Durable skills, taught out loud
Some durable skills are taught as a mini-course, then practised
Some durable skills a child grows into quietly, through the everyday work of a project. Others we teach head-on. We run a short, focused mini-course on the skill itself, managing your emotions, or thinking like an investigator, and then a real project where children practise it for real. The academics, the writing, the research, the English, become the vehicle.
Here are two real examples, each a mini-course paired with a project.
Small Podcasts for Big Feelings
Students learn and practise psychology-based tools for handling big emotions like sadness and anger, and for navigating tough social moments like taking criticism or supporting a friend who is down. Working in pairs, they produce a podcast episode that teaches younger peers practical tools, with scripts and examples they can actually use in real life.
How can psychology help us better handle our big emotions and difficult social interactions?
What students will be able to do
- Understand their own emotions, like anger and sadness, much better.
- Apply practical psychology tools, such as the “STOP” protocol for anger regulation.
- Master informative writing by scripting an engaging podcast episode.
What they build
A podcast episode for a tween audience, made in pairs.
Why it matters in the real world
Tweens feel intense emotions and face hard social situations, but often lack clear, usable tools. By separating feelings from actions, building “Mood Maps,” and rehearsing exact scripts for difficult moments, they build lifelong emotional resilience. Teaching it to younger peers cements their own understanding and grows real empathy and communication.
A few durable skills in focus
Questions that spark it
Become an Investigative Journalist
Students pick a real-world topic and build a strong argument on it. To win, they have to convince an AI called Qrious-AI of their stance, researching facts, skimming for key information, and identifying reliable sources. They gather evidence meticulously, telling verifiable facts apart from opinions, then make a reasoning video that presents their case.
In a world flooded with information, how do you find what is actually true, and prove it?
What students will be able to do
- Skim texts to find the key information fast.
- Identify reliable sources and tell facts apart from opinions.
- Gather and sequence evidence into a convincing argument.
- Present a reasoned stance on camera, backed by their evidence.
What they build
A reasoning video that argues a stance, backed by evidence.
Why it matters in the real world
In a world of abundant information from every kind of source, this project teaches kids how to write things that are true and real. They learn to find correct, trustworthy information like a detective hunting for clues, which builds confidence and prepares them for work in journalism and research.
A few durable skills in focus
Questions that spark it
These are the skills we name and practise out in the open. Plenty of others are never the announced lesson, but are always what the work requires. See how durable skills are practised through the project structure, and how the curriculum works.
