Dubai: A Dubai-based educator has launched a set of innovative courses for kids in a bid to teach them life skills in line with the changing times.
Briton Heather Harris, who runs an educational facility called Kids Full in Dubai Motor City, said, “We offer all the traditional academic subjects such as phonics, handwriting, math and even conduct homework clubs, but we felt the need to focus more on vocational and life skills, so we’ve introduced some new practical courses.”
- Heather Harris, Kids Full
Innovatively named mini MBA, one of the courses seeks to give children between 10 and 14 years an insight into business, finance and marketing. “It helps them not only to think about potential career choices and sets them ahead if they choose business studies, it also makes them more aware about things around them. They start looking at things differently and asking pertinent questions.”
Peer pressure
For example, if a child is considering buying a certain product, he will ask himself whether he really needs it or it’s the marketing blitz that is getting the better of him or it’s a decision he is arriving at due to peer pressure. He will also start analysing the cost and value of things that he would otherwise take for granted.
Harris said she is passionate about the course because she was involved in writing an MBA course back home in the UK, leading Young Enterprise schemes and highlighting the importance of ‘non-traditional’ subjects, which help kids understand and engage with the world better. “This is especially true here when there tends to be such a strong focus on academic standards in schools.”
She said the ‘Power of Social Media’ course is also grounded in reality. “So many children choose to have a social media account without realising the impact this can have on their future, for example, when they apply to college or for a job. This course doesn’t just cover things like internet safety, but also explores the subliminal messages that each picture, statement and comment make about the person using the media. During the course, they learn how to write positively, take appropriate selfies, how to position themselves in a confident and self–affirming way, and how to handle any online negativity appropriately.”
Harris said Kids Full also offers a cartoon fun course which combines illustrating and story writing to nurture creativity in children.
The life skills courses, which range from four to six weeks, will be held once a week from February 24. Their cost: Dh800 to Dh1,000.
