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"Some have "always" been true - some are unique to this century of learning. Let me know of any other universal skills you believe young people should know how to do."

I have developed a 21st Century Report Card that identifies 34 skills that students should develop over the course of the year in my 5th grade classroom. These 34 skills are then broken down into subsequent behaviors that are observable and assessable.  (Download it here as a PDF.)

Educators can play a key role in assisting learners in building upon and expanding their self-regulation skills. Strategies include using metacognitive reflection questions both prior to and after learning tasks to assist students through a process of guided inquiry: What is the best way to go about this task? How well are my learning strategies working? What changes should I make, if any? What am I still having trouble understanding? What can I recall and what should I review? How does this material relate to other things I've learned or experienced? Supporting Self-Regulation in the Classroom)

That may not sound like "grit" to some though.  An article by Jordan Shapiro suggests that "grit" may just be another buzzword in education.  He references the work of Avi Kaplan, teacher and researcher, and states, "Instead of celebrating the Grit, value the ability to figure out what to do after each failure." The Learning Partnership post also referred to the importance of resilience and emotional intelligence, It's becoming clear that resilience - the ability to bounce back from adversity or defeat and keep on going no matter what - and emotional intelligence (EQ) - the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways to communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict - are greater skills to possess in today's rough and tumble world.

Kids need us. For students who struggle with behaviour challenges, it is never a simple solution. Teaching 30 students (with a variety of academic, social and emotional needs) for an entire day can be completely exhausting. When discussing solutions, though, we need to ask the question: who is this about - the teachers/admin? or the student? It likely falls somewhere in the middle but it is important to keep in mind the needs of everyone. In the end, it is our job as admin, teachers, and staff to create the conditions for student success. Meet students where they are and teach the needed skills from there.