Core Competencies
Keira Storms
February 19, 2020
Communication
Throughout my learning, I have used communication to help get my ideas out and into my work. When doing an assignment, it is important to take the skills that the teacher has provided us with and form them into our own piece of work. Communication helps me do this as it gives me an opportunity to share my learning. For example, in Career Life Education class, we partook in a project called the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative. This was an eye-opening project as it exposed us to different groups of people in our community. For the YPI project, we had to research a charity and communicate our interpretation of the charity’s values to our classmates. The skill of communicating helped us as students to collaborate with one another and share our findings.
Critical Thinking
During school, the skill of thinking is one that is used in every class. We are given pieces of work and asked to analyze and reflect on it. This a crucial skill as it is something that is used in everyday life, not just in an educational setting. Responding to text with critical thinking is another useful tool that is very present in our learning. In English class, we are given stories to read and analyze to find the true meaning. This way of thinking helps you think deeper and learn what information is most important. When reading a short story, analyzing the storyline, setting, and characters can help you reach this level of thinking, and will give you the opportunity to ask and answer meaningful questions.
Personal Responsibility
In school, it is important to take responsibility in your learning. You are the only one who has real control over your work and the marks you get, so taking responsibility for yourself is a crucial part of achieving your goals. A time where I really took responsibility for my learning was when I transitioned from middle school to high school. In middle school, there are always teachers making sure you are doing all your work and staying on task. In high school, you are the only one who can make sure you are completing all your jobs efficiently. I got used to always being looked after by a teacher in middle school, and when I went to high school the transition was jarring. It was important for me to immediately realize my role in my learning and take full personal responsibility.