Research Celebrates Common Sense

By Sam Piha

It is always comforting when research affirms common sense. By “common sense”, I mean things we already knew; things our parents knew; things our grandparents knew. In this case, I’m referring to the knowledge that kids need more than book learning (academic skills) to be successful in school, work, and life.

Over the last decade, we have been showered with new research that affirms this truth. It has also resulted in a large number of new terms, frameworks, and assessments. (It should be noted that these new concepts are a reorganization of what we knew as YOUTH DEVELOPMENT). Below is a list of these new concepts accompanied by brief definitions. I have also included one or two key resources.

Character Skills: When we talk about character, we mean the inward values that determine outward actions; the mental model used for making decisions; the moral compass that guides your choices; who we are when no one else is watching. [1]

Good character traits include openness (curiosity, willing to learn); consciousness (staying on task); extroversion (outgoing, friendly); agreeableness (helpful); neuroticism (attention to detail, persistence). [2] Click here for more information.

Non-cognitive Traits and Habits: individuals are equipped with traits and skills—such as critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, social skills, persistence,creativity, and self-control—that allow them to contribute meaningfully to society and to succeed in their public lives, workplaces, homes, and other societal contexts. [3] Click here for more information.

Social and Emotional Learning: Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. [4] Click here for more information.

Growth Mindset: A self-assured belief that one's intelligence and abilities can grow and be cultivated through effort. [5] Click here for more information.

21st Century Skills: The term "21st-century skills" is generally used to refer to certain core competencies such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving that advocates believe schools need to teach to help students thrive in today's world. [6] Click here for more information.

Soft Skills: Soft skills is a synonym for "people skills." The term describes those personal attributes that indicate a high level of emotional intelligence. Unlike hard skills, which describe a person's technical skill set and ability to perform specific tasks, soft skills are broadly applicable across job titles and industries. It's often said that hard skills will get you an interview but you need soft skills to get -- and keep -- the job. [7] Click here for more information.

Grit: Angela Duckworth, based on her studies, defined grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” Traits of people with "grit" include courage, conscientiousness, the ability to focus on long-term goals, endurance, resilience, and  a focus on excellence vs. perfection. [8] Click here for more information.

The 360°/365 Project conducted a literature review of all of the above terms and related research and synthesized them into three foundational skill areas. These are described in a concept paper entitled Student Success Comes Full Circle: Leveraging Expanded Learning Opportunities. The three foundational skill areas are described below.

I AM - intrapersonal skills

• - Self-awareness –young people are able to recognize and understand their own personal identity and feelings. “I know how I am feeling.” “I know who I am.”
• - Self-management –young people regulate and monitor their own behaviors, feelings, and impulses in order to make responsible decisions, maintain focus, and achieve goals. “I choose how I react to things.” “I can control my own behavior.” “I can stay focused.”

I BELONG—interpersonal connections

• - Social awareness–young people have a capacity for empathy, and are able to consider and appreciate the diverse feelings, perspectives, and personal contexts of others.“I care about other people’s feelings.” “I get along with kids who are different than me.”
• - Interpersonal skills–young people use effective communication and collaboration skills to establish and maintain positive and productive relationships. “I can learn from others.” “I can communicate my ideas clearly.” “I work well with others.”

I CAN—beliefs and mindset

• - Self-efficacy–young people believe in their own capabilities and their ability to learn, achieve goals, and succeed. “I can overcome challenges.” “I believe that I can do well in school.”“I’m going to college.”
• - Growth mindset–young people believe that they can, through their own efforts, grow in their intelligence and abilities.“The harder I try the better I will get.” “I can learn from my mistakes.”