Skills, 2022-25

Creation of the Skills

In the spring of 2022, ILHS drafted our own set of transferable skills based roughly on some example rubrics we had from EdLeader21. We adapted the ideas into something we though was much more usable. We created a list of individual criteria for each skill in an effort to make them more easily understood and assessed. After a small team of staff members drafted a set of skills, they were then shared with staff, students, and the community who were invited to provide feedback. That feedback was then incorporated to make revisions and the final version was presented to students and implemented in the fall of 2022.

Foundational ILHS Skills, 2022-25

COMMUNICATION

CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

Engages appropriately in deep conversations:

• Listens respectfully

• Provides nonverbal feedback

• Respects others and their ideas, beliefs, and values

• Advances the conversation with relevant responses questions

• Speaks respectfully

• Monitors own speaking time

• Explains ideas clearly

• Invites input

CORRESPONDENCE

Written correspondence with non-peers is clear, respectful and appropriate to means of communication:

• Uses the appropriate format, level of formality, and style as defined

• Intent and content of message is clear, concise, and accurate

• Both the sender and the receiver consistently understand each other

• Responds within two business days

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Delivers clear and effective oral presentations:

• Is easily understood by the entire audience

• Body language and tone are used to convey their message and engage the audience

• Organization is clear and supports audience understanding

• Content meets the expectations of the occasion

• Presentation style is appropriate for the situation

• Uses visual aids to enhance communication

• Competently fields questions

• Adheres to any time restrictions

COLLABORATION

COOPERATION

Supports a cooperative team culture:

• Consistently takes other ideas, opinions, and perspectives into consideration

• Negotiates and compromises, as appropriate

• Actively attempts to resolve conflict between other members of the team

• Actively assists others without taking over

COLLABORATIVE RESPONSIBILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY

Is responsible and productive when working as part of a team:

• Accepts tasks with a cooperative attitude

• Meets specifications for assigned tasks

• Completes assigned tasks on time

• Supports team members without taking over

• Actively seeks out opportunities to contribute to the team

TOOLS FOR COLLABORATION

Utilizes tools for effective collaboration:

• Selects and uses tools in a manner that enhances team's collaboration 

• Demonstrates fluency with multiple tools for synchronous collaboration

• Demonstrates fluency with multiple tools for asynchronous collaboration

RESPONSIVENESS

Accepts and delivers constructive feedback:

• Acknowledges feedback from peers and takes actionable steps

• Acknowledges feedback from non-peers takes actionable steps

• Delivers constructive feedback to peers in a kind and respectful manner

• Delivers constructive feedback to non-peers in a kind and respectful manner

CRITICAL THINKING

INFORMATION AND DISCOVERY

Seeks out meaningful information about complex situations:

• Defines and follows a focused goal for the investigation

• Revises goal of investigation, as necessary

• Uses diverse sources

• Goes beyond initial findings

• Actively seeks out divergent perspectives

• Identifies possible bias in sources

• Validates information using multiple sources

• Compares and classifies information using credible criteria

• Records sources of all used information

REASONING

Comes to valid conclusions about complex situations:

• Analyzes components of complex systems or situations

• Analyzes many plausible conclusions

• Reaches accurate conclusions based on evidence

• Provides clear explanations based on evidence

PROBLEM SOLVING

Creates solutions to complex problems:

• Identifies and describes the problem

• Analyzes parts of the whole and their interactions

• Identifies a set of plausible approaches

• Investigates the relative effectiveness of possible solutions and eliminates ineffective approaches

• Considers potential unintended consequences

• Reconciles potential ethical concerns, when applicable

• Identifies advantages and disadvantages of solution

CONSTRUCTS ARGUMENTS

Constructs persuasive arguments about complex situations:

• Provides a clearly articulated claim 

• Clearly explains the reasoning for claim

• Addresses counter arguments

• Structure of product is clear and enhances argument

• Cites sufficient, relevant evidence for each claim

CREATIVITY

IDEA GENERATION

Generates diverse and creative ideas to address a task (problem, investigation, or challenge):

• Uses diverse methods to view the task from unique perspectives

• Uses tools and/or time to overcome a lack of additional ideas

• Generates multiple ideas that are each unique and productive toward the task

IDEA DESIGN AND REFINEMENT

Analyzes and refines existing ideas:

• Organizes and prioritizes ideas

• Improves ideas by combining with other ideas

• Makes revisions to improve ideas

• Describe advantages and disadvantages of ideas

• Develops abstract ideas into concrete options for production

• Choose an idea to implement with the goal in mind

CREATIVE PRODUCTION

Shapes original ideas into a creative product:

