Instructional Vision

INSTRUCTIONAL VISION

The curriculum and instruction of Bishop Kearney will ensure that

  • Our students are visionary thinkers and leaders who are able to critically analyze information and make informed decisions
  • Our students have a mastery of conceptual and critical thinking skills
  • Our students understand how to use emerging technologies for information and communication
  • Our students know how to build up and participate in effective work teams by understanding the dynamics of interpersonal and group relationships
  • Our students are comfortable with public speaking, and are skilled at creating and delivering effective presentations
  • Our students value social entrepreneurship, and accordingly have a well-developed sense of ethics, morality, and social justice
To achieve these goals, the Kearney faculty will utilize techniques that
  • Foster a student-centered classroom environment that is rich with opportunities for active learning, meaningful interaction, and critical thinking
  • Incorporate a wide variety of instructional methods including lecture, cooperative learning, collaborative problem solving, web-based resources, small and large group discussions, student presentations, multimedia presentations, etc.
  • Make appropriate use of technology to enhance instruction, supplement curriculum, and facilitate communication and presentations for both students and teachers

 

 

The “Ideal” Kearney Classroom

 

»  is CONSTRUCTIVIST, meaning that

  • The teacher is viewed as a facilitator, coach, and guide
  • Students gain skills and knowledge through active learning and guided exploration
  • An emphasis is placed on thinking, explaining one’s reasoning, and connecting ideas, themes and concepts, rather than on simply memorizing facts
  • Hands-on materials and primary resources are given more emphasis than textbooks

 

»  is STUDENT-CENTERED rather than teacher-focused

  • Teacher reduces the amount of “telling” or “lecturing”
  • Student activities and assignments are designed for active student discovery of information
  • Problem solving and thought processes are modeled by the teacher and then practiced by students in the classroom by providing them with “real-life” examples
  • Students learn to think for themselves
  • Standing alongside students as they learn is preferable to standing in front of them

 

»  teaches CRITICAL THINKING skills, in which students

  • Make careful analyses before coming to any judgment or conclusion
  • Examine evidence to support any belief, solution, or conclusion prior to its acceptance
  • Evaluate the quality of any information, data, or knowledge

 

»  incorporates COOPERATIVE LEARNING, which involves

  • Interdependence among students
  • Face-to-face positive interaction
  • Group decision making
  • Communication, leadership, and conflict resolution opportunities

 

»  provides for DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION, so that

  • Students are not passive recipients of information who receive a “one size fits all” education
  • Choices of tasks and assessments are provided in keeping with students’ learning styles
  • Students may become more active learners, problem solvers, and decision makers