Curriculum Handbook – Essential Qualities

It is the hope and intention of the Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District that all students will possess the following skills and qualities:

Essential Academic Skills

Reading

  • Locate, understand and interpret written information in prose and in documents

Writing

  • Communicate thoughts, ideas, information, and messages in writing

Mathematics

  • Perform basic computations and practical problems using a variety of mathematical techniques

Listening

  • Receive, interpret, and respond to verbal messages and cues

Speaking

  • Organize ideas and communicate orally

Essential Cognitive Skills

Creative Thinking

  • Generate new ideas

Decision Making

  • Determine specific goals and constraints, generate alternatives, consider risks, evaluate and choose the best alternative

Problem Solving

  • Recognize problems and devise and implement a plan of action

Know How to Learn

  • Use techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills

Essential Personal Skills

Responsibility

  • Exert a high level of effort and persevere towards goal attainment

Self-Esteem

  • Believe in one’s own self-worth and maintain a positive view of self

Sociability

  • Demonstrate understanding, friendliness, adaptability, empathy, and politeness in group settings

Self-Management

  • Access one’s self accurately, set personal goals, monitor progress, and exhibit self-control

Integrity/Honesty

  • Choose an ethical course of action in all decisions

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