Key School Curriculum: Learning to Learn

All students need and deserve a solid foundation upon which they will continue to grow as lifelong learners.

Early learning begins with ensuring students have a strong base of skills in reading, oral and written communication, and number sense and math concepts. As students master these base skills they must develop strategies for using these skills as tools to unlock meaning, to problem solve, and to begin systematic self-evaluation.

Foundational Skills & Concrete Concepts

  • Decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) skills

  • Effective oral and written communication

  • Essential number sense, math concepts, and automaticity with math facts

  • Awareness of vocabulary and core concepts across subject areas


Thinking Skills

The ability to elicit meaning, represent meaning, and construct meaning

  • Critical thinking skills will be developed and practiced: Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating.

  • Collaboration with teachers, peers, and local/global communities will be fostered to provide a variety of opportunities to learn with others.


Independent Learning Skills

The ability to know what to do when the answer or solution is not readily available

  • Agility and adaptability: Practice with creative problem-solving

  • Learning opportunities designed to spark curiosity, creativity, imagination, and a growth mindset

  • Self-advocacy: Learning to develop a support network

  • Organizational skills: Learning effective systems for self-management

  • Ethical and reflective decision making


Self-Assessment Skills and Technology Tools

The ability to evaluate one’s learning and become adept in utilizing a variety of tools to represent and enhance one’s learning

  • Knowledge of and competence with resources and technology tools to enhance learning

  • Self-awareness and determination to overcome 
learning challenges and embrace/celebrate gifts

  • Perseverance to develop and achieve personal goals