Academic Values

Our accreditation team noted that we had a statement of core values, but they were all spiritual instead of academic. They suggested we come up with a list of our Academic Core Values.

Here's mine. What am I forgetting? What am I overemphasizing?

The plan is to have as many teachers as possible write theirs, and then we can start to discuss what we will adopt for the school's list. I enjoyed thinking through what really are my academic values and how they show themselves in my teaching.



My Academic Core Values

I value LITERACY. In my teaching, I will strive to encourage my students to read and write effectively and with pleasure.

I value NUMERACY. In my teaching, I will strive to help my students to understand numbers and statistics that they come across in my class.

I value CURIOSITY. In my teaching, I will strive to encourage questioning and a desire to learn. I will teach my students tools to satisfy their curiosity and demonstrate to them my own interest in the world.

I value RATIONAL THINKING. In my teaching, I will strive to guide students through the steps of understanding arguments logically and of formulating their own logical arguments.

I value CRITICAL THINKING. In my teaching, I will strive to show students how to question what they read and hear. I will teach them to evaluate sources and to demonstrate a healthy skepticism.

I value AESTHETIC SENSIBILITY. In my teaching, I will strive to help my students to appreciate beauty.

I value ARTICULATENESS. In my teaching, I will strive to give students opportunities to learn to express themselves orally in a clear and compelling way.

I value CONCERN FOR THE WORLD. In my teaching, I will strive to give my students tools to be world citizens. I will help them to know about and understand what is going on in the world and to be concerned for the problems they see. I will help them think about ways they can be involved in solving those problems, both as students now, and as adults in the future.

I value INDIVIDUALITY. In my teaching, I will strive to treat my students as individuals, to honor their strengths and help them improve their weaknesses and to provide choices whenever possible.

I value LIFELONG LEARNING. In my teaching, I will strive to inculcate habits in my students that will help them to continue learning for the rest of their lives. I will also demonstrate to them that I am a lifelong learner.