Learning

Vision & Approach

For the past 100 years, South Kent’s academic vision and programming has always been guided by our Mission to prepare and develop young men into thoughtful and engaged learners and community members. Our success in doing this is rooted in the fact that throughout our history, we have continued to evolve, adopt, and integrate the content and skills our boys need in order to thrive and succeed in the world that awaits them.

As we enter our second century of educating boys, we have created and implemented an academic program that provides our students with the knowledge and skills they will need to find success at and beyond the collegiate level. Our courses and programs help develop futures literacy and experiences aimed at educating the whole student. We develop young men who:

• Value community
• Have the ability to collaborate, think critically, and communicate
• Develop skills for the world in which they will live
• Participate in varied extracurricular activities

Understanding the Ways Boys Learn

This commitment has inspired the School to examine how twenty-first-century boys learn best. Studies show that learning takes place over time with intentional and continuous practice. Results-based feedback and letter grades alone tend to reduce students’ interest in the learning itself and lead to a fixed mindset. With this knowledge, South Kent has evolved its academic programming to include an innovative curriculum that is competency-based, interdisciplinary, and project-focused. We inspire learning that fosters the development of a growth mindset, where students get to explore content, receive feedback, and focus on progress versus the end result.

Competency-Based Mastery Learning

The Mastery Learning model asks students to develop knowledge and master competencies that can be easily transferred to a real-world context. Instead of focusing on content management and retention of siloed subject matter, our interdisciplinary approach encourages students to make connections across subjects, fostering a holistic understanding of everyday challenges. Through project-based learning, students gain practical experience and problem-solving skills, applying their knowledge in meaningful ways so that they are well-positioned for the world that awaits them. This dynamic curriculum equips our students with the tools they need to excel in a diverse and ever-evolving landscape.