The Changing Landscape of Adolescence
Part One in A Six-Part Series in The Thriving School Brief
Introducing the Durable Skills for School and Beyond
I taught middle and high school from 1999 to 2009 — long before Chromebooks, Google Classroom, and AI became part of students’ daily lives. You might think a decade in the classroom would have fully prepared me to parent my own two middle schoolers. In some ways it has. I understand adolescent development: their drive to experiment, to define their identity and autonomy, and their simultaneous need for clear expectations and boundaries.
But teaching looks very different today. When I left the classroom, I was always fighting for computer lab time so students could type papers, make movies, or build presentations. Now all of this is at their fingertips. And with AI, students have access to powerful tools — but also new temptations that can rob them of the productive struggle that defines real learning, especially during adolescence.
Yet one thing hasn’t changed: being human. Technology may reshape the way we work and learn, but it cannot replace the uniquely human process of growth: learning from experience, making mistakes, making amends, and developing the skills we need to live and work together.
Why Adolescents Need Durable Skills Now
What used to be called soft skills are now recognized as durable skills: the abilities to collaborate, solve problems, manage emotions, persist through challenges, and communicate effectively.
These are the skills young people need not only to thrive in the future of work, but also in their daily lives as students, friends, and community members.
In fact, research from the World Economic Forum shows that the jobs of the future will hinge on resilience, flexibility, and adaptability just as much as on technical know-how like programming or operations.
For adolescents, this means schools must do more than teach subject matter. They must also actively cultivate durable skills so young people are ready to thrive in a world where both technology and work are constantly evolving.
A Roadmap for Adolescents: The Durable Skills for School and Beyond
Adolescence is a critical developmental period. Identity formation, peer influence, and increasing academic expectations all converge at once. Students don’t simply show up “knowing how to behave;” they need a roadmap that shows them what effective behavior looks like, sounds like, and feels like.
That’s why the Durable Skills for School & Beyond framework was created. It organizes social, emotional, and academic growth into four areas:
Self-Awareness – knowing yourself and what helps you do your best.
Self-Management – handling emotions, staying in control, and persisting when things get tough.
Social Efficacy – listening, speaking, solving problems, and working well with others.
Academic Efficacy – doing quality work, staying organized, and setting goals to keep improving.
Each area includes student-friendly target behaviors that make these skills clear, concrete, and teachable. Instead of telling students to “be respectful,” you can point to behaviors like:
“I listen carefully and make sure I understand before I respond.”
“I can accept help, feedback, or consequences without losing my cool.”
“I try every part of a question, task, or assignment.”
This moves us from the abstract to the actionable — and gives adolescents a real roadmap for growth.
A Strategy for School Leaders: Reframing Struggling Students
When a student is in your office next, pause and use the Durable Skills as a lens.
Hold the student in mind as a learner. Not a “problem,” but someone still developing.
Scan the target behaviors. Which ones are missing? For example: “I can stay focused on my work without distracting others.”
Reframe the challenge. Shift from “this student won’t” to “this student hasn’t learned how to…”.
Plan support. Like any skill, these behaviors can be taught, practiced, and reinforced.
This small shift can transform discipline conversations into growth opportunities. Instead of seeing defiance, you see a skill gap — and with that comes a roadmap for how to respond.
When school leaders adopt this lens, they don’t just change one conversation; they begin to shift school culture. Every office referral becomes a chance to teach durable skills for life.
Note: The Durable Skills for School & Beyond framework grew out of earlier work I co-authored at Engaging Schools, published as the Embedding Social and Emotional Learning in High School Classrooms white paper (now available on the CASEL website). This current version translates those ideas into clear, student-facing behaviors that educators and adolescents can use every day.
