NXT Gen

         Break The Chains: International Women’s Day with NXT Gen

Celebrating Women's Day is an opportunity to appreciate the remarkable contribution of women to our society. This day is to honor the life, grit and determination of women.

International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women's Day, is celebrated on March 8 every year. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women's Rights and International Peace. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

An event was conducted to celebrate this remarkable occasion with a group of girls of comparatively less privileged section of the society at one of the most picturesque location of The City Beautiful, Sukhna Lake.

They were involved in different simulative activities so as to provoke maximum self introspection, invoking self confidence and help them connect with each other on the level of critical and logical thinking, communicate their views and break through the barriers of inhibition by performing some real daring activities in the public.

The day was blossomed in the spirit of womanhood and these young women appreciated their persona as an individual identity.

The most acknowledgeable part of this event was that it was facilitated by young women from the elite group, who strongly felt that for real Progress and Upliftment, we need to Empower Women from all facets of the society.

Key to Professionalism - Practice what you Preach : A learning experience from Secretariat Officials of Central Tibetan Public Administration

Key to Professionalism - Practice what you Preach : A learning experience from Secretariat Officials of Central Tibetan Public Administration

Most people try to prevent any gaps in their behavior and beliefs. So if they can’t change their behavior, they sacrifice their beliefs.

Hence, even if you are a school student, an ambitious youngster, an experienced professional, a house maker or a retired citizen. Regardless of your age, role and objectives in life; here is a take away to practice which is indeed going to help you in all walks.

 We here wish to disclose the learnings from a session conducted by our team for Secretariat Officials of Central Tibetan Public Administration. They bring forth remarkable learning for the people from across the borders.

Herein lies the attraction, they 'practice what they preach’. The major value of the 'preaching' being compassionate for all living beings. They have been successful to strengthen their relationships in professional and personal lives.

The key life skills they practice and preach are -

* renunciation

* patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance

* truthfulness, honesty

* determination, resolution

* loving-kindness

* equanimity, serenity

* meditation

* generosity, giving of oneself

* virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct

* one-pointed concentration, wisdom, insight 

 Through these skills, they have been able to accomplish how to -
* Deal with conflicts, authorities, stress, emotions, cultural and religious disharmony
* Develop cross-cultural relations and friendships across societies and countries
* Resist pressure, clarification of values and customs and negotiations
* Cope with disappointment
* Social adapt and respect
* Attain self-esteem, tolerance, trust, sharing and compassion
* Plan ahead, to be assertive and empathetic

In all, it was a great take away for us as well.

Need of Soft Skills for Teachers

                           
                                                    Need of Soft Skills for Teachers

Some specific areas of soft skills and why they are important for teachers besides being able to teach the students well as discussed below-

Communication Skills: It is important that the teachers become assertive and are able to exchange feedback with all the different guardians and parents of the students. It is also important that the teachers consult with previous teachers of the students to find out the learning’ needs of individual students and how to help them make progress.

  Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: Teachers must be able to deal with unwanted problems that are not related to classrooms but can affect the learning outcome of the students. The ability to identify and analyze problems in difficult situation and to make justifiable is a skill which can come handy.

       Cultural Intelligence: When it comes to teaching at schools using the curricula of different cultures and societies it is important that they can help the learners understand the subject matter in their local context. Moreover, the student groups may represent pupils from different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, who can understand the lessons better if they are taught by educators having cultural intelligence.

Team Work: There are lots of competitions in many countries' education system in
terms of the exams of the students where the students go through tough competitions. It is important that the teachers teach the students to build teams and solve problems collaboratively. If they are good team-players then they can induce the same type of skills and attitude among the learners. Furthermore, if the teachers and the parents/guardians can practice a good team-work then the child's creative potential and the academic performance will foster.

 Social Media and Networking: Long gone are the times when we used to wonder
which version of Microsoft Excel would be better to analyze the results of the learners. It is now the time to find out how computers and smart phones (and hence social media) can help us to connect with other educators and compare our teaching practices to help us perform better in the classroom.

How do these skills help teachers?

