21st Century Skills: Self Awareness

What are the skills that make our children thrive in today’s rapidly changing world? We all know that the children need foundational skills like literacy and numeracy. In fact, these skills are what most of us as parents and educators have been focusing on.

Today, they need a different mix of skills than in the past; they must be adept at skills such as critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaborations and technology And more than ever, our children need to be equipped with social emotion skills.

What is Social Emotion Learning (SEL)?

There are differences defined competencies of SEL, and it is believed to be evolving. Today I want to talk about one definition from CASEL, a leading organisation with the goal of establishing high-quality SEL in schools. CASEL recognises five core competencies which are Self-awareness, Self-management, Responsible decision-making, Relationship skills and Social awareness.

Self awareness is the ability to recognise your strengths, challenges, emotions, to maintain positive self-perception and to demonstrate a sense of self-efficiency. Self Awareness is the foundation skill that children can begin developing at early in life and it is something that continues to develop in adulthood. We need this skill to navigate our personal lives as much as professional ones.