Leading with Data, Research, and Heart
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An Honorable Mention for Caring @ SionI am thrilled to share that the Grade School received an Honorable Mention for our Character Education program, Caring @ Sion, by Character.org! It is a true honor and accomplishment to have received this designation after starting our program in the 2017-2018 school year.
Character, how we behave and engage with the world, is a core tenet of 21st-century education. As the world becomes smaller due to globalization, it also becomes more complex and interconnected with every passing day. This requires that we help students develop skillsets that will enable them to develop the personal values and virtues for ethical citizenship and leadership in a global world. When we speak about character, we refer to all the terms it encompasses: agency, attitudes, social and emotional skills, behaviors, personality, values, beliefs, and soft skills, among others (Fadel, 2015). These, together with the Sion charism and mission, comprise the foundations of our Character Education program. Our curriculum was designed in-house, drawing from world-wide research-based standards to include the Making Caring Common Project (Harvard University), CASEL, Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, and the IB Learner Profile. Caring @ Sion is a school-wide program which is completely integrated throughout our curriculum and also includes social and emotional learning, diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops, service learning, mindfulness sessions, bullying prevention, kindness weeks, faith families, and Maisons, among others. The application process consisted of demonstrating competency in 11 Principles. These were originally authored by Thomas Lickona, Eric Shaps and Catherine Lewis after a study comparing a multitude of successful schools (Character.org, 2019). In order to achieve the designation of Honorable Mention, we had to submit a portfolio with evidence of how we incorporate them into our daily life at Sion. Examples included lesson plans, mission and charter documents, student work, curriculum design, interviews, and community survey items. After submitting the accreditation documents, we received a site visit by a Character.org representative. Part of the requirement is to have a student give the accrediting specialist a tour of the school. Special thanks to Kori F. (8th grade) who was commended for the great tour and insight into the program. Likewise, many special thanks to Mrs. Esquivel, who has been an instrumental partner in the implementation and accreditation phases of the program, to the faculty and staff for their dedication to student success, and to families for their continued support. The Honorable Mention is a first step in becoming a recognized State School of Character. The next steps will include forming a Caring @ Sion committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, and parents to ensure that there is an accountable learning community that shares moral leadership that sustains the character work. Sion is committed to providing a whole-child approach that encompasses a true 21st-century education. After all, the purpose of being a knowledge seeker and acquiring 21st-century knowledge and skills is to show empathy, compassion, and respect as we commit to take action and positively impact the lives of those around us and make a difference in the world. References Fadel, C. (2015). Four-Dimensional education: The competencies learners need to succeed. The Center for Curriculum Redesign: Boston, MA. Character.org. (2019). The 11 Principles. Retrieved from https://www.character.org/character/#11_Principles
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We have had a great start to the school year, and we absolutely love having students back on campus. Visiting classrooms and seeing our students' joy for learning and the faculty's passion and dedication for teaching is so inspiring! Teaching and learning at Sion is so distinctively special. Our theme this year is the “Journey to 21st Century Teaching and Learning.” We chose the word “journey” purposefully, as it represents our lifelong commitment to continuous improvement over time. We live in a fast-changing world and we have the duty to help young people prepare for our changing times. As such, teaching and learning at Sion seeks to answer the question: What do students need to learn for the 21st century? The figure below shows the research-based framework for 21st-century education that we use at Sion to answer this question and to guide all curriculum, instruction, and assessment efforts as we prepare and challenge students to become knowledge seekers, their brother’s keepers, and difference makers. The framework consists of four dimensions of education which represent the competencies of the 21st-century learner (CCR, 2015). The cogs in the design represent the interconnectivity and interdependence of the four dimensions.
So what makes teaching and learning at Sion distinctively special? The expertise of our talented faculty at preparing children to be successful 21st century global leaders and citizens for a future we cannot predict. Sion teachers have an unwavering commitment and dedication to their students. They are, as I like to call them, #EduRockStars, and work very hard to ensure that students acquire the habits of mind, heart, body, and spirit necessary to be successful in college and beyond. Most importantly, we believe that a joyous school is essential for learning and child development. My sincere appreciation to our teachers for the inspiring work they do every day. We are constantly updating our curriculum, pedagogical practices, and assessments as we have recently done in Mathematics, Language Arts, and Foreign Languages, and will continue working on all of our courses. Likewise, we continue to offer modern disciplines with a focus on interdisciplinary studies and character development such as Innovation, Design & Technology, Finance & the Stock Market Place (we won 1st place in Missouri last year!), Service Learning, Social Justice, and Art in Motion, among others. It is truly an honor and pleasure to have you and your children as part of the Sion community. My deepest gratitude for your continued support and for entrusting us with your children. It is my pleasure to invite you to learn more about our 21st-century education framework and to experience first-hand the Sion Difference throughout the year as you attend our Open Houses, Early Childhood/Kinder Sneak Peeks, visit OnCampus, or as your student participates in our Auxiliary Programs. We know you'll find that the Sion community is one that infuses all school members with the joy of seeing education as an integral part of everyone’s life and the way of realizing their hopes and dreams with courage in a loving and caring environment. References
Fadel, C. , Bialik, M., & Trilling, B. (2015). Four-Dimensional education: The competencies learners need to succeed. Boston: MA, The Center for Curriculum Redesign. |
Dr. Paola V. ClarkInternational Educational Leader Archives
September 2023
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