New to Twitter chats? No problem. Questions are asked in Q1,2 format. Please respond to each question with A1, A2 and include #pln365 at the end. It's that simple.
Q1: Soft skills are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. Share creative ways that you've provided your students with opportunities to develop these essential skills. #pln365
A1: working in small groups, lab partners, peer mediators, WEB leaders and mentors, guides for new students to the school and/or parents, role playing #pln365
A1 I prefer to use habits of mind or work habits when talking about soft skills so as not to minimize their importance. Opportunities to begin developing the skills starts on day one in our morning meeting and continues throughout the year. #pln365
A1: Provide Ss with real opportunity I communicate with community. Our SLE program is the driving force behind preparing Ss to work in a tourism based community. Durin the winter months it’s all eye contact, preparing Ss to engage in those soft skills with mock interviews #pln365
A1 I coach students on peer assessments staring with fun mock assessments then blogs and finally they assess each other’s research papers and provide useful feedback #pln365
Q1: Soft skills are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. Share creative ways that you've provided your students with opportunities to develop these essential skills. #pln365
A1 I’m fortunate enough to have soft skills in my social Emotional unit. Giving students time to play games, ask questions, run errands, and talk to adults. #pln365
A1: We start each day with SEL and use the tools in Conscious Discipline. I believe that soft skills are essential to get along with others. There are so many adults who could stand a review!! #PLN365
A1.2 After modeling and practice in morning meetings we extend to community members. When we can we bring in participants to help with academic investigations we do. These exchanges help build the skills of clear communication, kindness, understanding. #pln365
A1. Work in small groups, work with a partner, take time to converse and share ideas while working on activities and projects with friends and neighbors, new Ss pick a person out to help them, modelling and guiding our Ss, too! #pln365
A1: For many years, I’ve employed morning meetings to encourage collaboration, tolerance and respect. We covered so many great topics that students remembered even years after graduation. #pln365
Q2: Leadership Skills, Teamwork,
Communication Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Work Ethic, Flexibility/Adaptability,
Interpersonal Skills are the skills most often associated with success. Which of these do you find yourself emphasizing most frequently with students? #pln365
I would say it's a toss up between communication skills and problem solving skills. I think the two go together in that sometimes you need to be able to communicate effectively in order to solve a problem #PLN365
A2: While these all fall under the same umbrella of a successful person, it is communication that is most important. In an ever growing society of technology we lose focus on the foundations of speaking to others. We all want to be heard. It’s often why we act out #pln365
A1 Set the tone with a positive, caring attitude. I was amazed that so many Ss were concerned about me when I was out. 1st was obviously sick but was more concerned about me. 2nd interrogated me. 3rd stopped by during another period 2 see me. I was so touched today! #PLN365
A2: I focus on flexibility because they need to be able to adapt when challenged. If they stick to one way to deal they may shut down with frustration. ICS class has taught me to look for many ways to find success. #pln365
A2 problem solving for sure! I never give information away, students have the task of figuring things out then reporting their findings & teaching them to their classmates #pln365
Q2: Leadership Skills, Teamwork,
Communication Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Work Ethic, Flexibility/Adaptability,
Interpersonal Skills are the skills most often associated with success. Which of these do you find yourself emphasizing most frequently with students? #pln365
A1: It always comes back to #MindsetMonday- so much positivity comes out of those 15 minute mini lessons. Beyond that, I treat my classes like they’re a team/family. I am a stickler about the way they speak about themselves and others. Group projects help too! #pln365
A2. Teamwork-getting our Ss to work together, collaborate, and share! Giving other Ss chances to take leadership opportunities and rotate responsibilities! #pln365
Most recently, we invited members of our community who recently immigrated to the U.S. We have been studying immigration (past & present) & wanted to capture their stories. The interview helped deepen our content knowledge & dev important interpersonal skills. #pln365
Q3: Modeling the behaviors we wish to see is an effective strategy that impacts student growth and development. How do you model soft skills in your learning environment? #pln365
A2: Communication skills. You need to be able to read the room. I've seen way too many instances where Ss have steamrolled others because they thought that they were in the right. We must take time to listen and hear others. When we know our audience, progress can occur. #pln365
Q2: Leadership Skills, Teamwork,
Communication Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Work Ethic, Flexibility/Adaptability,
Interpersonal Skills are the skills most often associated with success. Which of these do you find yourself emphasizing most frequently with students? #pln365
A2: A2: WOW tough to pick. problem solving skills, communication, work ethic are top 3. Could work on the teamwork and leadership skills though.. #pln365
A3: Greet every student every morning. Waking down the halls during the day always say hello. Tell them good job. Thank them. Acknowledge success. Model approaches you want to change in their behavior. #pln365
A2 Interpersonal/social skills, communication, and problem solving are often taught and retaught daily with younger students. They learn through discovery and play and start to notice problems and solutions even at young ages. #pln365
A3: Making student voice a priority. Not allowing distractions to get the best of me in situations. Admitting when I am wrong, striving to make it right, then correcting the behavior so it doesn't happen again. #pln365
Q3: Modeling the behaviors we wish to see is an effective strategy that impacts student growth and development. How do you model soft skills in your learning environment? #pln365
A3: My littles learn from modeling. We need to show them what it looks like and helping them to correctly problem solve with peers and adults, taking them through the steps, will help them learn. #PLN365
I had a student who for some odd reason always thought the answer in math is 2. 12 years after graduation we are FB friends and she still jokes about 2... And to... And too! It seems like such a little thing but it is huge to her. It doesn't hurt that we are b'day twins #PLN365
Q4: How we assess soft skills is vital to the preparedness of students for post secondary life. Share ways to evaluate student proficiency that provide you with valuable data that can be used for future instructional design. #pln365
A3: Essentially I try to be as human as possible. My students see me struggle, adapt, problem solve and trouble shoot all the time. It’s all a part of the process, and it’s good for them to see that. #pln365
A4: Yesterday we hosted guests in our building and they all were complimentary of our Ss and their respectful demeanor. An evaluative tool is word of mouth from visitors #pln365
A4: Planning inquiry with questions that require investigation and deep reflection. Project based learning with progress checks that can be tracked over time. #pln365
Q3: Modeling the behaviors we wish to see is an effective strategy that impacts student growth and development. How do you model soft skills in your learning environment? #pln365
A3 Starting each class with a positive greeting, general to everyone & special ones to different ones daily. Listening and being approachable. I get besieged as soon as I walk in the ICR door. They know I am more encouraging of their self advocacy. #PLN365
A4. Having our Ss take the T role and ask open-ended questions to small groups of Ss, giving them time to reflect upon questions, then answer and explain if necessary! #pln365
A4: I find that genuine conversation with students can be used as a way track progress with these soft skills. Student reflections and student progress reports are great ways as well. #pln365
A4 Showing that sharing goes both ways, as does communication. I share my answer to journal prompts with them. If I expect them to share, I have to lead... although I get their responses first so I don't influence their responses. #PLN365
A1 - We use @SanfordHarmony It allows Ss: freedom to question and disagree, see what is right and stick with it, see what is wrong and fix it. We air out ALL the biz during our meetings! Oh, and they don’t mind calling me out! You have to be teachable to be a teacher #pln365
