What’s the most essential life skills parents want for their children?
Below are the results of querying 156,000+ respondent comments (5.6 million words) on what the most important life skills they want, in priority order.
(Reader Note: GraceWorks is taking advantage of the power of AI to provide experientially-proven, statistically-valid truth to common issues K-12 Christian schools face – based on a mountain of data of serving Christian schools exclusively since 2006.
We put this same power to work for your school, providing detailed practical solutions to satisfaction problems discovered through our nationally-normed Christian School Comprehensive Survey for parents, students, and teachers.
The most important life skills parents want Christian schools to teacher their children, in priority order are:
1. Financial Literacy and Money Management
- Parents want schools to teach high school students about everyday life, including bills, taxes, and money management.
- Some suggest incorporating financial education as early as grades 3-5.
- A consumer math class is seen as practical for preparing students for independent living.
2. Practical Job and Career Skills
- Many parents want schools to incorporate job shadowing opportunities, work-study programs, and real job skills training.
- They advocate for bringing back programs like auto repair, construction, and shop classes.
- Parents want schools to prepare students for various career paths, not just a four-year college.
3. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Parents emphasize the importance of helping students learn to think for themselves and think critically and logically.
- They want schools to move beyond memorizing facts and taking tests and instead focus on analytical skills.
4. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Parents value the development of communication skills, including public speaking, and the ability to interact respectfully with others.
- They want students to learn how to resolve conflicts, show kindness, and respect adults.
5. Moral and Ethical Conduct
- Parents prioritize the teaching of good morals, Christian behavior, and values.
- They want schools to focus on character development, ethics, and morals, not just rules.
6. Adaptability and Resilience
- Parents want schools to teach students how to live life after graduation and handle real-world challenges.
- They want students to develop resilience and coping skills.
7. Biblical Worldview and Christian Values
- Parents seek schools that will emphasize a biblical worldview, teach Christian values, and integrate faith into all aspects of learning.
8. Personal Responsibility and Accountability
- Parents want schools to instill responsibility and accountability in their children at an early age.
- They want students to take ownership of their homework and learning.
9. Emotional and Social Learning
- Some parents emphasize the importance of spending more time on social and emotional learning.
- They value creating a nurturing environment and providing a sense of belonging for students.
Conclusion
In conclusion, parents seek a well-rounded education for their children in Christian schools that not only prepares them for practical life challenges through skills such as financial literacy, job readiness, critical thinking, and effective communication, but also deeply roots them in Christian values, ethics, and a biblical worldview. They emphasize the importance of personal responsibility, adaptability, resilience, and emotional and social learning, aiming to foster holistic development that aligns with their faith and moral beliefs.
