The North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate prepares students for diverse postsecondary pathways—college, careers, or the military—by fostering rigorous academics and essential life skills. The Portrait of a Graduate identifies seven Durable Skills that students should possess upon graduation from high school in order to thrive in a 21st century place of work:

• Adaptability 

• Collaboration

• Communication

• Critical Thinking

• Empathy

• Learner’s Mindset

• Personal Responsibility

This article demonstrates the strong alignment between these seven Durable Skills and the competencies that are strengthened through the Everyday Speech curriculum, a comprehensive K-12 solution for promoting social skills across Tiers 1, 2, and 3.

North Carolina’s Durable Skills

NC Graduate: Adaptability

• Demonstrate agility in thought processes and problem-solving.
• Accept feedback, praise, setbacks, and criticism.
• Balance diverse viewpoints and beliefs to reach workable solutions.
• Demonstrate flexibility when navigating challenging situations.
• Exhibit steadfastness despite difficulty, opposition, and/or failure.

Everyday Speech Alignment:

Everyday Speech supports Adaptability by building skills in resilience and inclusivity. It equips students with skills to navigate challenges, set goals, and approach problems with flexible, solution-focused thinking. Lessons encourage self-reflection, openness to feedback, empathy, and confidence in adapting to changing circumstances. By emphasizing perseverance, it helps students see challenges as opportunities for growth and remain focused in the face of adversity.

Sample Video Lesson: 

Accepting Constructive Criticism

Example Everyday Speech Lessons by Grade Level:

Grades K-2:

• Goal-Setting
• Seeing Others’ Point of View

Grades 3-5:

• Using Problem- Solving Steps
• Managing Your Feelings

Grades 6-8:

• Taking Responsibility
• Adapting to Challenges

Grades 9-12:

• Accepting Constructive Criticism
• Overcoming Setbacks

NC Graduate: Collaboration

• Contribute and respond to diverse perspectives to achieve a common goal.
• Leverage strengths to resolve conflict and foster teamwork.
• Interact respectfully with others in digital and in-person interactions.
• Embrace a variety of roles in a group as a participant and a leader.

Everyday Speech Alignment:

Everyday Speech supports Collaboration through its emphasis on social awareness and relationship skills. Lessons teach students to consider diverse viewpoints, interact respectfully, and foster empathy. Activities focus on leveraging strengths to resolve conflicts, build teamwork, and empower learners to embrace various roles within groups in both digital and in-person interactions.

Sample Video Lesson: 

Perspectives All Around

Example Everyday Speech Lessons by Grade Level:

Grades K-2:

• Respecting Others
• Steps to Joining the Group

Grades 3-5:

• Working in Groups
• Foundations of Friendship

Grades 6-8:

• Perspectives All Around
• Being a Leader in My Community

Grades 9-12:

• Working Solo vs. Collaboratively
• Being a Teammate

NC Graduate: Communication

• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written, and nonverbal communication skills.
• Listen to decipher meaning, values, attitudes, and intentions.
• Ask questions and synthesize messages to seek understanding.
• Engage in productive discourse to resolve disagreements.
• Craft communication for a range of purposes and audiences.
• Use storytelling and public speaking to express ideas and connect with others.

Everyday Speech Alignment:

Everyday Speech supports Communication through lessons that develop oral, written, and nonverbal skills. Activities help students interpret meaning, values, and attitudes while encouraging them to ask questions for deeper understanding. Conflict resolution is a key focus, equipping students to handle disagreements constructively. Additionally, lessons teach learners to craft communication for diverse audiences and purposes, enabling them to express ideas clearly and connect meaningfully with others.

Sample Video Lesson: 

Reflective Listening

Example Everyday Speech Lessons by Grade Level:

Grades K-2:

• Using I-Feel Words
• Asking for What I Need

Grades 3-5:

• Reflective Listening
• Solving Problems with Friends

Grades 6-8:

• Resolving Conflict Peacefully
• Assertive vs. Aggressive Communication

Grades 9-12:

• The Art of Communication
• Public Speaking 101

NC Graduate: Critical Thinking

• Analyze, assess, and reconstruct personal thought processes.
• Apply thinking that is clear, rational, and evidence-based.
• Evaluate and prioritize solutions to difficult or complex problems.
• Employ creative improvements to systems, processes, and organizations.

