Core Competency Portfolios

By Mari O’Meara

The Downtown School’s educational mission is founded upon five Core Competencies--Learning How to Learn; Effective Communication; Thinking Critically; Collaboration, and Thinking Creatively. Upon beginning their high-school careers at The Downtown School, students use the Core Competencies as a guide for their learning. The journey begins with the creation of a portfolio that showcases and celebrates each student’s academic growth. 

Ninth graders set up a web-based portfolio in each of their academic courses. Throughout the course of the school year, students are provided class time to update their portfolio, which grants them the valuable time to reflect upon their learning, recognize their growth, and assess where they need further development. The production of the portfolio itself is also a practice of the Core Competency skill sets. The portfolio is comprised of individual pages dedicated to each competency in which students:

• Define each core competency in their own words. 

• Showcase one piece of work as an artifact that demonstrates the core competency.

• Write a paragraph explanation of how the core competency is reflected in the piece(s) of work that the student chooses to showcase.

• Write a paragraph reflection of the core competency, including where the student started and where they ended up. 

• Write one "Strength" statement.

• Write one "Area of Growth" statement.

Additionally, to encourage further creativity, students personalize their portfolios. Through the ongoing reflection in which students engage with their portfolios, they soon realize the connections between each of the academic disciplines. By the time students are in eleventh grade, they are comfortable and confident in identifying and applying the Core Competencies in their learning, thus promoting their independence as learners.