How to Prepare Your Child for the Jobs of the Future
The world kids will face could be totally different than ours. After 10 or 20 years there could already be widespread adoption of robotics and artificial intelligence. Many jobs of today won’t exist then because of automation. But also, there could be new jobs and opportunities that will only be reserved to those who are prepared for this new kind of world.
So how can you best prepare your child for the jobs of the future? What are the necessary skills and how to best align your child’s learning to better take advantage of the new opportunities?
More focus on play-based learning
Yes, it’s not about academics anymore. Recent researches show that kids learn best through actual interaction with objects, people and the environment. And this interaction can only be made possible through a stronger emphasis on playtime.
During playtime kids have a chance to use their brain in several different ways. It’s when active exploration and investigation occurs wherein they will better make sense of the things around them. It’s especially the case with the child’s early years because this is the period when the child’s core brain architecture is being formed. With the right guidance and support, kids will gain a strong foundation if there’s a strong emphasis on play-based learning.
What does this have to do with preparing kids for the future? Well, the jobs of the future might be mostly inclined in 2 ways: highly technical or highly creative. Notice that there’s no middle ground because anything between the two spectrum is likely to be automated or taken care of by robots or artificial intelligence.
To become highly creative it seems play-based learning has an obvious role here. What about becoming highly technical? Play-based learning still has a role here because understanding technical and abstract concepts still need some roots or grounding with the real world. Also, play-based learning helps prepare kids successfully transition to formal schooling. If this transition is successful, there will be cumulative effects throughout the child’s schooling and beyond.
Fun & learning at the same time
Aside from sufficient playtime, kids will also better learn if each day at the early learning centre is fun. After all, having fun is also a part of the learning process. If kids are having fun, it’s like a sweet reward for them when learning, playing and exploring. With fun we reinforce positive habits which form strong associations in their minds. Automatically they’ll associate fun with learning and this will help them throughout life.
That’s why here at Surry Hills Early Learning Centre we help make the child’s early years a wonderful journey. Our educational curriculum encompasses the government’s Early Years Learning Framework. With the guidance of our experienced educators, each child will be encouraged to play, investigate and explore. Contact us today if you want more information about our approach.
