Essential Life Skills for a 21st Century Workforce
Communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, giving and receiving feedback, self-discipline — every year, skills like these become more sought after by employers and colleges. These skills are included in Minnesota's Career and College Readiness framework, and they fall into five areas:
These valuable skills are sometimes referred to as "21st century skills," "character education," etc. Schools have endless opportunities across the school day to help students develop these skills. As one teacher put it, "Learning life skills isn't part of my students' day, it IS their day!" Explore (below) to learn more.
A Supportive Climate
Building strong relationships and helping all students and staff to feel valued and respected
Establishing clear behavior expectations and spotlighting when students meet them
Helping students to learn from mistakes, restore their relationships, and move on
Maximizing Academics
Building collaboration skills through group work, peer feedback, and similar academic routines
Fostering perseverance and the attitude that we can learn and grow by overcoming obstacles
Building organization skills, time management, and related skills needed to set and reach goals
Freestanding Activities
Meaningful conversations about the why and how of essential workplace and life skills
Keeping a cool head in a stressful situation, preventing bullying, digital citizenship, and more
Teachers use evidence-based curriculums to frame these conversations