• Tests production of ideas whenever possible

• Seeks out feedback

• Improves or even replaces ideas based on feedback and testing

• Assesses the quality and creativity of own product with accuracy

• Meets specifications

• Product is largely considered to be high quality and unique by the broad target audience

AGENCY

INITIATIVE TO LEARN

Seeks out opportunities to learn:

• Creates independent learning goals around personal interests

• Continuously adapts learning plans to current needs

• Employs diverse learning tools, appropriate to the current learning goals

• Overcomes learning obstacles using diverse tools, such as independent research and asking questions

• Solidifies new learning with diverse tools, such as practice and self-assessment

• Seeks out and utilizes feedback on independent tasks

PERSEVERANCE

Overcomes adversity:

• Anticipates and plans for difficulties

• Balances individual effort with getting support from others to overcome obstacles

• Perseveres despite difficulties encountered in long-term projects

• Identifies causes of failures, makes adjustments, or reattempts tasks

OR

• Pushes on beyond initial successes to a higher level of success

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Reflects accurately on own abilities and performance:

• Objectively identifies personal strengths and how they were used

• Objectively identifies opportunities for personal growth

• Creates and implements plans for long-term personal improvement

• Objectively evaluates own performance and makes adjustments, accordingly

• Takes ownership of mistakes

TASK REFLECTION

Reflects accurately on process and products:

• Incorporates lessons learned from previous projects and reflection

• Continuously analyzes and seeks to improve process in the midst of production

• Creates plans for improvement after project completion

CITIZENSHIP

ADVOCACY

Takes action which has a beneficial impact on others or the environment:

• Demonstrates empathy

• Recognizes a significant need

• Is motivated to help

• Takes action to help

• Has a long-lasting beneficial impact

RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY

Respects others' identities, including cultures, values, and beliefs:

• Seeks understanding of different identities

• Engages in deep conversations about identity differences without having to argue

• Demonstrates consideration for perspectives from different identities

COMPETENCIES

HUMANITIES

• English: 8 semesters at Proficient or better

• Social Studies: 6 semesters at Proficient or better

• Arts: 2 semesters at Proficient or better

STEM

• Math: 6 semesters at Proficient or better

• Science: 6 semesters at Proficient or better

WELLNESS

• Health & Fitness: 2 semesters at Proficient or better

Advanced ILHS Skills, 2022-25

COMMUNICATION

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Delivers dynamic oral presentations:

• Shows strong cultural awareness when communicating in diverse environments

• Shows consideration of others' world views and beliefs

• Engages the audience using storytelling techniques

• Discusses presentation topic with passion and excitement

• Generates a high level of interest from the audience

• Continuously assesses and adjusts communication based on audience reaction

NETWORKING

Employs a network of relationships:

• Uses established relationships to know who to contact for diverse purposes

• Maintains a large and diverse set of relationships

• Connects others with mutual interests to each other

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Verbal communication with non-peers is appropriate and professional:

• Uses the appropriate format, level of formality, and style for the situation

• Intent and content of message is clear, concise, and accurate

• Both the speaker and the listener consistently understand each other

COLLABORATION

LEADERSHIP

Contributes to the leadership of teams:

• Inspires and motivates the team

• Understands the team's goal(s) and helps to maintain its focus

• Monitors the team's progress and advocates for adjustments, as necessary

• Discerns and verbalizes which team member is appropriately matched for each role

• Monitors team members' progress and advocates for support, as necessary

• Listens to team members

• Fulfills own responsibilities

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Employs project management strategies that enhance a team's effectiveness:

• Is comfortable using a wide range of project management strategies

• Consistently uses the chosen project management strategy

• Consistently is aware of all team members' status

• Understands how each part of the project will connect to form the whole

TECH TOOLS FOR COLLABORATION

Expertly selects and supports technology for effective collaboration:

• Informs the team about tool options and their relative advantages and disadvantages for the given task

• Actively supports team members using the selected tools

• Offers guidance regarding how to further increase productivity through effective use of selected tools

RESPONSIVENESS

Creates a safe environment for providing feedback:

• Asks questions of team members with genuine curiosity

• Communicates personal vulnerability and a willingness to accept criticism

• Gracefully responds to poorly delivered feedback

• Helps others to turn cricism into growth

• Seeks out feedback at unforeseen moments of opportunity

• Employs a consistent interval for the team to provide feedback with each other

• Recognizes appropriate opportunities to deliver constructive feedback

CRITICAL THINKING

INFORMATION AND DISCOVERY

Seeks out meaningful information through direct investigation:

