Real Skills for Real Life Resources
Resources to help you understand, teach, and strengthen skills to help children succeed in real life in the real world.
Real Skills for Real Life are not optional—they are the New Basics.
Districts that start early, embed these skills across learning environments, and stay aligned to what the brain needs to develop well-rounded, adaptable learners will prepare students for futures they cannot yet imagine.
The following resources provide educators with actionable tools, insights and strategies to help define, teach, and strengthen these skills.
Browse All Real Skills for Real Life Resources:
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Purposeful Play: Not Just for Early ChildhoodÂܲ·AVÊÓƵBlog | Real Skills for Real Life, Regular Blogger FY26, Schools of Thought Blog, Early Learning | Published May 6, 2026
Purposeful play isn't just for early childhood. See how Gorham schools use it to build durable skills … -
Âܲ·AVÊÓƵExpands Certification Portfolio with Two New Programs for Leaders at Every StageNews | Real Skills for Real Life, Leadership Development, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵUpdate | Published April 27, 2026
New from AASA: certification programs for superintendent-level coaching and equipping students with the … -
The Breakthrough Years for Executive FunctioningResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine
Using brain science to position Real Skills for Real Life at the center of public education. -
Start Up the Learning EngineResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine
A child psychiatrist describes positioning human connection at the core of preparing students to master … -
March 2026: School AdministratorPublication | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine | Published March 1, 2026
This issue examines the case for placing Real Skills for Real Life at the center of schooling. -
Painting Portraits to Map PathwaysResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine
The experiences of four school districts using Portraits of a Graduate to guide teaching and learning … -
Leading with PurposeResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, Leadership Development, School Administrator Magazine
Likening public education’s structure to a family gathered around the dinner table where decisions are … -
The New Readiness Our Students DeserveResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine
Giving students the meaningful learning experiences they want to prepare them for life beyond K-12 … -
Principle 2: The New Basics: Real Skills for Real LifeResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine
A Q&A with AASA’s John Malloy and Beth Silveira about the importance of incorporating the new basics … -
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Promoting Real Skills for Real LifeResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine
How AASA’s Public Education Promise will help educators build the workforce of the future. -
Case Study: Designing a Purposeful Assessment SystemResource | Case Study | Real Skills for Real Life, Measure What Matters, Curriculum & Assessment, College- Career- and Life-Readiness
In California’s Cupertino Union School District (CUSD), assessment isn’t just about measuring … -
Self Assessment: Real Skills for Real LifeResource | Self-Assessment | Real Skills for Real Life, Curriculum & Assessment, College- Career- and Life-Readiness
A tool to support reflection and conversations in your district when preparing students for real life … -
Toolkit: Real Skills for Real LifeResource | Toolkit | Real Skills for Real Life, Curriculum & Assessment, College- Career- and Life-Readiness
Resources to help school leaders understand, teach, and strengthen skills that help children succeed … -
Case Study: Ephrata's Journey to Life Ready LearningResource | Case Study | Real Skills for Real Life, Measure What Matters, Curriculum & Assessment, College- Career- and Life-Readiness
How a decade-long transformation helped one district align instruction, culture, and reporting around … -
Real Skills for Real Life: Critical Thinker ExamplesResource | Guidance/Sample/Template | Real Skills for Real Life, Curriculum & Assessment, College- Career- and Life-Readiness
Critical thinker indicators & "I can" statements. -
From Industry to the ClassroomResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, College- Career- and Life-Readiness, School Administrator Magazine
How a Massachusetts school district provides updated career and technical pathways that venture beyond … -
The Future Belongs to the FlexibleResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, School Administrator Magazine
Intentionally weaving durable and transferable skills for students into teaching and learning. -
Where Academic Knowledge and Applied Learning Work TogetherResource | Article | Real Skills for Real Life, College- Career- and Life-Readiness, School Administrator Magazine
Learning redesign in a suburban district makes career readiness central to everyone’s academic and personal … -
Portrait to Practice: Aligning Learning and Life SkillsResource | Case Study | Frameworks for Learning, Student-Centered Learning, Real Skills for Real Life, Curriculum & Assessment
Deepening student ownership and ensuring consistency across grade levels by embedding life skills into … -
​The Public Education Promise Principle 2: Real Skills for Real LifeResource | Podcast | Real Skills for Real Life, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵRadio
A conversation focusing on the second principle of the Public Education Promise: Real Skills for Real …