I never knew the story behind the label of “soft skills” until I heard it told from Adam Grant in his latest book Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. Growing up, I certainly had heard the term in the context of someone needing to build them or as a part of when someone appeared to be lacking common sense: He might be smart but seems to lack common sense. Ouch.
The term “soft skills” was coined by the Army. Yep, the good ol’ United States Army – debatable if it was the late 60s or early 70s. They came up with the term to differentiate the “hard skills” of operating heavy machinery with those that did not involve physical machines. Those skills were leadership, communication, and problem-solving. Psychologist Paul G. Whitmore further defined them as those “involving actions primarily affecting people and paper.” Since then business, education, and personal development have expanded the list to encompass a wide range of interpersonal and leadership abilities that include time management, organization, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and collaboration.
At Spectrum, soft skills are seen in the district’s Student Profile and the middle school’s Habits of Success. These skills are cultivated and nurtured so they are actionable and hopefully second nature once the students are in high school. Then when they are actually in high school, students can have experiences that reinforce and expand these skills for their college and career.
In the fall, among the other changes in the district, there is a set of new middle-school courses called Foundations for Success. Grades 6, 7, and 8 all include this course as one class within the trimester schedule. Areas taught include personal development, social skills, health and wellness, community responsibility, and financial literacy. There also are unique topics per grade level like media literacy, career exploration, and academic skills such as study skills, critical reading skills, and self-advocacy skills. These will help students navigate the highly-rigorous schedule of the high school courses. For this preparation, SMS students will learn and develop these attributes: the student is proactive, asking questions, and is prosocial, getting along with peers, is disciplined, paying attention to and looking for finer details, and is determined, taking on challenges as well as leadership in order to improve both oneself and the world around them.
About the time the district had its last Strategic Plan, the Life Skills course was created for sixth graders in response. 21st Century learning and living now calls for more of a response, and Spectrum is doing so. We believe these attributes make Spectrum students distinguishable and will propel them to advanced levels in their futures.
One of the last things I say at the end of my presentation for our Information/Tour Nights is that we are very proud of collaborating with families in helping their child navigate successfully through middle school. As we enter the final month of the 2024-25 school year, I again reference Adam Grant as he defines getting better: At SMS my staff and I connect with families not on ambitions, what their child hopes to attain, but rather on aspirations, the person they hope their child becomes. May is always an exciting month as the final days to build the attributes come to an end, hoping all have achieved those aspirations.
Noteworthy
- Friday, April 25: Student Council's 8th Grade Dance from 6:00-7:30 pm
- Tuesday, April 29 - Friday, May 2: 8th Grade science MCA
- Friday, May 2: Spring Fine Arts Band Concert