• Demonstrates a deep understanding of the problem, investigation, or challenge

• Understands expectations for and constraints on potential solutions

• Generates thought-provoking inquiry questions

• Phrases questions to encourage deep and thoughtful responses

• Phrases questions to ensure they will elicit valuable and useful information

REASONING

Accurately reasons with inductive and deductive reasoning:

• Recognizes the appropriate use of both inductive and deductive reasoning in a given situation

• Employs both inductive and deductive reasoning appropriately

• Draws logical conclusions that are not immediately obvious

• Supports the rationale for conclusions through sophisticated and often original uses of inductive and/or deductive reasoning

PROBLEM SOLVING

Employs an advanced skill set to solve complex problems:

• Recognizes interdependence relationships between aspects of the problem

• Identifies a variety of unique solutions to the problem

• Appropriately employs both convergent and divergent thinking to solve the same problem

• Clearly identifies criteria by which solutions will be evaluated

• Provides a thorough, fully developed assessment of each solution based upon the criteria

• Tests solutions through scaled deployments

• Analyzes trial phases and makes appropriate adjustments, possibly even restarting the process

CREATIVITY

IDEA GENERATION

Generates innovative and unexpected ideas:

• Understands many tools for generating ideas and employs them appropriately to each situation

• Shows an impressive depth of understanding of the situation

• Generates an especially high volume of new ideas

• Creates open-ended questions or problems to help generate ideas

• Examining ideas in unexpected ways

• Generates options that are unusual or statistically infrequent

• Elaborates on ideas to generate additional ideas

• Uses comparison or analogy to make new or unique connections, making the strange familiar, or the familiar strange

• Asks sophisticated, open-ended questions that lead to the generation of original ideas

IDEA DESIGN AND REFINEMENT

Forms a multitude of ideas into a production-ready idea:

• Sorts ideas into multiple groupings to find and recognize connections

• Questions potential roadblocks and bypasses them when appropriate

• Recognizes when divergent and convergent strategies are most appropriate

• Seeks out feedback during idea refinement

• Simulates implementation of an idea to analyze its efficacy

• Accurately assesses when an idea is ready for production

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Shapes ideas into an original product with a personal message:

• Combines ideas and/or techniques in novel ways

• Product conveys a personal message by its creator

• Product demonstrates expertise in an artistic medium

AGENCY

PERSEVERANCE

Pushes on beyond initial successes to a higher level of success:

• Improves products without external reward

TIME MANAGEMENT

Manages time individually:

• Balances the needs of multiple time demands

• Prioritizes work appropriately and adjusts as needed

• Manages potential distractions

• Recognizes when it is appropriate to regard a project as complete

• Creates and adheres to self-structured plans for dealing with large projects

• Organizes tasks

• Attends to both short- and long-term goals

SELF-CARE

Practices self-care:

• Understands how physical and mental wellbeing correlate

• Understands personal learning styles and needs

• Leverages individual strengths

• Works to improve individual weaknesses

• Consistently employs multiple tools for maintaining physical wellbeing

• Consistently employs multiple tools for maintaining mental wellbeing

ORGANIZATION

Maintains effective work and life organization:

• Is consistently able to find physical materials quickly when they are needed

• Is consistently able to find digital files quickly when they are needed

• Is consistently able to find previous correspondence when it is needed

• Creates and maintains task-specific organizational structures

CITIZENSHIP

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Endeavors to improve the local community:

• Improves the physical wellbeing of the local environment

• Is aware of challenges faced by people within the community

• Improves the overall wellbeing of the people in the community

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

Endeavors to improve the world:

• Is aware of unique challenges faced outside of the local community

• Improves the overall wellbeing of people or the environment beyond the local community

ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

Makes ethical choices:

• Accurately identifies ethical aspects of issues

• Purposefully reconciles ethical dilemmas

• Considers potential unintended consequences of decisions

LEARNING COMMUNITY

Effectively supports and is supported by other learners:

• Actively seeks out ways to support the learning of other students

• Coordinates learning opportunities with other students outside of scheduled class times

• Reaches out to struggling learners

• Is open to receiving support from other students

• Employs multiple strategies to communicate learning

• Demonstrates patience with other students

PERSUASIVE ADVOCACY

Successfully advocates for meaningful issues:

• Recognizes a significant need

• Effectively communicates the need to others

• Persuades others to join together in action

• Empowers others