          * Helps them make their classes more interesting

          * To serve as an example for the students

          * To interact with students at their own level

          * Enables them to be good leaders

          * Makes them much more approachable

          * Allows them to be sensitive to the needs of the children

Need of Life Skills for Teachers

     
                                       Need of Life Skills for Teachers

To live to the challenge of globalization which is in line with the era of information economy, the strength of a nation is strongly dependent on the ability of its citizen to be highly intellectual and skillful. Thus, institution of higher learning plays a very important role to produce a human capital that is highly knowledgeable and skillful to meet the demand and expectations of many people. The teaching and learning processes in institutions of higher learning should be capable to provide such knowledge and skills to future graduates.

Teachers play a pivotal role in developing the future generations.Therefore they have to be properly guided to enhance their competencies.

Teacher’s education includes -

Teaching skills which would entail giving practice and training in various approaches, strategies     and techniques that would assist the teachers to impart and plan instruction, give suitable reinforcement and carry out effective and efficient assessment. It encompasses effective skills for   managing the class, use and preparation of instruction materials and skills. 

Pedagogical theory encompasses the sociological, psychological and philosophical aspect that would allow the teachers to possess a strong basis for practicing the skills needed to teach in the classroom. 

Professional skills encompass the strategies, Approaches and techniques that would assist teachers to develop their career and career growth. It encompasses counseling skills, soft skills, computer skills, information retrieving & management skills, interpersonal skills and life-long learning skills. 

Combination of pedagogical theory, teaching skills and professional skills would serve to develop the right attitude, skills and knowledge in teachers to promote holistic development. Thus, effectiveness and importance of teacher training programs is to elevate and improve teacher’s professional abilities in teaching.

LIFE SKILLS FOR ALL

                                                           

                                                        LIFE SKILLS FOR ALL

Life skill is something which is necessary or desirable for full participation in everyday life.

It includes creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making, the ability to communicate and collaborate, along with personal and social responsibility that contributes to good citizenship. Perhaps the most important life skill is the ability and willingness to learn.

 Life Skills for a developing and progressive country

Democracies need active, informed and responsible citizens, who are willing and able to take responsibility for themselves and their communities and contribute to the political process.

These capacities do not develop unaided; they have to be learnt. While certain life skills may be acquired through our everyday experience in the home or at work, they are not sufficient to adequately equip citizens for the active role required of them in today’s complex and diverse society.

By learning new skills we increase our understanding of the world around us and equip ourselves with the tools we need to live a more productive and fulfilling life, finding ways to cope with the challenges that life, inevitably, throws at us.

   Life skills for Children

"Education is about so much more than the topics pupils study in class; how they behave as individuals towards themselves and others are of equal importance in shaping the adults they will become."

Children don't naturally know how to make good choices. Life skills help children know what to do in everyday situations as well as how to make good decisions about more abstract, long-term choices e.g. good manners, tell the truth, show gratitude and advocate for themselves.

 Life skills for Adolescents

Adolescence, a vital stage of growth and development, marks the period of transition from childhood to adulthood. It is characterized by rapid physiological changes and psycho social maturation.

How well an adolescent deals with these issues is decided by a host of factors that include their personality, psycho social support from the environment (that includes parents, teachers and peers) and the life skills that they possess.e.g. critical thinking and creative thinking, decision making and problem solving, communication skills and interpersonal relations, coping with emotion, stress and self-awareness and empathy.

Life skills for Adults

In today’s world, we constantly rely on tools, electronics, and connected devices. Growing up in a world of ever-increasing connectivity is bound to require different skills than were needed before. On the other hand, young people do stand to lose some important skills if we let new technologies completely obscure our approach to life. By taking the best of older generations and combining it with today’s unique demands and skill sets, young adults stand to be more empowered than any generation before e.g. accepting feedback gracefully, apologizing sincerely, managing your time wisely and saying 'no' respectfully.

Life skills for Senior Citizens

With the growth of the aging population, the crucial step of incorporating wellness behavior changes into everyday life. The main purpose is to enhance older adults' independent living skills by increasing their ability to decipher the overwhelming body of wellness information and increasing their sense of control over their lives. The importance of lifelong mental activity and its positive role in successful aging can be understood as the preliminary data analysis suggests that interactive educational program for seniors can positively affect their sense of control and produce some immediate behavior changes that could enhance successful aging. 

It encourages older adults to try something new they learn in each lesson. The information is valuable for all older adults and appeals to lifelong learners who want to take an active role in life decisions e.g. be outgoing, explore your surroundings, be open-minded.

''Life Skills has greatly affected lives. They help to make better decisions in our everyday lives as well as in our working lives. We learn how to communicate in a more effective manner through life skills.”

