The words are displayed on banners across both campuses, and a diagram of the concepts hangs in each classroom next to the Ensworth Mission Statement. To collaborate, to communicate, to observe, to question, to speculate and hypothesize, to evaluate, and to apply knowledge: these are Ensworth’s Core Skills, and they guide the teaching and learning process across every discipline.
Similar to Ensworth’s Vision Statement, the Core Skills were originally developed as part of the foundation of the High School program. According to Head of High School David Morgan, the founding faculty decided the Core Skills in the manner of the Founding Fathers at the Constitutional Convention, and the group gave serious consideration to the selection of each skill, even debating whether they should be expressed as infinitives or gerunds. The Core Skills they decided upon reflected a combination of the scientific method and creative exploration in the humanities.
As noted in Ensworth’s College Profile, “the Search for Truth involves not only mastery of individual disciplines, but also the development of skills that cut across traditional disciplinary boundaries and enhance one’s continuing ability to grow and learn.” Representing a confluence of social, emotional, and academic learning, the Core Skills reflect Ensworth’s commitment to educating the whole child and preparing students for success that extends beyond test scores and grade point averages.
In the following articles, we examine the Core Skills individually and demonstrate how they are applied in different aspects of Ensworth’s programs. Then, we ask the question: what would it look like to base our assessments of students on their mastery of key skills instead of assigning letter grades to their understanding of content? Finally, we explore how students exercise the Core Skills both within our local community and across the globe through service learning and international trips.
This issue demonstrates how Core Skills inspire students to see learning opportunities in every experience and to approach these opportunities with curiosity, flexibility, respect, and confidence. With this foundation, students are equipped to continue their search for truth well beyond their time at Ensworth.
The spirit of a place is evident. If enough people believe in something, it becomes a truth. If enough people believe that truth, it becomes a culture. A culture passed from one generation to the next is a tradition. Everyone came together in support of the vision and In Search of Truth.
Ensworth is committed to providing our students with access to the latest technology and an expert faculty. The new Creative Technology Center at the High School, featuring an engineering-oriented instructional space, a full-service broadcast suite and control center, a dedicated home for the Robotics team and arena, a podcast studio, and a well-equipped digital media and computer science classroom, opened in the fall of this year.