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VALOR'S COMPASS MODEL
At the core of Valor's mission - to empower our diverse community to live inspired, purposeful lives - is the belief that education is about helping young people reach their whole and full potential. Implicit in this belief is the recognition that human development is a complex and lifelong process that requires deep and ongoing engagement in the many dimensions of what it means to be human. At Valor we have constructed a human development model, the Compass, that guides every member of our community (adult and child) through their own adaptive developmental process.
"We're not just developing students, we're developing human beings."
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VALOR'S FRAMEWORK FOR COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
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Our Compass model is grounded in the foundational elements of being a human: mind, body, heart and spirit. "Working the Compass" means that we are intentionally developing key disciplines, habits and mindsets that support excellence in mind, body, heart and spirit. Our Compass model is comprised of four key components:
COMPASS
COMMITMENTS
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Without a foundation of relational safety and trust, it is impossible for individuals to thrive or grow. Valor's Compass Commitments represent the relational agreements we make to each other as members of the Valor community. Through our commitment-based culture, we create a foundation of trust and safety so that everyone in our community is able to take the risks required for true growth and development.
COMPASS
DISCIPLINES
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The Valor Compass Consists of five interdependent Disciplines. Each Discipline represents what excellence looks like in each human dimension - body, heart, mind, and spirit. All members of the Valor community aspire to consistently access and live from their True North, to balance their Sharp Mind and Big Heart, and to constantly work to Align their Actions to their Noble Purpose.
COMPASS
CORE HABITS
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In order to master the Valor Compass Disciplines, it is critical to develop essential mindsets, habits, and skills. While there are many mindsets, habits and skills that lead to excellence in each Compass Discipline, we have defined a set of Core Compass Habits - two per Discipline - that we believe are essential to developing a reliable "inner Compass".
COMPASS-ALIGNED BADGEWORK
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In the final component of the Compass framework, we chart the path for developing our Compass Habits and Disciplines. In many ways, the Compass Phase System is like the process of earning badges in Boy Scouts. Participants perform different experiential tasks - which we call Badgework - that are designed to help them grow across the Compass Habits and Disciplines. Both scholars and faculty participate in their own unique versions of Compass badgework. The completion of badgework culminates in participants sharing their experience with their community of peers within their own Compass Circle.
FROM ONE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO MANY...
As we saw the impact of Compass take root at Valor, we began asking a bigger question: What if we could share what we were learning beyond our Valor's campus?
Rather than continuing to grow by opening more schools, we chose to grow by sharing what we had built.
Today, The Compass Center at Valor partners with educators, schools, and organizations across Nashville and around the country to empower them to cultivate stronger communities, develop leaders, and create spaces where people feel known, connected, and valued. Through our courses, fellowships, and immersive learning experiences, we help others bring the practices and principles of Compass into their own communities.