Life Skills to Teach in Middle School

A large part of the middle school concept involves teaching the total student, which means addressing the emotional, physical, mental, and academic parts of the student. One way to address all of these parts is to teach life skills, which can also be referred to as social skills. The typical time to teach these skills in the middle school is during Advisory class.

Life Skills I Will Teach

Many life skills are important for students to learn, but there are a few that are ideal for teaching to middle school students.

“Learning to learn” is a life skill that students will use throughout their lives. There are a few explicit strategies that students can be taught to use, such as close reading, annotated notes, etc. that will help them acquire this skill.

“Problem Solving” is a skill that I can teach both during math class and in advisory. I will teach this by allowing students to attempt solving problems independently or in groups before I give them hints or the method to use to solve it. Project-based learning is also an excellent opportunity to teach this skill.

“Critical Thinking” can be cultivated in students by challenging them during class time and by using project-based learning. I can also teach this by asking students questions that will prompt them to think more critically and have deeper discussions.

“Service Learning” is a great opportunity for the whole class or school to get involved in the community and reflect on what they are doing. Many middle schools try to do at least one service learning project a year.

“Goal Setting” will be valuable to utilize in any class because studies have shown that setting goals raises student academic achievement. I will also teach students how to set goals for life and how to track their progress towards these goals.

“Teamwork” is an important life skill to teach to middle schoolers because it is such a large part of the middle school concept and will help them in future years. Teamwork is especially built during Advisory class.

“Leadership” can be taught by providing students with ample opportunities to get involved in clubs and to allow them to take on jobs within the classroom.