Skills Every Child Will Need to Succeed in 21st century | Dr. Laura A. Jana | TEDxChandigarh

Summary

The video script addresses the critical skills children need for future success, emphasizing not just traditional 'IQ' skills but also 'Qi' skills—encompassing creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. It underscores the importance of early childhood development, with 85% of brain growth by age 3, and advocates for nurturing these skills from the earliest years. The script introduces seven key skills: ME (self-awareness, self-control), WE (social skills), Y (curiosity, inquisitiveness), WILL (grit, perseverance), WIGGLE (physical restlessness linked to creativity), WOBBLE (adaptability, resilience), and WHAT IF (innovation, imagination). It calls for intentional development of these skills to prepare children for a rapidly changing world.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The global workforce is evolving, with an estimated two-thirds of children entering jobs that don't currently exist, emphasizing the need for new skill sets.
• 📊 The World Economic Forum's 2016 list highlights 21st-century skills, with a focus on both traditional hard skills (IQ) and soft skills (Qi) for success in a complex, globalized world.
• 🧠 The term 'soft skills' is a misnomer; these skills involve complex brain functions and are crucial for future success.
• 🔑 'Qi' skills, a term proposed to replace 'soft skills', include creativity, curiosity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, grit, leadership, and adaptability.
• 👶 Early childhood is pivotal for skill development, with 85% of brain growth occurring by age 3 and a million new neural connections forming per second.
• 🏠 The analogy of brain wiring to house wiring illustrates the importance of early development, where early 'wiring' is more effective than later rewiring.
• 👶 'ME' skills are self-awareness, self-control, focus, and attention, which are foundational for self-management in the 21st century.
• 🤝 'WE' skills, or people skills, include communication, collaboration, and empathy, and are essential for social interaction and success in a globalized world.
• 🤔 'WHY' skills encompass curiosity, inquisitiveness, and the ability to ask questions, which are more valued than simply knowing answers in the Information Age.
• 💪 'WILL' skills involve grit, perseverance, and motivation, which are key to overcoming challenges and achieving long-term goals.
• 🏋️‍♂️ 'WIGGLE' skills relate to physical and intellectual restlessness, which are linked to innovation and the ability to think creatively.
• 🔄 'WOBBLE' skills are about agility, adaptability, and learning from failure, which are crucial for navigating a rapidly changing world.
• 🌟 'WHAT IF' skills, including innovation, imagination, and out-of-the-box thinking, are identified as the most important factor for future success by CEOs.

Q & A

What is the estimated percentage of children today who will work in jobs that don't currently exist?

It has been estimated that two-thirds of children today will work in jobs that don't currently exist.

What is the significance of the list released by the World Economic Forum in 2016?

The list released by the World Economic Forum in 2016 is significant as it outlines the 21st-century skills most valued in today's complex, globalized, and rapidly changing world.

What are the three categories of skills mentioned in the script, and what do they represent?

The three categories of skills mentioned are traditional hard skills (IQ skills), social and creative skills (soft skills), and key skills (Qi skills). Traditional hard skills include reading, writing, and arithmetic. Social and creative skills encompass creativity, curiosity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, grit, leadership, and adaptability. Key skills are a proposed term for the soft skills, emphasizing their importance.

Why is it suggested not to refer to certain skills as 'soft' or 'non-cognitive'?

Referring to certain skills as 'soft' or 'non-cognitive' is discouraged because these terms do not do justice to the complexity of these skills, which involve intricate brain functions and are crucial for success.

What is the proposed term for the 'soft skills' and why does it fit?

The proposed term for 'soft skills' is 'key skills' or 'Qi skills'. It fits because these skills are key to future success, they complement IQ skills, and 'key' sounds like 'K', emphasizing their importance.

How early can the key skills be developed according to the script?

The key skills can be developed far earlier than most people realize, with 85% of brain growth occurring by age 3 and up to a million new neural connections forming per second, especially during the first 5 years of life.

What is the analogy used in the script to explain the importance of early brain development?

The analogy used is comparing the electrical wiring of the brain to that of a house, emphasizing that it's easier to wire a house before the walls go up, just as it's easier to develop key skills in early childhood.

What are the seven key skills introduced in the script?

The seven key skills introduced are: ME skills (self-awareness, self-control, focus, attention), WE skills (communication, collaboration, empathy, perspective-taking), WHY skills (curiosity, inquisitiveness), WILL skills (grit, perseverance, motivation), WIGGLE skills (physical and intellectual restlessness), WOBBLE skills (agility, adaptability, learning from failure), and WHAT IF skills (innovation, imagination, creativity).

Why are 'WHY skills' important in the context of the Information Age?

'WHY skills' are important because, in the Information Age, the ability to ask good questions is more valued than simply knowing the right answer, as it fuels curiosity and the desire to understand the world deeply.

How does the script suggest fostering intrinsic motivation in children?

The script suggests fostering intrinsic motivation by rethinking parenting approaches in the earliest years, focusing on praise and pride rather than external rewards, and encouraging children's natural sense of wonder and curiosity.

What is the significance of 'WOBBLE skills' in adapting to a rapidly changing world?

'WOBBLE skills' are significant because they involve the ability to face, overcome, and learn from failure, which is crucial for adapting to a world that is changing rapidly and requires resilience and adaptability.

Why is it important to celebrate failures along with successes in children's development?

Celebrating failures along with successes is important because it helps children learn from their mistakes, build resilience, and understand that failure is a part of the learning process, which is essential for their growth and development.