Life Skills
Education news, analysis, and opinion about non-cognitive skills and soft skills
Teaching
Opinion
‘People Can Only Hear When They’re Heard': Navigating Divisive Conversations
Mónica Guzmán offers advice to educators on teaching themselves and their students how to use curiosity to navigate divisive conversations.
Federal
‘Coaching and Politics’: What Coaches See in Tim Walz's VP Candidacy
Tim Walz's experience as a football coach is viewed by fellow coaches as good preparation for national politics.
Teaching
Q&A
How Teachers Can Build Civility as a Classroom Norm
Teachers can model how to deal with the discomfort that can accompany facing challenging ideas and texts.
Teaching
4 Ways Schools Can Help Students Learn to Disagree Respectfully
Political scientists and historians agree that schools have a role to play in helping people learn to get along well.
School Climate & Safety
Reported Essay
Schools Are Now Political Battlegrounds. We've Been Here Before
U.S. history is filled with moments of polarization. What’s different about today?
Teaching
Opinion
Intellectual Humility: What It Is and Why Schools Need It
Preparing citizens starts with recognizing the limits of what any individual knows.
Teaching
Reported Essay
The Brain Science of Outrage: What Teachers Need to Know
Why is it so hard to disagree on controversial topics without blowing up? Neuroscience research has some answers.
Teaching Profession
From Our Research Center
How Intellectually Humble Are Educators? An Index
How receptive are educators to discussing important topics with people who hold opposing views? The answer has a curious contradiction.
Student Well-Being
From Our Research Center
Kids Are Getting Worse at Making Eye Contact. Here's Why
Educators express serious concerns about the decline of this social skill.
Mathematics
Quiz
Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Creative Reasoning?
Answer 5 questions about creative reasoning.
Student Well-Being
Q&A
How to Address Parents' Concerns That SEL Goes Against Their Values
A Texas instructional coach shares insights she has learned from talking with hesitant parents.
Federal
What the Research Says
What Schools Can Learn From a Global Assessment on Creative Thinking
Not all creativity is the same for student achievement, the latest Program for International Student Assessment data show.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
Youth Sports Are About More than Just Winning
A good athletics program introduces students to life lessons, and a good coach understands his or her impact.
Early Childhood
The State of Teaching
Young Kids Are Struggling With Skills Like Listening, Sharing, and Using Scissors
Teachers say basic skills and tasks are more challenging for young students now than they were five years ago.