ROLE OF YOUTH IN NATION BUILDING

Youth all over the history has been revolutionary force. Youth is that phase of life where dreams are built and a bright future is foreseen. These are the years to foster moral principles, construct value system and begin an all-new journey on the path of the 'right'. Nation’s strength is in its youth. We can play a significant role in the development of the country not only economically but also by morally and practically.

The term nation building or national development is usually used to refer to a constructive process of engaging all citizens in building social cohesion, economic prosperity and political stability in a nation in an inclusive and democratic way.

The vision of our country lies in the hands of our youths. They are filled with tremendous and towering ambitions.  It will be a great wastage of human resources if these youths are not given an opportunity to exercise their talent. This beautiful land needs these youths in order for our soil to become a brighter one.

The primary role of young people is to get a good education in order to become better citizens of tomorrow. They need to learn skills to do the job that their country’s economy needs. They also need to know how to read, write, think, understand, analyze and discuss the issues their country faces. The entire success of the nation depends on the youths. To help other youths in building confidence and pursuing the field of interest. Guide newcomers in every field on right lines. They need to promote the fair image of the country before the world. Their aim is to serve the country with their skills and talent in various fields. They wish to refresh the culture, trend and traditions of the society.

Youths are fighters. They fight for an identity in society, equality, the homeless, bullying, unemployment, exploitation, poverty and other problems which the world faces today. All of them hopes for a world full of opportunities, so great minds can conquer them and become better individuals. They need good morals and values to handle conflicts in a positive way. We have aspiring doctors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and who knows; maybe the next president.

Youths are problem solvers. They just need to be given a chance to prove themselves. They can play a vital role in the elimination of terrorism. Youths have the power to unite individuals in the six ethnic groups. Racism is an ongoing issue around the world. Individuals are fighting against each other because of the complexion of their skin and the texture of their hair. Religion is another issue, the youths can convince their fellow man to live in peace and love. All of us are one and we should not allow these little differences to push us away from each other.

The youths are our life and nation. They will make our country proud. The country will be recognized. The youths just need the support from their fellow citizens and they will perform their duties.

Women Entrepreneurship

To strengthen our economy, India needs more emerging businesses in every sector and potential entrepreneurs too to run these businesses successfully, in lieu of which, there is an urgency to establish new small and medium scale businesses in every small town and village which cannot be possible without the active participation of women power.

As per the census, women in India constitute nearly 50% of its population and out of this 50 %, considerable percentage of women are working in the employment sector to earn their livelihood and simultaneously contributing in the economic growth but when we particularly talk about the women entrepreneurs; they only constitute 10 % of the total number of entrepreneurs in our country. 

Looking at this huge disparity between the percentage of male and female entrepreneurs, undeniably, Entrepreneurship amongst Women has become a matter of concern. Particularly, in the rural areas, where the development of women entrepreneurship is very low. 

Thus to narrow this gap,Women Entrepreneurship development has to be taken on a serious note for human resource development in our country.

To cater to this , Government must plan new strategies to aim economic development and take up the liability of raising potential women as successful entrepreneurs by paying heed to their inhibitions along with acknowledging and further assisting to the problems faced by them during establishing, organizing and running the new set ups.

Simultaneously, to boost rural women to set up their own businesses, Government must organize self awareness programmes and various Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs) to cater to their needs, who may not have adequate educational background and skills.

Along with providing sufficient information & assistance, interested women should be facilitated with direct & indirect financial support, timely technological training and assistance for collaboration with renowned Federations and Associations to support their existence in the market.

In this direction of uplifting Women Entrepreneurship, “The Transformers Value Creators” a Nationally Renowned Knowledge Enterprise, is a life exampleof a Professional Associationof Women and lead by a Woman. The Transformers has also been extending its support to promote women entrepreneurship by providing assistance in context to the availability of necessary information through various awareness programs for women, contributing in the enhancement of these women in terms of their self confidence, self esteem, communication along with various other entrepreneurial skills of Money Management, Convincing Power, Negotiation Skills, Presentation Skills, etc. The Transformers has also facilitated many women in establishing their own income generating ventures by facilitating them with financial support through various nationalised banks.

We wish to join hands with the government to work more in this direction as this initiative would certainly broaden the women’s horizon and in result, they would be no more limited to job seekers rather grow out as efficient Job Providers, further contributing to the progress and development of the nation.