Enhance Classroom Routines with Skill Builders for Skill Development

Keywords: #skillbuilders, #classroutines, #teachingstrategies

Build time for skill builders into your class time…

I’ll say it again:

Don’t know what a ‘skillbuilder’ is? That’s okay too!

In this blog post, we’ll cover the benefits of regularly incorporating skill builders into your class time.

A skill builder is an activity that develops a skill or set of skills that can be applied to various tasks. Ideally, it should fit into class time predictably and with minimal preparation.

The skill that you choose to develop should be of significant use to your students. And be aware that the successful implementation of any skill building activity has to have a clear connection between how ‘engaging in increasingly sophisticated practice’ leads to ‘direct personal benefit for the student.’

Want Students To Develop A Skill? Start With Typing…

I would type this to my students at the beginning of each semester. Generally while blindfolded, with a blank Microsoft Word document being projected on the screen at the front of the room.

This bit of theatre isn’t necessary, but showing students why learning to type better can give them a superpower leaves a lasting impression.

Another point I would bring up when introducing the importance of learning how to type ‘better’ as a skill builder is that the only person students should measure their progress against is themselves.

Tell your students it’s not about how many words per minute they type, but whether they’re improving through practice.

On average, students with no typing skills can reach 50 wpm by semester’s end, while those starting at 30–40 wpm often reach 60–80 wpm. For students who focus on typing, the sky’s the limit.

An added benefit to typing is the availability of free websites that don’t require profiles.

One of my favourite sites is Monkeytype.com...

Monkeytype, as well as Typing Club, are solid options when it comes to teaching students how to type. A big reason for this, is that they include enough variations of typing practice that students who are already relatively fast typers can start to develop their typing skills in other areas. Areas like: learning how to type for coding, use hotkeys, or to make use of the number pad without looking.

What makes incorporating time for skill builders into your daily or weekly classroom routines so powerful is that it can give you ten to fifteen minutes to work on other things.

Interested in incorporating AI into your workflow?

I placed skill building time at the start of each block, using it to finish notes, meet students one-on-one, or finalise materials. And if you really want to impress your students, try to make a point of doing a little bit of skill building alongside them as well.

If you haven’t yet, consider setting aside time for skill builders. Identify the skills that would benefit your students and find ways to show them the tangible benefits of this practice.