CONCRETE TOOLS FOR TEACHING SOFT SKILLSThursday, April 11, 2013

10:15am – 11:30am

WORKSHOP GOALS

Develop an understanding of the biological effects of poverty on low income students

Demonstrate the importance of soft skills in relation to secondary and post-secondary success

Outline the process for developing soft skills focused programming and evaluative tools

Identify ways to incorporate soft skills into current academic programming both formally and informally

ACE SCORES

ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Study Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda -1990s; Nadine Burke

Harris - 1995

Studies showed a strong correlation between adverse childhood experiences and negative adult outcomes

Higher ACE scores correlated to worse adult outcomes on almost every measure from addictive behavior to chronic disease

ACE SCORES

ACE scores of 4 or more: Twice as likely to smoke 7 times more likely to be alcoholics 7 times more likely to have had sex before age

15 Twice as likely to have cancer, heart disease, or

liver disease Four times as likely to have emphysema or

chronic bronchitis

Disturbingly powerful correlation between ACE scores and problems in school

EFFECTS OF HIGH ACE SCORES Behavioral issues

Northwestern University Study Psychiatric evaluations of 1,000 juvenile detainees 84% experienced 2 or more serious childhood traumas Majority of detainees had experienced 6 or more

Brain development Bruce McEwen research Long-term effects of stress in childhood brain

development Area of the brain most effected: prefrontal cortex

Controls self-regulation Children with stress find it harder to concentrate, sit still,

rebound from disappointment and follow directions Stress overload can affect emotional and cognitive regulations Negatively affects executive functioning

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

Executive functioning - collection of higher order mental abilities that enable you to deal with confusing and unpredictable situations and information

Executive functioning skills are highly predictive of success AND ARE MALLEABLE

Prefrontal cortex – the area of the brain that controls executive functioning ability - is more responsive than other parts of the brain and stays flexible into adolescence and early adulthood

PROTECTION FROM CHILDHOOD STRESS

The single strongest safeguard against childhood stress is a strong parenting relationship

Parents and caregivers who form close, nurturing relationships with children can foster resilience

Resilience protects children from harmful effects of stress in early childhood

Has positive psychological and biochemical benefits

ATTACHMENT THEORY

Alan Sroufe and Byron Egeland studied people from birth to late thirties (2005 report)

Result - attachment status at 1 year of age was predictive of a range of life outcomes Secure attachment early resulted in more social

competence

2 out of 3 children with disengaged parents needed special education or were held back grade(s)

Attachment status was more predictive of high school graduation than IQ or achievement test scores

ATTACHMENT CONTINUED Alicia Lieberman Study – 1970 Extraordinarily difficult for parents in stressful

conditions to form secure attachments given the daily uncertainty, worry and fear that permeate their lives

Even more difficult for a new parent to form secure attachment if her own mother had not

Parents can overcome histories of trauma and poor attachment – they can change their approach and still create secure attachment and healthy functioning

Some parents can accomplish this switch on their own, but most need help

Development of secure attachment even later in childhood still has strong and lasting effects

REDEFINING CHARACTER Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson

Character previously believed to be innate and unchanging – a person’s core set of attributes that they had at birth

Redefined character as a set of abilities that are malleable – skills you can learn, skills you can practice, skills that can be taught

Identified 7 specific traits needed for success in school: Self-control Grit Zest Social Intelligence Gratitude Optimism Curiosity

DEFINING SOFT SKILLS

“Non-cognitive skills” Interpersonal skills EQ Examples: self-advocacy, ambition, grit,

responsibility, work ethic, resilience

EXAMPLE: IMPORTANCE OF GRIT Angela Duckworth

Study of self-discipline found students’ discipline scores better predictors of GPA than IQ scores

Grit: a passionate commitment to a single mission and an unswerving dedication to achieve that mission

Measurement tool - grit scale - predictive of success High grit enables college students with lower college-board

scores to still earn high GPAs

Grit scale proved more predictive of success for 1200 West Point cadets than the complex evaluation system used by the military academy

THE GOOD NEWS

Character traits are highly predictive of success and can be taught

Two key times for intervention Early Childhood Adolescence

Parents, caregivers, teachers can all be instruments for teaching character

Mentors in adolescence can make a huge difference

HORIZONS FOR YOUTH: BRIEF BACKGROUND INFORMATION

High school program began 2009

Vast majority of our high school students and

college alumni struggle to self-advocate and

problem solve

Need to be taught soft skills

Since our mission is college completion,

something had to be done

THE HORIZONS FOR YOUTH STRATEGY

Long-term project Team effort Teaching self-advocacy

Teaching parents how to teach their children to do the same is just as important

Critical and honest feedback Both formal and informal supports and

interventions Formal – i.e. summer program character slips Informal – i.e. mentors teach curiosity through

outing experiences Letting them fail – “Losing is something you

do, not something you are.”

THE HORIZONS FOR YOUTH STRATEGY

“The Big Three”: Culture building The Road Map to College

Spells out specific, developmentally appropriate actions that demonstrate the Big Three

Includes the purpose of each expectation – why Includes continuing and forthcoming

expectations Uses age appropriate language Examples: Fourth grade and ninth grade

Opportunities to practice Monthly outings Summer program Fundraisers and other events

CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTATION

Teaching parents Time Focusing long-term School communication

THE HORIZONS FOR YOUTH STRATEGY

Next steps Additional opportunities to incorporate The Road

Map both formally and informally Revisions and additions Use of The Road Map as an evaluation tool Continue to coach parents and mentors Add visual reminders around our office

STEPS FOR INCORPORATING SOFT SKILLS

Define desired outcomes Review current programming

Where are you already building these skills? Where could they be easily incorporated into

existing programs? What additional training is needed to address

any gaps?

STEPS FOR INCORPORATING SOFT SKILLS

Building a culture of soft skills development Considerations

Leaders and staff – must be on board Parents Students Volunteers

QUESTIONS AND WRAP UP

What will be your biggest challenges in implementing soft skills programming?

Have you found any additional resources that may be helpful in teaching soft skills?

OTHER SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES

RESOURCES

How Children Succeed – Paul Tough

Grit Test – Angela Duckworth

Mindset – Carol Dweck

Teaching Adolescents To Become Learners – The University of

Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research

Smart But Scattered – Peg Dawson and Richard Guare

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most –

Stone, Patton, Heen

CONTACT INFORMATION

Ashley Allen – ashley@horizons-for-youth.org

Kristin Hatcher – kristin@horizons-for-

youth.org

www.horizons-for-youth.org