Student empowerment refers to developing strong decision-making skills so that they may make informed choices for the betterment of their academic progress, personal lives, and society. Many top schools in Mumbai and other parts of India have adopted several measures to empower their students in a variety of ways. Here are a few reasons that elucidate why student empowerment is crucial:
Builds self-esteem and confidence: When children are taught to value themselves and trust their choices, they develop a strong sense of agency. They may seek help, advice or emotional support for challenging tasks or during moments of uncertainty. However, they do not rely on others all the time for every step they must take. This aids them in being confident and more independent in their lives. At MIT Gurukul, making students self-reliant and confident is the top priority. We actively encourage two-way discussions, sharing of views and ideas, and validating them through praise and encouragement.
Helps better concentration and rapid learning: Empowered children realise the importance of their growth and thus are more attentive in the classroom and are mindful at home and in their general daily routines. Many international schools in Pune, one of which is the MIT Gurukul, follow this approach to help their students excel in regular learning and examinations. Positive feedback, support for giving shape and form to their independent creative ideas and showcasing their projects are ways that we deploy to motivate our students.
Develops hard-working and resilient individuals: To empower students is to build a future of adults who believe in hard work rather than shortcuts. Children may face hurdles in their lives, and an empowered mind knows how to handle them with courage, resilience and intelligence. Such children do not give up in the face of obstacles, and they aim to find the right solution for the difficulties they face. MIT Gurukul finds meaningful discussions, looking at alternate solutions and helping each other as tools that work the best for our students.
Now that we have discussed why empowering students is vital, here are a few ways to successfully empower them:
Appreciate children when they show responsibility in their actions: When children clean their rooms, help others in their class work or complete their assigned tasks or duties, appreciate them with kind words and thoughtful gifts. This kind of positive affirmation will make them understand that they are not doing anyone else a favour but simply developing a habit of being responsible. They also feel a sense of satisfaction and joy for being dependable and trustworthy instead of fulfilling their daily responsibilities with greed or addiction to gifts. At the same time, they feel seen, valued, appreciated and empowered. Through boards displaying our student achievements, to applauding even punctuality, caring for others, leadership qualities and the spirit of teamwork, we at MIT Gurukul give our students holistic empowerment.
Teach them to make informed choices: Instead of making every decision on behalf of children, parents and teachers can present them with various options and see how they wish to proceed. One can give them a set of responsibilities from time to time and observe how they fulfill them and whether they trust their judgement. Based on their choices, they can be taught what is necessary for their growth. Use constructive criticism when required and understand what they are lacking. This will help them understand right from wrong and make informed choices. MIT Gurukul believes that success should be celebrated, and any setback should be taken as a stepping stone Thus, we gently support our students in making choices, working on them and taking ownership of them. Our students learn from any challenges that occur, and raise their confidence in the process.
Participation in extracurricular activities: To empower children, we must focus on their talents and dreams. Many nursery schools in Pune, such as the MIT Gurukul, arrange creative events and talent competitions for children throughout the year. This is because when children are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities from the very beginning of their school life, they get an opportunity to try something new. They also realise their potential, and it may help them choose the right career path in future. Instead of being another brick in the wall, student empowerment makes children aim for their personal growth and unique talents and achieve their goals in the long run.
Therefore, we can conclude that student empowerment can change the lives of children for the better and shape them into confident adults who then lead future generations. To achieve this, at MIT, we encourage partnership between parents and caregivers to empower children from an early stage in life. Our open days, parent-teacher interaction events and orientations are a testimony to the same. We urge all parents to participate in them actively and share their valuable suggestions with us.