PROMOTION OF LIFE SKILLS

TOPIC OBJECTIVES

By the end of the topic, the student should be able to;

1. Explain the importance of good leader ship, team work, positive relationship, self worth and confidence qualities.

2. Demonstrate good leadership o team work o positive relationships,selfworth and confidence qualities

KEY TERMS:

• Skill – Ability to do something
• Life skill – Ability of a person to live in society
• Individual skill – Are ones which enables a person to understand himself in various ways.
• Self – awareness – Ability to know yourself better
• Social skills – Ability of an individual to live in peace and harmony with others
• Empathy – Ability to understand other people feelings and be concerned about their problems.
• Negotiation – Ability to agree on issues without undermining or going against ones principles.
• Critical thinking – Ability to develop deep understanding of something.
• Creative thinking – Ability to come up with new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Decision making – Ability to make best choose out of many available options
• Problem solving – Making choice and acting on it.

1. Life Skills: Refer to the mental abilities used by a person or an individual to control him or her and the environment in order to achieve success in life.

OR

2. Life skills can be defined as mental abilities or knowledge that helps a person to solve personal (intra – person) or interpersonal problems related to the environment so as to be more successful in life.

EXAMPLES/KINDS OF LIFE SKILLS.

1. Self – awareness
2. Decision making
3. Self – confidence
4. Positive relationship
5. Assertiveness
6. Self – worth
7. Sympathy.
8. Self – discipline
9. Self – esteem
10. Self – control
11. Self – defense
12. Self – reliance
13. Empathy
14. Skills against diseases.

1. SELF AWARENESS:

 Self awareness is the ability to understand one’s potentialities feelings, strengths, weaknesses, as well as his/her position in the society. Example, you have complete certificate of Primary Education now you must join from one and you must do all subject in Secondary school.

2. DECISION MAKING:

 Decision making is the ability of making the best choice or the ability of deciding the right course of action. Example, in Secondary school you’ll study all subjects from form one to form two, but in form three there are option for science class, arts and business.

3. SEFL CONFIDENCE:

 Self confidence is the ability to maintain one’s position regardless of the pull from friends. Example, Mwalimu J.K Nyerere was confident in supporting his policy of Ujamaa and self reliance despite challenges from capitalist contries.

4. POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP.

 Positive relationship is the ability to promote good and friendly relationship with other people in society. Example, in school some time it can raise groups in good manners or bad manner. Remember school ruler is their positive relationship will keep you safe.

5. ASSERTIVENESS:

 Assertiveness is the ability to behave confidently and determined way so as to make people pay attention to your opinions. Example, in Secondary there are groups of difference subject, discussions, questions and home work. Don’t sleep, contribute in discussion, don’t fear for broken English.

6. SELF – WORTH

 Self – worth is the act of assessing and assigning value to one self. Example, no special student born to be number one in class forever, any student can hold first position even you deserve for it.

7. SYMPATHY:

 Sympathy is the ability of showing that you understand and cares problems of another person. Example, by helping the victims of an accident.

8. SELF – DISCIPLINE:

 Is the ability to make you do or perform duties/responsibilities without being forced so as to achieve good life or goals. Example, the students have to follow the strict rules in order for him/her to achieve academic excellence.

9. SELF – ESTEEM:

 Is the ability of being happy with your own good characters. Example,

10. SELF – CONTROL:

 Self – control is the ability to remain calm (settled) without shown your emotions even though you are in a particular mood of feelings. Example, the ability to control anger when a person is provoked and proceed with the legal procedures.

11. SELF – DEFENSE:

 Self – defence is the ability of being able to protect yourself from physical attack without using weapons. Example, self defence against robbers.

12. SELF – RELIANCE:

 Is the ability to do or decide things by you rather than depending on the other people for help. Example, a student can show self reliance in the examination by answering questions correctly without stealing from other candidate.

13. TOLERANCE:

 Tolerance is the ability to accept other people opinion and behavior although you don’t agree with such opinions or behavior. Example, tolerating other people’s religion/beliefs.

14. SKILLS AGAINST DISEASES:

 Skills against diseases are the ability of treating or preventing diseases. Example, prevention of Malaria by cutting down all grasses and the use of medicated mosquito nets.

15. EMPATHY:

 Empathy is the ability of putting oneself in the other person’s shoes. Empathy can also be defined as the ability to imagine and share other people’s feelings. Example showing empathy to orphans.

CATEGORIES OF LIFE SKILLS:

 Life skills can be put into two (2) main groups or categories name;

1. Personal life skills and

2. Social life skills.

1. PERSONAL LIFE SKILLS.

DEFINITION:

 Personal life skills are the important methods or techniques which can help an individual person to control him/her and the environment so as to achieve success in life.

