Every day we are faced with a new technological breakthrough. Domestic conflicts can have impacts on the whole world. Soft skills have been more relevant than ever because dealing with people’s background is hard.
These are only some of the issues our children have to deal with right now. To secure a brighter future, parents have to keep up with the 21st century skills for young students.
But how can they process all of this information? What is it like growing up in an environment that requires quick adaptation? How can you select reliable sources of information and make decisions in such dynamic and connected environments?
AEA acknowledges the challenges faced by our Little Ones. It’s undeniable that, though they are young, children need to have critical thinking skills in this day and age to be able to thrive in the digital era they are growing up into.
Is AEA Connected With The 21st Century Learning Skills?
We pride ourselves in being a part of the educational revolution that has already begun. AEA’s curriculum and education was carefully crafted to integrate the STEAM concepts the children will be growing up in – Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering and Math.
Just as the 21st Century Learning Skills integrate different areas of knowledge, AEA focuses on the whole child. The STEAM components aren’t meant to be used individually, so we connect all of them through interdisciplinary projects.
Integrating Multiple Learning Skills
Our curriculum does cross-integration of science, technology, arts, engineering and math, putting the children at the center of learning in combination with teaching them to be critical thinkers and problem solvers.
There’s so much more that goes on in a STEAM based classroom than simply listening to a teacher. That is why our STEAM curriculum promotes and engages them through hands-on lessons and activities by introducing them to real-world concepts and technology.
What Do The 21st Century Skills Mean?
These skills are widely used by educators that wish to prepare children for a new age of integrated and dynamic learning. It was firstly proposed by the Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21), a national organization dedicated to, along with its member organizations, provide tools that help educators implement this crucial shift in teaching.
This important shift in learning could not happen without equipped educators and established standards to guide their efforts. That’s why the skills set was proposed, and its definitions help mold future leaders.
What Are The 21st Century Skills For Young Learners?
In short, they represent different sets of skills that capacitate the child in handling an increasingly complex world. This intricacy applies not only in terms of technology, but also the ability to navigate through different sources of information, tools, and contexts.
Here’s a little insight into what these sets refer to.
Learning skills
These require a certain amount of techniques and practice. Its repercussions impact projects and relationships with other people.
- Creativity and Innovation: going beyond the seemingly obvious, and using creativity as a resource to expand your ability to think outside of the box.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: before making a decision, it’s paramount to examine different scenarios, consider possible outcomes, and be prepared to deal with what comes next. This is no easy task, and children need to be prepared for it.
- Communication: how can you make decisions without asking the right questions? Or contacting the right people that will guide you through the best resolution? Communication is key, and this is the primary skill to navigate through a dynamic environment.
- Collaboration: when it comes to working together, we should not only be able to choose the best partners, but also analyze how to make the best of every person’s specific expertise. Expanding your skills on collaboration allows you to be a true leader and orchestrate problem solving like no one.
Life skills
Refer to practical behaviors that benefit children in their ability to interact with others and stand their own ground.
- Flexibility and Adaptability: being able to cope with changes is an ability possibly applied for the rest of our lives. Why not start now?
- Initiative and Self-Direction: leadership is about being a reference to others, but also to yourself. Empowering yourself with self-direction means keeping true to the right principles and knowing when to take action if the route deflects.
- Social and Cross-Cultural Skills: different cultures affect the world around us. Respecting and appreciating diverse customs serves as a resource to expand your boundaries and create more ethnic repertoire.
- Productivity and Accountability: managing yourself and being accountable for responsibilities you take on. Not promising what you can’t give while also respecting restrictions that might come up and adapting the route if necessary.
- Leadership and Responsibility: means being responsible for inspiring, leading and guiding others. Leverage the best that each and every person has to offer, expanding collaboration.
Literacy skills
Related to the ability to process information and select reliable sources.
- Information Literacy: access and evaluate information, being able to analyze and criticize whatever information provided. Knowing when news is trustworthy or when it should be ignored. This also serves to help the people around them in differentiating suspicious sources of information.
- Media Literacy: understanding the impact of media in terms of behaviors and beliefs, applying a critical eye when necessary. Understand how information works in different channels, knowing how digital platforms operate, and understanding the impacts of ethical/legal issues around media and the use of information technologies. Assessing different types of sources and news tools.
Preparing Young Learners To Live Their Best Future
Did you know that 21st century learning skills go further than the assortments we’ve described?
There is also a whole set of themes that encompasses this holistic understanding of the world around us. Our children are living in a global and connected society, so it’s crucial that they grow a comprehensive vision of the world as well.
- Global awareness to understand and address disputes and issues with global impacts;
- Economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy to create repertoire and be able to make responsible decisions regarding investments in the future;
- Civil literacy to have the capacity to participate in whichever culture they wish, as well as analyze the repercussions of civil issues;
- Health literacy so they know how to make choices that are beneficial for their health and for the people around them;
- Environmental literacy so they can grow awareness of climate changes, its impacts, and understand ways to collaborate individually, as well as putting pressure on establishments and authorities with global influence.
The investment in equipping children for a better future starts in the present. At AEA, we go by the rule that children need to meet developmental milestones to be able to understand the world around them. Our educational approach towards that goal is found in our STEAM and learn through play based curriculum.
AEA’s Students Are Prepared For The 21st Century!
Our mission is facilitating and transforming the way Young Learners acquire knowledge and adapt to the world around them. Our curriculum is hands-on and allows the children to learn through exploration, trial and error.
By the time AEA students are ready to move on to Kindergarten, we expect them to be able to read, have confidence in themselves and make the best of their natural curiosity!
With our well-rounded, whole-child curriculum, children leave excited for the future and what they will experience. This is how AEA nurtures the essential 21st century skills for young students.
Do you wish to see your child using the best of their abilities while they grow up? Take the next step towards equipping them for their best future: choose AEA’s nearest location to you and book a tour!
