Shift Teaching Forward: Advancing Career Skills to Prepare Tomorrow's Workforce

A practical guide to preparing students and job candidates for the demands of the modern workplace  How can we prepare learners for an ever-changing world and job market? What are 21st century employers looking for in applicants, and how do we coach jobseekers to be ready on day one? Now is the time to rethink and expand how we prepare job seekers for the roles that will launch their careers. In Shift Teaching Forward, Kelly Cassaro gives educators the knowledge, insight, and practical advice they need to prime students for the social, emotional, and behavioral skills they need to thrive in tomorrow’s workplace.   Shift Teaching Forward showcases the ecosystem of elements that characterizes a successful job-training program. As educators, we need to focus not only on standards alignment and technical skills, but also on the soft skills that will make students stand out as job candidates. In today’s labor market, being able to do the job is just the first step. We need to prepare students to interact with others, contribute to inclusive workplaces, and become collaborators—whatever their industry or career goals. This book shows the way.  Discover why social, emotional, and behavioral skills are so critical for workplace success   Get ideas and insight for integrating soft skills into secondary, postsecondary, and vocational training programs  Develop training programs that will improve collaboration and inclusivity in your workplace  Prepare learners for the future of work by embracing the full range of job readiness skills  This book is ideal for secondary, postsecondary, and vocational educators and administrators, and it will also appeal to organizations looking to develop in-house talent. 

Table of Contents:
Introduction Chapter 1: The Jobs Landscape Is Changing Change is the Only Constant The Pandemic and Everything After Understanding the Future of Work Who Does the Work How the Work is Done Giving Students the Advantage Chapter 2: The Connection Between Education and Employment The Bridge Between Secondary Education and Employment Challenges and Barriers Stage on the Stage, Guide on the Side Deciding to Change A Note on Increasing Equity A Sense of Belonging Embedding Employability into the Curriculum Guaranteed Work Experience Chapter 3: Two Frameworks for Understanding Social-Emotional Skills SEL in the Jobs Training Landscape What is Social and Emotional Learning? Which SEL Skills Need to Be Taught? The CASEL 5: Core SEL Competencies Self-Awareness Self-Management Social Awareness Relationship Skills Responsible Decision Making Durable Skills Framework What are Durable Skills? Leadership Character Collaboration Communication Creativity Critical Thinking Metacognition Mindfulness Growth Mindset Fortitude Closing Thoughts on Social and Emotional Learning Chapter 4: Does Social-Emotional Teaching Work? Emotional Intelligence and Academic Achievement Links Between Moral Reasoning and Academic Performance Schoolwide SEL Programming’s Impact on Academic Performance Schoolwide SEL Programming’s Beyond on Academic Achievement Characteristics of Successful SEL Programs Longevity of Impacts from SEL Interventions Emotional Intelligence and Job Performance The Case for SEL: A Summary Chapter 5: Evaluating Social Emotional Learning Needs, Activities, and Outcomes Start with the End in Mind What does Formative Evaluation Involve? Eight Steps to Support the Formative Evaluation Process What Does Process Evaluation Involve? Exploring the Kirkpatrick Model What does End-of-Program Evaluation Involve? Impact Evaluation Outcome Evaluation Summative Evaluation Best Practices in Experimental Design How Do We Robustly Measure SEL? Validity and Reliability Sampling Chapter 6: Overcoming Student-Specific Employability Challenges Increasing Exposure and Igniting Interest Increasing Social Capital Identifying and Overcoming Pressures Identifying Student Strengths Cultivating a Sense of Belonging Challenges Beyond the Educator’s Reach Chapter 7: Establishing Common Language for an Employability-Driven Classroom Culture Common Language for Career-Focused Competencies Common Language for a Culture of Learning and Teaching Chapter 8: Classroom Strategies to Increase Employability Three Strategies for Creating Culture Put Yourself in the Shoes of a Recruiter and Employer Celebrate Failures Classroom Strategies for Increasing Employability Skills Bring the Learning In and Take the Learning Out Micro-moments for Increased Career Awareness Chapter 9: Developing Curriculum Where Employment Comes First Know Your Audience Deeply Understand the Targeted Role to the Level of Daily Activities and Skills Gather Additional Data Through Interviews Identify the Breakdown Moments for the Targeted role; Connect those Moments to the Program’s Performance Goals Create an Assessment Plan Select Employability Skills That Will Be Taught in Addition to the Role’s “Hard” Skills Design an Interactive Learning Journey Employment at the Center of Design A Note on Design Thinking Conclusion There is Power in Community Start Somewhere, and Start Small Everything Begins with Intention Go Forward Resource Guide Reference Page

About the Author :
KELLY CASSARO is Chief of Learning at Generation, a nonprofit that tackles global unemployment. She has spent twenty years in the U.S. K-12 and global workforce development spaces as a teacher, school administrator, staff developer, curriculum designer, board member and strategic leader.