Have you ever thought about what skills students need to be successful in a classroom?
Today’s students are lacking basic classroom skills – things like how to fold paper, use a binder, or even how to keep their backpacks organized – and it is a growing concern.
After listening to hundreds of teachers, we have compiled a list of classroom skills every student needs to know by the time they leave elementary school to be successful.
Why are kids missing so many classroom skills?
Until recently many parents and teachers have assumed that classroom skills will be acquired naturally inside and outside of the classroom, but in this day an age that simply isn’t happening.
How kids in this genration spend their time has changed drastically since even 15 years ago. Increased screen time rather than hands-on play time means fewer opportunities to develop fine and gross motor skills, outdoor skills, and fewer opportunities where kids have to entertain themselves. More organized activities means kids have less time to play with each other independently and practice social skills and basic ettiquette.
School experience has changed too. It’s likely that the pandemic meant that many kids missed essential opportunities to learn and practice organizational and learning skills. Teachers in older grades are used to students arriving in their class with certain skills, and may not realize that their students don’t know how to use a pencil sharpener or cut a circle. Students in 1 to 1 schools may not have practice using analogue tools like binders or even something as simple as writing on the right side of a page, while at the same time we may be assuming that as “digital natives” our students know how to use digital tools, when if fact they do not.
And of course, what we expect from our students and teachers has changed too. The increase in academic expectations, high stakes testing, and the awareness of students with complex learning and social/emotional needs all leaves less time and energy for teachers to teach classroom skills.
Finally, many educators talk about how it seems like kids themselves have changed in the last 20 years. Whether there are actually more neurodiverse kids in our classrooms, or we are just more aware of them, its clear that many kids are going to need very direct instructions in classroom skills to succeed.
Why is it important for children to have these classroom skills?
Children who have the skills to do the things they need to do feel competent and capable of caring for themselves, and this translates into a sense of self-control, and self-discipline. These kids are more likely to be self-reliant and assume responsibility for themselves and for their behavior.
Teachers share that they see a significant reduction in off-task behaviour, less work refusal, more respect for classroom materials, and that their classroom generally runs more smoothly and efficiently.
What can I do?
The good news is it’s never too late. With a little awarenss and forethought it’s easy to provide opportunities for students to learn and practice classroom skills.
Start by asking yourself these questions throughout the day:
- What am I doing for students that they could be doing for themselves?
- How can I support my students so that they can do this independently?
- What background skills are needed to do this activity?
- Is this skill best learned through direct instruction or by discovery?
Use this list to help you think about the skills your students need to be successful
Many teachers are explicitly teaching one or two “skills” a week, and we think this is a great idea. We also know some schools are taking a building-wide approach and systematically identifying classroom skills students need by the end of grade band and purposefully planning to teach them.
But you don’t have to go looking for lessons and add more to your already packed curriculum. Use this list to help you start paying attention to the skills that form the basis of the activities you are doing in your classroom every day.
Is it taking your class forever to do their interactive notebook? Take a minute to teach them how to use their glue sticks. Does it take forever to get ready to go outside? Practice tying shoes and zipping zips.
You’ll be surprised at what a big difference explicit instruction and practice in basic skills can make for your students’ independence, responsibility and increasing on-task behaviour!
