33 Of The Most Useful Tips From People That Are ‘Street Smart’

If you’re not familiar with the terms, book smart and street smart describe methods of learning, both in the sense of how and from where something has been learned.

Book smarts are academic intelligence, gained through formal schooling and reading, while street smarts are gained through real-life experience in handling situations.

Over recent years, education has run into a bit of a problem with these smarts. Namely, since adult education institutions have to adhere to certain industry standards in order to remain relevant, they have noticed how there is a shift to valuing experience over formal education. In other words, that diploma there is great and all, but how about you show us how [insert activity] is done here and now?

So, higher education had to step up their game. This in turn led to things like the formation of professional advisory boards that are there to help adapt the programs and their curricula to meet the changing standards. That and educational institutions are also gradually introducing competency-based and experiential learning.

Experiential learning would likely come in the form of internships, practicums, and the like, but might also include things like industry projects that would feature academic programs and would utilize that knowledge. Another approach is assigning real-world business problems to students to solve, in turn getting employer feedback. And hey, if you exceed expectations, you can also try to apply and you’d have a reputation that precedes you.

And, as it turns out, it’s not just the industries that are demanding such a targeted education. Students themselves are driving demand for more practical education. And the solution is a return to project-based learning, which on top of providing the necessary know-how, would enhance student confidence, communication and collaboration skills, all the while motivating them and forming the right attitudes towards work and employers.

One of the seemingly bigger components of street smarts is security and safety. This includes knowing how to navigate your whereabouts, knowing what to do in particular life-threatening situations and maximizing your chances of getting out of trouble.

In the case of kids, it’s all about knowing their location and how long they’re planning on being there, making sure they stick with their friends and hang out in safe spots all the while avoiding shady neighborhoods. Oh, and trust your gut. Believe us, that goes a long way.