Learning Beyond School

We, kids love to go to school. It is where we learn, play, and make friends. For our parents, elders, and for us, school is synonymous with education and learning and to prepare for a future career. In addition, our parents teach with moral values and help with our assignments. Then there are tuitions for extra support with studies and some of us also are enrolled in enrichment classes for drawing, singing or sports.

But should learning be only study-based or just at school? The world needs global citizens who are passionate, driven and can contribute uniquely! School education is the foundation for our learning and growth. But there is learning in everything around us. Learning beyond school offers a world of opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and discovering new passions. There are several Enrichment classes, which are a great way to learn something we are passionate about in a formal way; we kids can enrol for science, coding, speech and drama, arts, music, martial arts, sports as per our interest and passion and time availability. But is that the only way to learn outside school?

It’s not just enrichment classes that fit the bill here but also learning is about being observant, conversational, participative, and well read. Lost time never comes back! And as much we learn it will help on making us well rounded individuals. Here are some ideas for you:

#1. Travel and educational trips

We all love to travel. Keep a notebook handy on your next travel, make notes about language, culture, food, historical and key places in the area! Even a trip to science centre to a mangrove is interesting!

#2. Volunteer Groups for Kids

Enrol in your local volunteer group for kids and lend a helping hand and build your teamwork and Organization skills or form your own group and volunteer for social causes!

#3. Online Courses, workshops, and self-study resources

there are several free online courses, workshops, podcasts from coding to creative writing to science concepts to entrepreneurship etc which are meant for kids.

#4. Read

books take you where you can’t, enrol in local library or start your own book club. Share reading experiences with friends.

#5. Observe

Instead of glued to our digital screens, observe the world around. Little things we observe can help go a long way. See how mom lays out the dining table, or the helper folds the clothes, or our parents do the grocery or how they meet and greet different people or how they budget for house expenses.

#6. Explore and experiment

How about running a small errand to grocery store or to the vending machine, see how store is stocked, how billing happens? How about carrying out a science experiment at home? How about trying to cook a new recipe?

#7. Entrepreneurial Ventures

How about teaming with friends and starting a cute little venture like origami flowers, hand-painted stationery, popcorn stand etc.

#8. Research

Do not leave curious queries unanswered. Let’s nurture curiosity, why did the apply fall and not fly – if this query had not popped up, Newton would not have discovered gravity!

#9. Family sessions

this is my favourite one, I love to discuss about current topics, experiences or just pose any curious question to my parents and grandparents, I love the World War 2 stories my grandparents share or engineering concepts from my dad! And yes, it was my uncle who taught me Chess!

Learning beyond school is an opportunity for us to discover our strengths, develop new skills, and cultivate a lifelong love for learning. Here are some reasons why embracing lifelong learning outside of school is so valuable:

#1. Personalized:

-This is tailored to what you want to learn, how you what to learn and when you want to learn. Isn’t that great!

#2. Your happy place:

Whether it's painting, coding, playing a musical instrument, or cooking, learning beyond school lets you dedicate time to hobbies and passions that bring joy and satisfaction and personal fulfilment.

#3. Develops a new skill:

Inventing time to pursue a passion or hobby over time can lead to you having a new skill altogether like taking up painting professionally.

#4. Get New friends:

Pursuing interests outside of school connects you with like-minded individuals, creating opportunities to collaborate, share ideas, and expand your social and professional networks

#5. Explore and apply - Sky is the limit:

We can explore about a topic or areas in as much detail- can delve into niche subjects, creative pursuits, and emerging fields that we’re curious about. We can also apply our knowledge to real-life situations and gain a deeper understanding of concepts.

#6. Positive Use of Time and building good habits:

It helps to be engaged in constructive activities outside school and instils the habit of continuous learning.

#7. Improve confidence:

the more you are well read or have broad based knowledge or a skill outside of school learning, you are noticed. It will also help to develop your ideas on a topic or knowledge of a subject and improve your communication skills

#8. Holistic Development:

Beyond academics, we children need to develop skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and emotional intelligence. We can develop diverse perspectives and broaden our horizon of thought and expression. These skills are often best developed through extracurricular activities and hobbies.

Remember,

the goal is to enjoy the process of learning and exploring our interest and passion. It’s about finding the right balance between our school commitments, personal time, and outside-of- school learning. Learning is not limited to formal education or a specific time frame. We should embrace the joy of learning throughout our life, explore our passions, and continuously seek out opportunities to expand our horizons.

The world is looking for well-rounded and not just tailormade citizens!