Introducing The Magic 21
By Jeff Ramnytz
Schools have a responsibility to prepare students for life after graduation. That means teaching not only the “hard” skills students need to succeed in their chosen professions - that is the essential skills of their craft or job - but also the “soft” skills they need to be successful in their professional AND personal lives.
The development of soft skills - such as communication, problem-solving, leadership and teamwork - is critical for any student to have a successful transition into the workplace.
Schools can strategically focus on soft skills development by integrating them into their curriculum, encouraging collaboration, providing mentorship and guidance, and providing real-world experiences for them to react to and learn from.
By focusing on soft skills development, we can ensure students are well prepared to take on the challenges of the future.
In Barberton Schools, we are very proud to offer our students Pre K -12 outstanding academics from highly qualified teachers AND an abundance of equally important life skills!
The Do Your Job program is the center point for these skills and opportunities, but we also offer a Career Communications class, Financial Literacy, exposure to a variety of career pathways, Math for Life for practical and useful math, Four Cities Compact programs, and dozens of after-school and summer high programs, apprenticeships, and internships.
We feel to create a well-rounded successful adult as educators - which is our goal - our students must be exposed to opportunities and real situations, helping them develop life skills alongside academics.
To further this focus we are introducing the Magic 21 - skills that will pay you forever.
In order to graduate from Barberton High School an individual needs 21 required academic credits.
We are adding the Magic 21 life skills to complement our academic requirements.
When a child earns 21 academic credits and has mastered these 21 magic skills, they are way ahead in life.
After the 21 required academic credits your child must earn, the Magic 21 life skills provide your student with a clear understanding of how life works, setting them up for success.
Students can start earning academic credits in 8th grade, but the Magic 21 life skills will be taught PreK-12.
Read through these valuable and necessary skills and reinforce them at home. Supporting us in this way is a great way to set your student up for success in life. We will do our part.
Looking back at my experience, I wish I had mastered more of these earlier in my life. Some I’m still working on. I think we are all a work in progress. I have past students asking me why we did not learn these things in school. Now we are!
We encourage everyone to keep up with your child’s academic progress and reinforce as many of the Magic 21 skills as you can along the way - remember, these skills will pay you forever!