Everyday Speech Alignment:

Everyday Speech supports Critical Thinking through lessons that develop problem-solving and analytical skills. Students learn to assess and refine their thought processes, apply evidence-based reasoning, and evaluate solutions to complex challenges. Activities encourage innovative thinking, empowering learners to implement creative improvements in both personal growth and collaborative group settings.

Sample Video Lesson: 

Critical Thinking and Leadership

Example Everyday Speech Lessons by Grade Level:

Grades K-2:

• Learning to Problem Solve
• Thinking about others

Grades 3-5:

• Weighing Solutions
• Problem-Solving

Grades 6-8:

• What Matters to You
• Moral Dilemmas

Grades 9-12:

• Critical Thinking and Leadership
• Analyzing Responses to Conflict

NC Graduate: Empathy

• Analyze, assess, and reconstruct personal thought processes.
• Apply thinking that is clear, rational, and evidence-based.
• Evaluate and prioritize solutions to difficult or complex problems.
• Employ creative improvements to systems, processes, and organizations.

Everyday Speech Alignment:

Everyday Speech supports Empathy through lessons that promote cultural awareness and respectful interactions. Students learn to share in others’ feelings and perspectives through activities that emphasize personal and digital connections. The curriculum values diverse cultures and unique viewpoints, fostering a sense of belonging and trust, and encouraging mutual respect and meaningful conversations.

Sample Video Lesson: 

Sharing

Example Everyday Speech Lessons by Grade Level:

Grades K-2:

• Celebrating Differences
• Sharing

Grades 3-5:

• Empathy Essentials
• Being Empathic

Grades 6-8:

• What Makes a Leader?
• Forgiveness

Grades 9-12:

• Empathy Goes a Long Way
• Contributing to Your School Culture

NC Graduate: Learner’s Mindset

• Possess an ongoing desire to learn, unlearn, and relearn.
• Embrace curiosity to experience new ideas, demonstrate growth, and persist through challenges.
• Translate knowledge to provide different contexts to drive change and innovation.
• Develop positive attitudes and beliefs about learning.

Everyday Speech Alignment:

Everyday Speech supports Learner’s Mindset by promoting lifelong learning and encouraging curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to unlearn and relearn. Students are guided to explore new ideas, overcome obstacles, and apply their knowledge in diverse contexts to drive change and innovation. It emphasizes positive attitudes toward learning, helping students build confidence and embrace growth opportunities in all areas of life.

Sample Video Lesson:

Using Self-Talk

Example Everyday Speech Lessons by Grade Level:

Grades K-2:

• Introducing Growth Mindset
• Using Self-Talk

Grades 3-5:

• The Power of Yet
• Keeping a Growth Mindset

Grades 6-8:

• The Value in Mistakes
• Examining Your Beliefs

Grades 9-12:

• Improving Our Self-Talk
• Neuroplasticity

NC Graduate: Personal Responsibility

• Adhere to a set of core values that are evident in choices and actions.
• Earn trust and respect through honest, principled behaviors.
• Honor commitments.
• Recognize how personal decisions and actions have impacts beyond self.
• Take ownership of decisions and persevere through challenges.
• Demonstrate self-control and composure.

Everyday Speech Alignment:

Everyday Speech supports Personal Responsibility by emphasizing core values such as accountability and integrity. Through its lessons, students learn to make principled decisions, understand the broader impact of their actions, and demonstrate self-control and composure in challenging situations. The curriculum builds trust and respect by promoting honest and ethical behavior while encouraging learners to persevere through difficulties and take ownership of their choices.

Sample Video Lesson: 

Being Dependable

Example Everyday Speech Lessons by Grade Level:

Grades K-2:

• Making Good Decisions
• Situational Awareness

Grades 3-5:

• Accepting a Consequence
• Being Dependable

Grades 6-8:

• The Blame Game
• Owning It

Grades 9-12:

• Anatomy of a Good Decision
• Making Life Decisions

Do you want to see how Everyday Speech can support your Portrait of a Graduate work? You can sign up for a free 8-week pilot here.