The Four-Letter Test Every Administrator Should Run Before Buying a Soft Skills Program

Rob Heller

Published on: 25/09/2026

Before signing a soft skills contract, run it through SAFE -- the four design criteria a 213-study meta-analysis found actually predict whether a program changes student behavior.

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The Gratitude Skill Most Teenagers Have Never Been Taught (And Why It's Not About Saying Thank You)

Rob Heller

Published on: 21/09/2026

Most gratitude lessons stop at a forced thank-you note. Research on adolescents shows real gratitude is a perspective-taking skill that has to be rehearsed, not recited -- here's what that looks like in practice.

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A Superintendent's Guide to Funding and Approving a Soft Skills Curriculum

Rob Heller

Published on: 04/09/2026

Approving a new curriculum line item requires more than liking the pitch, it requires a funding source, a board-ready case, and a way to track results. This guide walks administrators through that process end to end.

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A School Administrator's Checklist for Evaluating Any Soft Skills Curriculum

Rob Heller

Published on: 12/08/2026

A practical, vendor-agnostic checklist administrators can use to evaluate any soft skills curriculum they're considering, built around age-fit, evidence, teacher support, and practice opportunities rather than marketing claims.

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