|
 Moral science class in schools is
often considered a free hour by both teachers and students. This perspective is changing,
thanks to the efforts of Life Skills Foundation for Education, which conducts value
education programmes for schoolteachers and university students. Life Skills Foundation
for Education (LIFE) is a non-profit organization run by dedicated professionals
experienced in attitudinal training.
"Our
students are not given proper value education in schools and colleges, which is why they
fail to succeed in life after their studies. As individual performers our students excel,
but they are not able to cope with their attitude while working as a group," said.
Radha Raju, Director of LIFE.
LIFE Skills training involves inculcating the right
attitudes and behaviour in children. The foundation has evolved a special programme for
schools to improve the effectiveness of learning by focussing on life skills. LIFE
believes in training the teachers in value education because a teacher with the right
attitude will not only teach the children effectively, but also inspire them to great
heights. The methodology adopted by LIFE is direct and simple and does not require special
materials or infrastructure. It can be applied for teaching academic concepts and
successfully implemented at all levels of students.
LIFE offers services to schools to help them improve the
effectiveness of learning within the existing resources. It also helps the schools
implement the system by training teachers and counselling parents. Recalling a successful
implementation of their methodology,. Radha Raju said, " We trained the teachers of
Jasper Jothi Vidya and suggested some changes in their method which worked out
perfectly."
 "We also offer a personal effectiveness programme for
college students. M.O.P. Vaishnav College has implemented our curriculum successfully.
This programme will help students face interviews, understand others' problems, show how
to work in a team and lead a team. With simple games and activities we make the students
realize they are not perfect and so are others," said Radha Raju.
Many city schools and colleges have implemented the
curriculum of LIFE and made successful use of their services. LIFE also conducts
programmes for NGOs and public service organizations to help them develop leadership and
team building skills, sharpen their negotiation and presentation skills and to offer
counselling.
Run by a dedicated team of four, LIFE was founded by Radha
Raju in an effort to instill right attitudes in children. Having taught children for almost
a decade in Vidya Mandir, she was actively involved with the Civic Exnora programme where
she organized the students to form Student Exnora programmes to beautify the streets.
Talking about her future plans, Radha Raju said her aim is
to reach out to government schools and colleges to implement her programme. She has also
launched a project called SAP (School Adoption Programme), by which an NRI adopts a
school. In this LIFE plays the role of an adoption agency by identifying the schools and
the needs, and recommends the schools to suitable NRIs. The NRI supports the school by
sharing his experiences, expertise, knowledge, time or funds, depending on the needs of
the school and LIFE will work closely with the NRI for a year in improving the quality of
education in the school.
| 
