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. 

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

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