Building Soft Skills
Performing the technical aspects of a job can only take an employee so far. Becoming a great employee or an admired leader requires a set of skills that are harder to measure but critical to success.
These are “soft skills.” They are behaviors, personality traits, and work habits, such as collaboration, critical thinking, and communication, that help people prosper at work.
This work began as an action research project I did through Deeper Learning and has morphed into an ongoing standard in my classes.
The Challenge
CTE (Career and Technical Education) courses strive to prepare our students for real-world careers and skills.
Especially since returning to in-person learning, it’s become clear that students are struggling with some key soft skills essential to any job. To better prepare students, it became clear teaching soft skills was the answer.
89% of job recruiters say when a hire doesn’t work out, it usually comes down to a lack of soft skills.
What’s Needed
My mission is to make sure all students graduate with mastery of soft skills.
Students need to learn soft skills because these abilities, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, are crucial for success in both personal and professional settings. Soft skills help students to effectively collaborate, navigate challenges, and thrive in diverse environments.
I want to foster a place for growth, nurturing, and acceptance that I was once offered in my youth. For me, soft skills or “employability” remain at the forefront of those needs.
Action Steps
1. Soft Skills Survey
Initial survey and reflection for students on their skills.
2. Mini-lessons on Soft Skills
Short lessons and activities centered on building 1-3 soft skills at a time.
3. Reflections
Post mini-lessons, students reflect on their growth and understanding.
4. Career Experiences
Real-world career experiences, visits, and talks to expand on their soft skills and hard skills.
Impact on Students
Improved Marks In Soft Skills
Students saw great improvement overall in their soft skills scoring on the survey over time.
Positive Reflections of Growth
Student reflections noted much growth in confidence after completing the mini-lessons.
Increased Peer Engagement
Students were more actively engaged with peers in class and more active in public speaking.
Self-Reflection Survey for Students
Part of the initial process of this project is to have students self-reflect on a variety of soft skills that they may or may not already possess. Students rate themselves 1-5; "1" for "a little bit" and "5" for "superb." They then use this document to reflect on their growth for the remainder of the year. Students will reevaluate their skills every so often and document their progress through similar surveys.
The Project At Work
Below you will find some project documents and student examples related to this soft skills work. Several are active links, so feel free to click them for additional information.
Examples from Mini Lessons
 Mini Lesson: Writing for InquiryClick here for a glimpse of a slideshow used to help students with skills in communication, inquiry, and writing professionally. |  Mini Lesson: The Painter & Their EyeClick here to see one of our complete mini lessons about communication, maintaining eye contact, and other soft skills. |
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CTE Career Catalog
The majority of the courses I currently teach are Career and Technical Education or CTE courses. I oversee our school's Media Arts and Interactive Design career pathways. Last year my students and I worked to build the CTE Career Catalog, a digital catalog of over 100 careers within the Animation, Film, Photography, Media Arts/Graphic Design, Creative Writing, and Arts Business fields. This was created to serve as a resource for our students interested in the opportunities these careers offer.
Authentic Experiences
As a part of the soft skills efforts undertaken this year, I have continued to try and build authentic, real-world career experiences for my students. My aim is to ensure that they have access to professionals and industries before they ever graduate high school.
To do this, we have had many guest speakers (both in person and online) in relevant fields come and speak with the students as well as take field trips to local universities and companies. Next year I hope to branch this work even further by offering a "career outreach day" where students can meet a variety of industry professionals at a school event or fair.
Guest Speaker:
Bryce Oquaye
Artist & Animator | Video Game Designer
Guest Speaker:
Christopher Marshall
Videographer | Worked on That 70's Show
Guest Speaker:
Chet White
Photographer | UK Athletics