Children need guidance both to perform better in school and to face social situations that the curriculum does not cover. We often expect children to become better and to make the right decisions, but we overlook the fact that they receive misleading information from their surroundings and the media, where they might discover questionable role models and develop inappropriate behaviours and habits.

At CIS we are developing our Personal, Social, and Health Education, incorporating our Values-based Education (VbE) to consider the ‘Soft Skills’ required by all in the 21^st century.

Confident children will be excellent negotiators and great sales experts. Who does not need sales skills? Everyone needs them if we are honest. Children will need sales in order to apply for jobs, they will need them for business meetings, and just to build relationships. Confident children work harder to achieve their goals and are more resilient.

Children are not often taught how to love themselves more. Most of the time children are told off when they have failed an exam or when they have done something wrong. However, they are not often praised for their good behaviour or their achievements. Focussed schools assist children to understand that they have value, it is ok to be different, and to work on their strengths. Children need to learn to value themselves, whilst staying authentic to their inner selves, and at the same time be humble towards others, showing respect and empathy.

Our children will be the leaders of the future. It makes sense to prepare them to be successful in their careers and to stand out. It is important for them to be able to take responsibility, show initiative work as a team, and to even motivate others. Teaching them the importance of rewarding and recognising hard work as well as making the right decisions for their own benefit and the benefit of their team, is a life skill worthy of attention.

Children need problem-solving in school, just as much as in real life. They need to be able to come up with solutions to issues and use their creativity. Practice is probably the best teacher when it comes to problem-solving; however, providing techniques and tools will give guide them both at school and also at home.

The most important skill I would suggest is ‘People’. How do you develop your emotional intelligence? People skills are among the most overlooked skills and probably amongst the most valuable. Some would argue that this will be a priority for employers in the future (along with cultural intelligence and internationalism). This skill is required at school, at home, in sports, and with friends. Children that do not know how to socialise will struggle to make connections, leading to bullying and inappropriate behaviour at school and at home.

Helping children to understand and control their emotions will give them a distinct advantage and this will guide them to become the bright and happy stars of the future –our ultimate aim.

Paul Grisewood

Director, Skolkovo Campus