Life Skills

Education news, analysis, and opinion about non-cognitive skills and soft skills
An 8-year-old girl in a purple t-shirt leans over a butcher block counter inside a retrofitted school bus to glue together a map. Behind her, two classmates glue their projects.
Aiden Montanez Castro, 8, Zayne Mendez, 8, and Violet Ward, 8, work on a lesson in making a topographical map of their hometown at Fulton Elementary School in Ephrata, Pa. The Ephrata district refashioned a school bus into a Maker Bus, which parks at each of the district’s elementary schools for hands-on projects. The district has oriented its teaching around projects that allow students to demonstrate skills like empathy and creativity alongside content knowledge.
Scott Lewis for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Inside One District’s Experiment to Anchor Learning Around Career-Ready Skills
Employers identify skills like creativity and collaboration as key to success in careers.
Evie Blad, April 30, 2026
•
8 min read
Four-year-old Ethan Quinn leaves home for his daycare center in Concord, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. Ethan's parents opted to keep him in a private daycare center instead of enrolling him in “transitional kindergarten” — a program offered for free by California elementary schools for some 4-year-olds. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A four-year-old prepares to leave home for his daycare center in Concord, Calif., on Nov. 1, 2023. His parents chose private daycare over California’s free “transitional kindergarten” program for some 4-year-olds—a decision that reflects how families often navigate limited time, work demands, and early education options in shaping school readiness.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Early Childhood Teachers Blame Parents for Young Learners' Deficits. But There's a Bigger Story
Teachers and parents are experiencing similar levels of stress caring for and educating kids.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 30, 2026
•
5 min read
Pre-K 4 SA students eat a provided breakfast, Oct. 9, 2025, in San Antonio.
Pre-K 4 SA students eat a provided breakfast, Oct. 9, 2025, in San Antonio. Experts say everyday classroom moments—like meals—can offer important opportunities for conversation that support young children’s language and early literacy development.
Eric Gay/AP
Early Childhood Kindergartners Aren't Talking Enough in Class. Why That Matters
In the quest to develop young readers, oral language takes a back seat to the written word, say experts.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 20, 2026
•
4 min read
Tue., February 17, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Student Well-Being & Movement K-12 Essentials Forum How Schools Are Teaching Students Life Skills
Join this free virtual event to explore creative ways schools have found to seamlessly integrate teaching life skills into the school day.
Register
February 17, 2026
Students at Ferris High School in Spokane, Wash., are allowed to use their phones outside of class time, but administrators are emphasizing extracurriculars to teach students how to engage with each other offline.
Students at Ferris High School in Spokane, Wash., are allowed to use their phones outside of class time, but administrators are emphasizing extracurriculars to teach students how to engage with each other offline.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Special Report Teaching Social-Emotional Skills in 2026: New Challenges, Creative Solutions
Schools are incorporating opportunities to teach and model social skills throughout and after the school day.

January 26, 2026
A “zones of regulation” sign decorates the door of a classroom at Ruby Bridges Elementary School in Woodinville, Wash., on April 2, 2024.
A sign asking children to identify their feelings decorates the door of a classroom at an elementary school in Woodinville, Wash., on April 2, 2024. Experts say schools should design social-emotional-learning curricula and programming with the needs of students with disabilities at the forefront.
Meron Menghistab for Education Week
Special Education A Missed Opportunity in SEL: Centering Students With Disabilities
Students with learning differences are not always considered in the design or implementation of SEL programs.
Madeline Will, January 26, 2026
•
7 min read
Image of students working collaboratively and independently. Central figure is engaging with a power button.
Nadia Radic for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness We Asked Executives What Skills Young Workers Are Missing. Here's What They Said
Students need to learn how to solve problems, manage conflict, and be more curious.
Jennifer Vilcarino, December 5, 2025
•
7 min read
Businesswoman and businessman HR manager interviewing woman. Candidate female sitting her back to camera, focus on her, close up rear view, interviewers on background. Human resources, hiring concept
iStock/Getty
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A How One Educator Is Prepping Students for the Ultimate Test: The Job Interview
Helping students learn how to perform well in job interviews is a critical skill schools can teach.
Arianna Prothero, November 24, 2025
•
3 min read
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Lazaro Lopez, the associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024. More districts are examining ways to create similarly aligned pathways of study that lead to strong work opportunities.
Jamie Kelter Davis for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Superintendents Develop New Strategies to Meet Evolving Workforce Needs
The Public Education Promise aims to help districts align their work with the needs of their communities.
Evie Blad, October 21, 2025
•
4 min read
Illustration of the acronym SEL with alternative names behind it.
F. Sheehan for Education Week
School & District Management From Our Research Center SEL by Another Name? Political Pushback Prompts Rebranding
Some districts are still teaching social-emotional learning, but they are calling it something else.
Arianna Prothero, October 1, 2025
•
8 min read
Worried child boy studying at school
E+/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement Want Students to Be Resilient? Try Asking Them to Fail
Educators hope exposing students to controlled failures can help them avoid perfectionism and tackle academic challenges.
Sarah D. Sparks, September 24, 2025
•
4 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Spotlight Spotlight on Rethinking High School: Integrating Career Prep & Academic Learning
This Spotlight will provide insights into real-world industry-focused learning that can help prepare students for the workforce.
September 19, 2025
Thu., September 18, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Student Well-Being & Movement Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Well-Being
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.
Register
September 18, 2025
Students play during recess at Whittier Elementary School on Oct. 18, 2022, in Mesa, Ariz.
Students play during recess at Whittier Elementary School on Oct. 18, 2022, in Mesa, Ariz. A recess expert shares best practices for structuring recess—and calls for more opportunities for students to get outside and play.
Matt York/AP
Student Well-Being & Movement Q&A Getting Recess Right: A Researcher Shares Best Practices
Well-structured recess can improve student learning and well-being, Rebecca London says.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 18, 2025
•
9 min read