Classroom skills every student needs to succeed:
Classroom equipment every kid needs to know how to use
- Pencils, mechanical pencil
- Highlighter, sharpies, crayons
- Ink pens
- Eraser
- Pencil sharpener (electric and manual)
- Stapler, tape, glue (liquid and glue stick)
- Scissors (to cut straight lines, circles, zig zags)
- Three hole punch and a single hole punch
- Elastic bands and paper clips
- Ruler and a measuring tape
Classroom tools that help kids be successful
- Anchor charts in the classroom
- Tools like fidget toys, privacy screens, headphones, flexible seating
- Math and science manipulatives
- Timer or stopwatch
- Sticky notes
- Calculator
- Dictionary, thesaurus and other resources
Help students develop these fine motor skills
- Underlining or highlighting words in a text
- Writing and reading cursive & print
- Tracing a shape and drawing a straight line, a circle
- Opening snacks (like juice boxes and fruit cups)
- Tying knots (like shoes and string)
- Using a zipper, snaps, velcro and other fasteners
- Using paint and paint brush
- Folding paper in half and thirds, quarters and other folds
- Sewing, knitting, crocheting
- Using a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench
- Using a glue gun
Essential social skills students need in school
- Choosing a partner
- Asking & inviting to join a group
- Working with a partner or small group
- Solving a disagreement
- Taking turns
- Giving and receiving feedback to peers
- Exchanging ideas so everyone gets heard
- Building on what others have said
- Making an argument to persuade people
- Seeing things from other perspectives
- Accepting disappointment and celebrating successes
- Managing stress
What students need to know about notebooks and binders
- Using folders and duotangs – opening and closing the brads
- Using binders – setting up tabs and sections, opening and closing the rings
- Placing paper in the right sections
- Setting up a lined page on the right side with with name, date, and subject, writing on the lines, skipping lines & using the margins
- Using a blank page – portrait or landscape & mind webs
- Copying notes from the board and texts – every word and key words
- Choosing a graphic organizer
Teach the basics of using digital tools
- Putting away and charging e-devices
- Using a password to log onto e-devices
- Protecting online privacy including passwords and settings
- Typing
- Using online learning platforms like Google Suite/Classrooms or Canvas – uploading assignments and checking grades
- Using a digital and paper calendar to keep track of assignments and events
- Using a program to create a works cited list
- Using relevant phone apps
- Printing and loading paper
- Writing email & texts
Explicitly teaching classroom skills can help students begin to recover from pandemic learning losses. When students know how to use classroom tools, apply organizational skills, and demostrate interpersonal skills it improves their readiness to learn, creates a positive classroom environment, and increases the likeliness of reaching academic milestones.
Organizational skills kids need to practice
- Choosing what order to do simple tasks
- Keeping track of things like pencils, papers, mittens, water bottles
- Looking for something when it’s missing
- Organizing, and cleaning desk or cubby space
- Loading, organizing, and cleaning their backpack
- Sorting things by date, alphabetically, subject, size, colour etc
- Keeping the coat room/boot room clean and organized
- Picking things up off the floor and putting them in the trash
- Sweeping & mopping floors, washing desks & tables
Learning skills for success
- Keeping track of assignments
- Asking questions for clarification
- Asking for help
- Prioritizing assignments
- Making a plan to complete a long term assignment
- Setting SMART goals, evaluating progress, and modifyng as needed for personal and learning growth
- Using rubrics & assignment outlines to know what is expected
- Using feedback (narrative, rubrics, points etc) to improve understanding and quality of work
- Identifying their learning styles and to advocate for their needs
- Identifying their own strengths and things they need to work on, as well as that of peers
Don’t forget etiquette
- How to behave in shared spaces like the school library and public spaces like museums
- Naming all the adults and their roles in the building
- Speaking to other teachers and adults
Finally the fun stuff!
- How to play board games
- How to play cards
- How to play simple yard games
- How to play team sports like soccer, baseball, football, racquet sports
- How to fly a kite (we especially like this one!)
Outdoor skills for the win
- Making safe play choices
- Taking appropriate physical risks
- Using playground equipment
- Identifying clouds
- Reading a thermometer
- Identifying the speed & direction of the wind
- Reading a map, giving and following directions
- Using a compass
- Using binoculars, magnifying glass, microscope, telescope
- Caring for plants or class pets
- Keeping a nature journal
What would you add to our list?
We know our list is by no means exhaustive, but we’ve tried to include the skills teachers tell us their students are missing. What classroom skills do you think your students are missing to be successful in learning, and in life?
If you like our list of classroom skills kids need to be successful we invite you to download it here. Maybe you could share it with your staff and create a purposeful plan for what skills you think are essential for each grade.
We’d love to hear from you!
