Lauren Eckard

I was surprised at the list of the 10 soft skills. I'm not sure I knew the definitive list of them all. It was interesting to learn them and think about how they are applied in the classroom. 

I learned the importance and value of EQ.

It is important to set the standard but it is also important to uphold the standard and explicitly teach it. Students learn by modeling.

I learned that soft skills are just as important as technical skills for students to learn in the classroom. 

The idea of an electronic course calendar would be very beneficial. My only concern would be remembering to update the calendar and being intentional with its usage. Students work in a true "use it or lose it" fashion and I would want it to be useful rather than just checking a box.

I found the five stages of teamwork interesting. It had me reflecting on my own experiences and how I could better participate. This led me to think about the few group projects that I have students do and how I could plan check ins to see how it is progressing. 

I learned what the top 5 employability skills employers find are lacking in professionals today. Critical thinking, adaptability, problem solving, collaboration and diversity are extremely important skills to have in the workplace. Teachers are intentional to build this into lessons but I think finding more ways that students can see the translation is the important piece. 

Teachers make mistakes and mistakes are normal. Learning how to grow from your mistakes is what is important. Taking notes and reflecting on outcomes can provide you with a clear lens when making new lesson plans. 

The suggestion to take notes during a student conversation is one that I am going to try. I like that it diffuses the student but also think it will help diffuse me and not overthink what the student is saying. It will also help reference things later on when trying to come up with a solution.  

I plan to incorporate the "use it wisely" cards in my classroom. My class is usually made up of all girl students so they tend to fight for attention. This may be a good strategy to try.