ABSTRACT
Adorning many walls of the classrooms are colorful posters, signs with inspiring quotations, visuals of great people, lists of desired behaviors or class rules, facsimiles of important documents like the Declaration of Independence or the US Constitution, and newspaper clippings of heroic actions. Mr. Gilmore knows an opportunity when he sees one. He senses its value as a consequence of the "teachable moment" sparked by the two late students. The Ontario Ministry does have a province-wide reporting system for every student on six life skills: respect, organization, independent work, collaboration, initiative, and self-regulation. This chapter describes that secondary students who rate highly on these skills are high achievers and leaders who have strong relationships and a complex support network, apply a fine work ethic, see diversity as strength, inhabit a growth mindset, and have overcome failures. The students are practicing three specific affective skills and know they are being assessed on them.
