Ready for Their Future

by Thad Falkner, Head of School

Last month, I read an interesting article from the Washington Post, “The surprising thing Google learned about its employees — and what it means for today’s students” by Valerie Strauss.  It explains that in hiring, Google had been placing the largest emphasis on technical skills, such as programming.  The company certainly has seen incredible success; however, in two important studies, Google found their most effective employees were strong in the following skills - being a good coach; communicating and listening well; possessing insights into others (including others’ different values and points of view); having empathy toward and being supportive of one’s colleagues; being a good critical thinker and problem solver; and making connections across complex ideas.  All of this aligns with why Wilson School cultivates 21st Century Skills in students and uses educational approaches that apply these skills, such as collaborative work and integrated learning.

There are many reasons Wilson succeeds in helping students acquire, develop, and refine these 21st Century Skills (also called “soft skills”).  Our success in this area can be attributed to three main aspects of our school culture.  

1. This work is mission-centric, we prepare students for success in an ever-changing world.  This simple phrase is powerful; it appears throughout our building and stays in the forefront of our minds as we develop curriculum and design experiences for students.
   
2. Our mission inspires the second reason, our exceptional educators strongly believe that students need to relate well.  Whether it be the Three Piggy Opera, the graduation speech, or a collaborative STEM project, our students often are in situations where they put these skills to work.  Even as Wilson has become a leader in using innovative technology, we have maintained a primary focus on the human factors, such as oral and written communication, collaboration and rapport, as well as care and empathy.  Our students are poised and interact across differences; they can effectively relate to others.
   
3. Finally, the size of Wilson promotes that all students feel known and valued.  Being known is different than feeling known.  When students feel known, they have a sense of belonging, which is an essential part of being willing to stretch themselves and take academic risks.  It also is the basis for high expectations being fulfilled.  Teachers who know students well can place high expectations with customized curriculum and support, and the students know these expectations.  The best part is, because they feel known, students have a stronger sense of accountability and are more motivated.  Research supports that school size contributes to being effective with students.  
   

At Wilson, we take success seriously and believe that everyday is an opportunity.  Over time, these successes stack-up and result in graduates who are ready for their future.