KUA DESIGN FOR SUCCESS

Drawing on decades of personal insight into teenagers—and prompted by the various issues impacting them in ways previous generations never imagined— Kimball Union Academy took a deep dive into the abundance of research on strategies that support teachers and students across their professional or educational careers.

The result is KUA Design, the Academy’s approach to learning. By implementing research-informed teaching and learning strategies into the curriculum and faculty professional development, KUA can now best deliver an experience that will support students in their educational, social, and emotional lives.

“Our goal is to unlock joy and develop a sense of agency so students can discover a love of learning in their life experiences at KUA and beyond,” says Head of School Tyler Lewis.

Based on the foundation of positive relationships, KUA Design leverages the science of how the brain works and learns to create intentionally designed experiences and challenges so all students feel motivated, engaged, and supported. The approach guides every aspect of student life—how they find academic success, navigate social experiences, and work as a team on the playing fields. “At the heart of KUA Design is a respect for the neuroplasticity of the brain—especially the teenage brain—and our deep-seated human need for belonging,” says Anne Peterson, director of studies and academic support.

Peterson, who oversees KUA’s Gosselin Center for Teaching and Learning, convened a group of teachers during the summer to examine the research and create a framework for KUA Design. Faculty are now using that framework to help students optimize their learning, achievement, and sense of community. Additionally, 17 faculty members participated in professional development through St. Andrew’s Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning to understand how to put these research-informed teaching and learning strategies into practice.

“With KUA Design, we are well-positioned to meet the needs of today’s students,” says Lewis. “Building on a long tradition of knowing our students and refining exceptional instincts and practices, we have also forged a leadership position in the understanding and implementation of the science of teaching and learning. It’s a difference you can feel in everything we do.”

Here, two faculty members share how KUA Design influences their teaching, coaching, and mentoring so students can find joy and success in their educational experiences.