Communication is Key by Kenna

Communication is Key by Kenna - February 2023 Scholarship Essay

Soft skills are one of the most critical and essential skills you can have going into a career field, college, or in basic situations. Communication is the most important soft skill you can have to obtain a successful and knowledgeable education. Without the ability to communicate, you lack the ability to ask questions to further deepen an understanding. Having a strong communication not only means talking, but also being able to be an active listener; acknowledging someone as they speak. Being an attentive listener helps the other person feel heard.
It is one of the leading foundations of any other soft skill such as problem-solving, decision making, and even teamwork. Having a strong sense of communication allows you to clearly state your thoughts and opinions, effectively engage in conversations, and the ability to collaborate. Since so many other soft skills flow off of communication, being able to strengthen the core skill would only help in areas of education. One of the first things taught to children is how to effectively communicate with caregivers so their needs can be met. Without this skill, you can go unseen or unheard. Your thoughts and ideas are not seen or valued by those around you.
Many times, classes have participation grades based on how you talked or bounce ideas off of other students as well as your own. If this skill was not critical, we would not be practicing it so commonly in the education system. Communication is key in education, not only to learn, but to advance understanding and further educational advancements. Once again, strengthening this skill is vital, not only to improve education, but to improve the understanding of knowledge being taught.