February 14, 2016

Greetings,

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that 65% of today's elementary school students will hold jobs that do not currently exist. How do we prepare students and teach the skills that will be needed to thrive in this changing global economy?  

Read about a new initiative that will allow us to measure skills like attitude, creativity, critical thinking and resilience in our students.  This data will help direct our program so that Swain graduates are prepared for higher education and life.  

Measuring Non-Cognitive Skills
by Megan Franzyshen, Middle School Director
 
Our school is embarking on a new initiative this year, one that I am confident we will continue for years to come.
 
Last September, our Interim Head of School, David Hursty, asked me to lead a project at our school called the Mission Skills Assessment. When I said yes back in September, I had no idea where this idea would take the school - and me.  Let me share a little about this very interesting project with you.
 
The Swain School is one of 90 independent schools from around the country participating in the Mission Skills Assessment, a project that measures non-cognitive skills including:
  • teamwork
  • creativity
  • ethics
  • resilience
  • curiosity
  • time management 
Every student in grades 6-8 is a part of this project, as well as their teachers and advisors.
In December, students took a computer-based assessment that asked questions about how they view themselves, specific to the above-listed skills. Their advisors were also asked to add information for each child.
 
The data gathered is not used to evaluate any individuals; this is a very important fact and one that differentiates this assessment from others. As Middle School Director, I was also asked to submit data such as grades, absences, tardies, and years the student has attended Swain. The next step is that we should soon receive assessment data. We will then use this information to help guide our planning of future programming and how we work with our students.  
 
In early April, I will be traveling to Chicago to attend a conference with educators from the other 89 participating schools. Mrs. Julia Getty, our eighth grade Dean and Wellness Coordinator, will be traveling with me as well. We are very excited to attend this event and to learn more about how to use the data gathered through this assessment to create positive changes in our own community.

I am so proud that Swain is going to be a part of this national conversation about how to educate our children in these critical, but often undervalued skills that are directly related to how we learn. Educational research is increasingly showing that non-cognitive abilities are more important than simply regurgitating facts. I hope you and your child see the value in this great opportunity. 

Please feel free to contact me with questions. If you are interested, here is more information about the Mission Skills Assessment.

And please check out...

the latest episode of photographer Theo Anderson's Art of Teaching pictorial about Swain (scroll to Episode 2). Share them with someone you love!



We hope you are following all of our Swain news on Facebook and Twitter!
 
 
 
The Swain School
1100 South 24th Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103