 Person life skills are also known as individual life skills or intra – personal skills.

Examples of personal life skills are:

a) Self awareness

b) Self confidence

c) Self – esteem

d) Assertiveness

e) Self – reliance

f) Self – discipline

g) Self – control.

2. SOCIAL LIFE SKILLS:

DEFINITION:

 Social life skills are important methods or techniques which promote good interaction among the people in the society.

Examples of inter – personal life skills are:

a) Decision making

b) Tolerance

c) Positive relationship

d) Empathy

e) Sympathy

f) Skills against diseases

g) Entrepreneurship skills.

 There are five (5) sources of life skills namely.

1. Parents.

2. Non – governmental organizations (NGO’S)

Examples of NGO’S

a) UNECEF – United Nations International Children Fund.

b) UNESCO – United Nations Education and Social Culture Organization

c) WHO – World Health Organization.

d) UNHCR – United Nation High Commission for Refugees

e) ILO – International Labour Organization.

f) WFP – World Food Programme.

3. School

4. Government

5. Religion.

IMPORTANCES OF LIFE SKILLS:

1. Help in solving different problems. Life skills help people to solve different individual and social problems, Example, the problem of one abuse by avoiding bad company of people.
2. Fighting against poverty. Life skills can help people to increase their income. Example, the entrepreneurship skills.
3. Promoting good social relationship in the society. Skills help people to live friendly life in the society, example by applying empathy and sympathy.
4. Improvement of academic performance. Life skills can help students to pass better in their exams. Example through self – confidence and listening skills.
5. Improvement of human health. Life skills can help people to have good health in the society. Example skills against diseases.
6. Environmental preservation. Life skills can help human beings to preserve their surroundings. Example through self – discipline and self – awareness.
7. Resolving conflicts in the society. Life skills help people to solve different misunderstandings in the society.

STEPS OF LIFE SKILLS/STEPS IN PROBLEM SOLVING.

1. Problem identification
2. Problem analysis and classification
3. Reviewing alternative solutions
4. Choosing the solution
5. Implementing the solution
6. Evaluation

LEADERSHIP:

1. Leadership is a process of encouraging and helping people to achieve the established goals or objectives.
2. Leadership is the relationship between people in the community and their leaders towards attaining the goods established.
3. Leader – Is a person who leads or directs other people. Example, the leaders are class monitors, ministers, members of the parliament (mps) and the president.
4. A good leader is a democratic leader.
5. Qualities of a good leader are as follows:

a) Responsible

b) Fair

c) Lead by example

d) Hard working

e) Accountable

f) Generous

g) Accept to be corrected

h) Value other people’s opinions

i) Incorruptible.

1. RESPONSIBLE:

 A good leader should fulfill all his/her duties.

2. FAIR

3. LEAD BY EXAMPLE:

 A good leader leads other people by showing them good examples in doing or following the principles. Example, by following the law of a country.

4. HARD WORKING:

 A good leader should not be lazy but do works effectively at the right time. Example by leading people in different economic activities such as agriculture.

5. ACCOUNTABLE:

 A good leader should be ready to accept the effects(s) if his/her decisions. Example by resigning from the office when a leader has made wrong decisions.

6. GENEROUS:

 A good leaser should be kind to his /her people and other. Example by helping the sick.

7. ACCEPTING TO BE CORRECTED.

 A good leader should be accepting his/her weakness and make a change. Example when a leader made bad decisions.

8. VALUE OTHER PEOPLE’S OPINIONS.

 A good leader should accept other people’s views or ideas. Example, encouraging people’s participation in decision making.

9. INCORRUPTIBLE:

 A good leader should not be corrupt. Example a good leader should not accept bribery.

Summary:

• A skill is ability of a person to do something well.
• Life – skill are ability of a person to live in society well.
• There are three types of life skills – Individual life – skill, social life skill, and effective decision making skills.
• Individual life skill includes self awareness, assertiveness, coping with stress, coping with emotions.
• Social skills is the ability to understand and live in peace and harmony with others
• Aspects of social skills are forming health relationship; forming friendship, peer resistance, empathy, negotiation, and effective communication.
• Effective communication is ability to communicate with people according to their moods.
• Effective communication includes listening, reading, and writing skills.
• Effective decision making skills enable a person to make good decisions.
• Aspects of decision making skills include critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving decision making
• Sources of life skill include family, neighbors, friends, school, society and religion.
• We can use special skills to make good friends, show empathy, resist peer pressure, display effective communication, and solve problem.