Hi Debbie:
Great. The nice thing for students is they usually realize this is not rocket science, so if they are given soft skills lessons, they are usually more receptive.
Regards, Barry
This is so true! Sometimes the students just do not understand what soft skills are. If they don't know what they are how can we expect them to be successful? In my classes we discuss these skills at length every term. With quizzes following the lecture. Slowly but surely my students are responding well to this portion of their requirement for success.
This is so true. There is almost nothing else that impacts co-corkers more than personal hygeine and cleanliness. I have been put in the unpleasant position of telling an employee (he was German) that he should consider using deodorant. That was after the entire team came to me and requested I 'do something'!
Not easy but - these 'soft skills' are very important.
Hi Jeanina:
I think students need both soft and profession specific (hard) skills to bed successful in todays work world. We can share the soft skill by role modeling a little bit every day, or we can give a class. But students should learn all skills that will help them be succesfull.
Regards, Barry
In today’s world of technology-texting, instant messaging and email; there is a lost art of soft skills-how one communicates and interacts with another individual or groups is not developed. It is easier for students today not to interact unless it is necessary; if it is easier to take an online class or instruction-why not. If I were an employer, I would lean toward hiring someone who has the soft skills necessary. Where I instruct, it is expected of the students to have a professional attitude and appearance, but if they do not know what is professional, they need to be informed.
Hi Carol:
I have read that more employees lose their jobs over the "soft skills" kind of thing over the basic skills they were hired to perform. To me that suggests there is some significance to presenting it in class, even if it's not a major topic. Snipits of information can be mentioned throughout the course.
Regards, Barry
I will incorporate more dialogue on soft skills in my business courses. I have not thought about this as a topic. Over the years students have briefly discussed this informally, but now I would like to develop a section in the lesson plan around this subject. I think this is a great idea!
Hi Debbie:
Very, very important points. I'm one who shakes hands with both gender students at the door when I dismiss. They have to pass by me so they can't avoid it. I also try to offer a personalized salutation. After a few weeks, its a matter of course, and students begin extending their hands If I don't offer mine. There you go! Like a good musician, it takes practice and more practice. Daily is a good routine.
Regards, Barry
Is it a will or is it a skill? I talk to my students everyday of the importance of being "present" in class. Not just in their seat, but being open and ready to receive the information and skills that I am going to impart on them. A handshake, eye contact and being responsive are a daily requirement in their professional lives. If they can do it in my class room then it will come more naturally in their everyday lives. After all, in my opinion, the soft skills we teach start with respect.
Hi Ann:
As role models, we have an opportunity to demonstrate (teach?) some of these tenets every day. Getting to class on time, looking sharp, materials prepared, effotrless delivery - these are things students think about when you ask them to think about their best instructors. We can make a difference to students in this latent way.
Regards, Barry
Soft skills are things I learned growing up. I sometimes have a hard time anticipating the need to explain these to students. It is also hard to make them understand the importance of such skills.
Hi Deborah:
Great, and sometimes difficult to teach or integrate into the curriculum. Some students can't seem to recognize the imporance these skills play in their eventual (or potential) work success.
Regards, Barry
Hi Chrissy:
These tenets make for better student and employees. Sometimes it's hard to put these into a specific place in the curriculum. It sounds like the whole environment supports and reiforces the inporatnce of these life skills you've described.
Regards, Barry
Hi Joslynn:
Good way to integrate these bits of just as important information!
Regards, Barry
Learning soft skills will make you more employable than others. If any candidate can do the work, but one has better soft skills, it would be obvious which person to hire. This is also part of role modeling and being professional.
Where I work, we emphasize the soft skills as part of the students daily experience, in the fact that they need to be in class on time, back from breaks on time, dressed professionally, interact professionally, etc. It is not military-like by any means but it does help them develop the habit of preparing themselves to look the role that they are training for. Additionally, it provides a more ideal learning environment.
It does take time to get some students bought into the fact that this is more than "just school" but once that happens, you can totally see a difference in how they interact. All of the sudden, they act more professional because they are preparing for that part!
I find in class when we are preping for the evenings service it is a good time to talk about "soft skills" What they are going to bring to the job as a employee. You can teach them all you know about meat fabrication and working on the line. And help them even get a job, but if they don't know to show up on time,get along with their coworkers take a shower. So iI try to keep it a casual conversation with all the students, but the students I worry about in the field I make sure to speak to them more often about not being late.
Hi Beth:
Perhaps students can relate to personal hygiene and related topics more than something static such as references. I find that when we can reach students by discussing something thy know, are into, or can relate to is helpful in keeping their attention and retaining their learning.
Regards, Barry
