Governing Oneself
We build on students’ strengths and capabilities through a school-wide framework that fosters self-reliance, self-discipline, confidence, integrity and empathy.
- Goal setting
As part of the Responsive Classroom approach, students articulate their goals, or “hopes and dreams,” each fall and revisit these throughout the year. Goal setting fosters important self-reflection and encourages students to know themselves better as they ask questions such as “What is important to me at school?” and “What do I want to learn more about?” As they consider their own strengths and growing edges along with their peers and teachers, a tone of collaboration and mutual respect is set in the classroom. Sharing hopes and dreams leads to classroom guidelines, too, as students discuss together the rules required to make hopes and dreams come true.
- Self assessment and student-led portfolio conferences
From Preschool through Eighth Grade, students at St. Anne’s School of Annapolis create portfolios that include work samples, self-assessments, photographs, dialogue and other documentation designed to reflect their growth in the program throughout the year. The student-led portfolio conferences emphasize student voice and ownership in the learning process. Portfolio conferences offer students, parents and teachers an opportunity for a sustained and focused conversation about learning. They honor students as knowledgeable about accomplishments and offer the opportunity to set goals to address areas that challenge them. The portfolio provides an authentic context for self-evaluation, a context that fosters accountability and the honest appraisal of successes and challenges.
- Organizational skills development
During classes and advisory, organizational skills are taught and reinforced, including the effective use of the school assignment planner, time management, and locker, backpack and binder organization.
- Leadership opportunities
Middle School students have a myriad of opportunities to lead. Within each class and advisory there are weekly “leaders” with specific tasks. They also serve as Student Council delegates, team captains, chapel readers and as members of various committees. Our program’s orientation toward group/collaborate work allows students to take on different roles every day, including that of group leader.
- Life Skills program
Through advisory and classroom discussion and activities, students reflect on personal value systems and positive decision making. Questions are posed to students:
- Who am I?
- How do I relate to others?
- What do I want out of life?
- What are my likes, dislikes, strengths and growing edges?
- How can I make the best use of my abilities? Within a nurturing environment, students are encouraged to deepen critical thinking and apply what they are learning to real-life situations.
