This document outlines a life skills program for 6th standard children from low-income families in India. The broad objectives are to increase the children's mental capacity, make them more considerate, curious, and tolerant. The strategies used are understanding role models, experiential learning, and contextualized engaging content about listening skills. Based on initial learning, the children seem to listen more and have a slight increase in self-belief, though more work is needed on basics inside the classroom.

1. Life Skills for Kids
VNS Jyothi
2012-13
March 2013
arun_ramanuj@yahoo.com

2. Broad objective
Increase the mental capacity of a child
–Become more considerate
–Become more curious
–Become more tolerant

3. Who are the children?
• 6th standards
• Children of domestic servants, security guards, construction laborers
• Have to help with domestic work at home, take care of siblings
• Are, at times, beaten with brooms or belts
• Have strong aspirations. Become a Teacher, Doctor, IPS, Civil engineer…
• …but do not necessarily believe they can make it!

4. Role models leveraged
Professional role models Great ones whose minds we
can understand well

5. Understand well that…
• It is all about human spirit, not money
• My actions can affect others
• I can learn only if I listen
• I will get the same respect I show others
• I cannot change others
• I can change in small ways
(and perhaps show others a way)
What qualities should I nurture?

6. Strategies
• Understand role models, their qualities, evolution
– Explore the evolution from a child to a great human
being
• Experiential learning
– In-class, as they happen, and other life incidents
• Contextualized, engaging content
– Videos with live narratives, interactive quizzes, gaming
• Emphasis on listening skills all through
– “The perils of not-listening”, “The joy of listening”
All, in a kid friendly way!

7. Learning
• Children
– Seem to listen more, show more interest (relative
to start)
– Slight increase in self-belief?
– Understand that they need to change (to meet
aspirations)?
– But, still need to work on basics inside the class…
• Self
– More “mindful” in the class!
– More creative in content & delivery
Aspirations & hardships are helpful anchors

8. Thank you!
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