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Our school, located in a vibrant urban community, caters to learners ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade, offering a comprehensive educational journey from early childhood development to college preparation. As a private institution, we prioritize individualized attention and innovative teaching methods to foster academic excellence and personal growth. Our diverse student body reflects the multicultural fabric of our community, creating a rich and inclusive learning environment where students learn from each other's perspectives and experiences. In addition to rigorous academic instruction, we place a strong emphasis on holistic development, recognizing the importance of nurturing students' social, emotional, and practical skills. While the extracurricular activities provided some opportunities for skill development, there was a need for a more systematic and integrated approach to building essential skills across all aspects of the curriculum. Recognizing the rapidly increasing importance of essential skills alongside academic knowledge, we implemented the Skills Builder program.
Overall impact
Through the Skills Builder program, students engaged in structured activities and projects designed to develop a range of essential skills such as listening, speaking, aiming high, staying positive. These skills were integrated into the curriculum and were reinforced through hands-on experiences, collaborative endeavours, and real-world projects. Our dedicated team of educators after having undergone extensive training, implemented the Skills Builder framework. They integrated skill-building exercises into lessons across various subjects, ensuring that students have ample opportunities to practice and refine these competencies in real-world contexts. Regular assessment of the skills has enabled us to track their growth over time.
Integrating the Skills Builder framework within the school ecosystem has had a profound and transformative effect on students, equipping them with essential skills that enhanced their academic, social, and personal development. Working on group assignments and projects helped students develop leadership and teamwork skills. This approach enhanced their confidence and willingness to speak in public and also prepared them to tackle challenges with creativity, collaborate effectively with others, and take on leadership roles.
Keep it simple
The school community focused on essential skills and ensured that everyone involved, including teachers, students, and parents, shared a clear understanding of its purpose and objectives. Regular assemblies were conducted to introduce the essential skills language. Bulletin boards were
made by the children clearly mentioning the essential skills. Regular newsletters sharing the information about the skills builder program were shared with the parents. Lesson plans were designed to integrate the essential skills with the curriculum.
Start early, keep going
The program was implemented from kindergarten to grade 8. Starting early helped us to build a strong foundation and the 16 teachable steps that could be assessed regularly helped us to tailor the activity for the learners.
Measure it
Skills Builder Framework was used to create a structured progression for each skill, breaking down the skills into specific, manageable steps that students can practice regularly. Students were asked to fill the Skills Passports where students can track their progress and reflect on their practice over time. The group assessment and individual assessment tools helped the teachers to track student progress and identify areas needing attention. Regular formative assessments, such as observations, quizzes, and project-based evaluations were conducted to regularly collect data on student progress. Worksheets were completed and reinforcement activities were conducted regularly to record and review progression steps for each student, ensuring that all aspects of each skill are being developed.
Focus tightly
Dedicated time slots within the school timetable were allocated specifically for skill-building activities, ensuring consistent focus. Skill-building was integrated into various subject lesson plans, ensuring that the focused skill is applied in different contexts. Regular training sessions conducted in school helped create an understanding among teachers about the importance of the focused skill and its role in students’ overall development. As a result, teachers started using a common language and terminology when discussing and teaching the focused skill, making it easier for students to understand and apply the skill across different contexts. It also encouraged teachers to share their best practices and successful strategies with each other. This peer learning aspect helped disseminate effective techniques across the teaching staff.
Keep practising
Teachers incorporated essential skills in the lesson plans. The lesson plans of various subjects from kindergarten to grade 8 were designed involving creating activities and assessments that explicitly developed these skills. The school employed active learning techniques, such as cooperative learning and hands-on activities, linking the subject and skill development. The school assemblies were an exciting medium to develop the essential skills.
Various events like Math Day, Science Day, the Junior School Annual Day gave the students much needed opportunities to practice the eight essential skills. Grade 4 and 6 created podcasts on various topics which again was an excellent opportunity to develop the skills.
Bring it to life
We implemented project-based learning activities where students applied their skills in practical, real-world scenarios. Students designed projects that addressed real community needs, fostering a sense of purpose and social responsibility while developing their skills. Students worked on community projects that required teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. For example, Students initiated community-wide water conservation campaigns, utilizing eye-catching posters and journals to disseminate information on water conservation. They visited the apartment complexes to spread awareness about the same. Acknowledging and appreciating the community helpers by making thank you cards for them, our kindergarten students brought smiles to their faces. Practicing ‘Bring it to Life’ Principle ensured that skill development is brought to life through immersive, relevant, and authentic learning experiences.
What's next
At DPS Bangalore South we are looking forward to further integrate skill development into the existing curriculum across all subjects and grade levels.
Strengthen partnerships with parents and community stakeholders by involving them in skill development initiatives and seeking their input and feedback. We also would explore the possibilities of involving the parents through the Home Zone platform on Skillsbuilder thus creating a supportive home environment that reinforces the importance of skill development and encourages students to practice skills outside of school.
