La Salle High School is teaming up with a national education firm to help students build important soft skills for the workplace. With support from the Kansas City-based DeBruce Foundation, La Salle teachers are incorporating lessons on essential skills like communication, teamwork, mindfulness, and critical thinking through Skillsline.
Over 200 students attend this Catholic school in Union Gap. The goal is to give these students the tools to learn and apply these skills in their futures. Cody Lamb, a teacher and football coach at La Salle, emphasizes that this initiative helps schools intentionally teach soft skills to all students.
Skillsline’s program includes short online microlessons lasting 10 to 15 minutes. These lessons focus on various soft skills, such as self-agency and emotional regulation. Courtney Reilly, co-founder of Skillsline, believes this approach empowers students to shift their mindsets and pursue their goals. She notes that these skills are valuable across all types of careers.
Moreover, these lessons create a common language for students and teachers to discuss soft skills. Reilly explains, “It’s really about enabling learners to use these skills in their everyday life.” Lamb adds that teachers can integrate these skills into other classroom lessons, fostering an environment where these concepts resonate among students.
La Salle also has a work-based learning program. This requires students to gain real-world experience in fields that interest them. Students get hands-on exposure and interact with professionals, helping them clarify their career paths. Lamb believes that the new soft skills program aligns perfectly with this experiential learning approach.
The framework for durable skills used by Skillsline was developed in 2021 by America Succeeds, a nonprofit based in Colorado. They focused on identifying the skills employers seek in job postings.
Chris Mackey, another co-founder of Skillsline, states that the company stays in touch with employers to ensure its lessons remain relevant to current workplace demands. Additionally, Skillsline aims to strengthen its presence in the Yakima Valley and foster more partnerships in the community.
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