I had a phone call this week from a parent who asked me what her twins (entering high school) needed to focus on this year so they could have an edge on the other students. I wasn’t surprised to hear this since parents start getting nervous about this time since they have to start applying for scholarships in about 36 months!
This is no Panic At the Disco. This is panic in the classroom, homeroom and kids room. It should be noted that the kids room is the ideal place to hide from parents who do not understand what they should be really focusing on at this point in the game.
So…let’s take a breather instead of focusing on all of the hard skills (specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured, such as test taking, writing, math, reading, machine operation and the ability to use software programs) and discuss the friendlier, calming, relaxing “World of Soft Skills”
These skills, on the other hand, are subjective and much harder to quantify. Also known as “people skills or interpersonal skills.” These have to do with the way you relate to and interact with people.
These are the skills that students do not have the time to learn from teachers who want so badly to teach them but can’t since they are shutdown to do so because “you are not tested on soft skills.”
From the moment I began the Student Success Project, I never backed down from the belief that success was a much deeper concept than grades, ranking, and position. And with that came the arguments on what truly constituted an education. And with that came arguments about the real meaning of learning. Everyone indeed has opinions.
Sure, we all say there is more to life than just grades, ranking and positions but it always seems to creep back into the conversation as real measures of success.
Think for a moment what our world would look and sound like if the concept of success was driven purely by other “stuff” such as happiness and self-confidence rather than testing, echelons and attainment. But now comes the tough question – what would that other stuff be?
Someone is bound to be a buzzkill and say something robotic like – “we’re trying to explain student success educationally or in the labor market with skills not directly measured by standardized tests.”
Sure, we always hear about “life and career skills” and “information, media and technology skills.” But what about cognitive skills? Rather than just skills for the sake of achievement – how about those for expanding the mind and nuturing the heart?
I am always asked before, during or after my presentation – what makes for a successful student and my answer is always the same – “a happy, well-adjusted confident kid.” This reminds me of a quote (circa 1788) I read almost a decade ago when I started designing The Student Success Project.
“The virtues of men are of more consequence to society than their abilities; and for this reason, the heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.”
So with that said, I throw these few “cognitive skills” out for consideration.
Character Skills education has a long history in the U.S., with a major vogue in the 1930s and a revival in the 1980s and 1990s. Certain schools emphasize a curriculum of seven “character strengths”: grit, zest, optimism, self-control, gratitude, social intelligence and curiosity.
This is a direct response to parents wishing that their children be happy and good as well as successful.
Growth Mindset is the belief that positive traits, including intelligence, can be developed with practice.
Fixed Mindset refers to the idea that intelligence and other talents are set at birth.
Unfortunately, both of these mindsets are based in the belief that if you make the kids feel good they’ll learn,’ which is tied right into the 80’s self-esteem movement. A movement which many felt led to lots of trophies but little improvement in actual achievement.
This column is by Ritchie Lucas, Founder of The Student Success Project and Think Factory Marketing. He can be reached at 305-788-4105 or via email at ritchie@thinkfactory.com and on Facebook and You Tube as The Student Success Project.
