Moonshot Academy’s Competency Model 5.0 is a mission-centered spiral growth framework, which is composed of a center and three interrelated layers: Mission core, Habits of Mind layer, Transferable Skills Set layer, and Disciplinary Lenses layer. It serves as a roadmap to achieve our mission to cultivate fulfilled individuals and active, compassionate citizens to support the sustainability of human civilization.
At the heart of the model lies Moonshot Academy’s mission, which serves as the ultimate goal and guiding compass for all teaching and learning.
Every layer of the competency model is designed to progressively support learners in internalizing and practicing this mission in authentic, age-appropriate, and evolving ways.
The innermost layer comprises six Habits of Mind (HoM), which are dispositions people use when addressing situations to which the answers are not immediately apparent.
| MSA Values | Habits of Mind |
| Seek for truth | Curiosity |
| Imagination | |
| Act with Perseverance | Growth Mindset |
| Strive for Excellence | |
| Merciful to All Beings | Self-Caring |
| Empowering Empathy |
Each Habit of Mind directly reflects and deepens one of Moonshot Academy’s three core values — “Seek for Truth”, “Act with Perseverance”, and “Merciful to All Beings.” This alignment ensures that learners not only build cognitive and behavioral capacity, but also live out the school’s mission through everyday choices and character.
At MSA, these Habits of Mind are integrated into daily teaching and formally assessed during annual defenses at key learning milestones: G5, G8, G10, G11, and G12. Through this process, learners not only reflect on their own growth but demonstrate how these habits have shaped their thinking and actions over time.
Transferable skills are interdisciplinary competencies that enable learners to apply knowledge, solve problems, and act effectively in real-world contexts.
Transferable Skills Sets are a set of skills which can be applied to situations extending beyond a single discipline. At Moonshot, we define them as Transferable Skills Sets because each one is composed of related sub-skills that collectively support meaningful performance and growth.
The twelve Transferable Skills Sets are organized into three core domains—Self-Direction, Cognition, and Social Responsibility—which correspond directly to Moonshot’s mission: cultivating fulfilled individuals and active, compassionate citizens to support the sustainability of human civilization.
Core Domain | Transferable Skills Sets |
Self- Direction | Sustain Wellness Wayfinding Experiences Self-Directed Learning |
Cognition | Read Critically Using Sources Inquiry Analysis & Synthesis Design Solutions Expression |
Social Responsiblity | Building Connections Leading & Collaborating in Teams Civic Responsibility |
Self-Direction equips learners with the mindset and strategies to understand themselves, manage their well-being, and take ownership of their learning. It supports the development of fulfilled individuals who can act with clarity, purpose, and resilience in a rapidly changing world
Cognition has served as a foundation for learners' future success, which illustrates one's cognitive ability of "how we use what we know"
Cognition develops learners’ higher-order thinking skills across disciplines, enabling them to apply what they know in unfamiliar or complex situations. It serves as a foundation for learners' future success, which illustrates one's cognitive ability of "how we use what we know". The Cognition framework at MSA is adapted from the Summit Learning model and grounded in over a decade of research-based best practices.
Social Responsibility fosters learners’ ability to connect with others, contribute to communities, and act with empathy and integrity. It prepares them to become active, compassionate citizens capable of collaborative problem-solving and civic engagement.
By graduation, learners are expected to demonstrate each transferable skill set at the proficient level defined for their division, as evidenced by the quality and completeness of their portfolio artifacts developed through interdisciplinary projects, performance-based tasks, and other relevant learning experiences.
The outermost layer of the Moonshot Competency Model contains Disciplinary Lenses which provide different views to explain how the world works. These lenses are defined by disciplinary categories, which vary by division.
Rather than memorizing facts, learners are expected to master essential disciplinary principles and methods of inquiry, enabling them to interpret complex phenomena from multiple academic perspectives.
At MSA, Disciplinary Lenses are demonstrated through learners’ mastery of big ideas and practices within subject areas. This is assessed through a combination of paper-based tests, discipline-specific performance tasks. Our academic expectations are aligned with Chinese National Standards and international frameworks such as CCSS and NGSS.
Quantity
Shape and Space
Relationships and Change
Advanced Relationships and Change
Data and Uncertainty
Advanced Data and Uncertainty
Problem Solving
Mathematical Modeling
Reasoning and Proof
Advanced Reasoning and Proof
Information Mindset and Computing System
Data & Digital Living and Learning
Computational Thinking and Programming Ability
Digital Citizenship
Matter Science Perspective
Physical Science Perspective
Life Science Perspective
Spatial and Environmental Perspectives
Advanced Matter Science Perspective
Advanced Physical Science Perspective
Advanced Life Science Perspective
Essence Thinking
Advanced Environmental Science Perspective
Middle School General Science Perspective
The Competency Model 5.0 is not a static framework, but a dynamic spiral of learning and personal development.
Learners begin with disciplinary learning in the classroom, engage in the real-world projects where they apply and connect knowledge, and grow through feedback and reflection. Over time, they develop disciplinary prespectives, transferable skills, form habits of mind, and ultimately align their learning with a deeper sense of purpose.
Each stage builds on the last moving learners toward greater awareness, agency, and mission-driven growth.
The Competency Model 5.0 is not a static framework, but a dynamic spiral of learning and personal development.
Learners begin with disciplinary learning in the classroom, engage in the real-world projects where they apply and connect knowledge, and grow through feedback and reflection. Over time, they develop disciplinary prespectives, transferable skills, form habits of mind, and ultimately align their learning with a deeper sense of purpose.
Each stage builds on the last moving learners toward greater awareness, agency, and mission-driven growth.
Primary School learners development support focuses on companionship and inclusivity, primarily reflected through the Learner Development Support Curriculum, complemented by interest-expanding courses (clubs) and community activities. Clubs and community activities will be introduced in more detail in the community section. The Learner Development Support Curriculum mainly includes psychological support, inclusive education, English language learning, and dual homeroom teacher teaching support. At the same time, home-school collaboration plays a crucial role in supporting learner development.
Each class is equipped with two full-time homeroom teachers, consisting of one native English-speaking foreign teacher and one bilingual Chinese teacher. The two homeroom teachers are jointly responsible for class teaching and daily management, and cooperate in teaching English, mathematics, integrated units (science, social sciences, information technology, labor), and SEL (social emotional learning and ethics and rule of law) courses. The cooperative teaching mode can maximize the understanding of the learning situation, pay attention to the needs of learners, and improve learning efficiency. Cooperative teachers will choose different effective cooperative teaching modes, such as one teaching and one auxiliary, stand-up teaching, parallel teaching, alternative teaching, team teaching, etc., and use differentiated and personalized teaching in the teaching process to achieve learning goals.
The classroom is also the office of two homeroom teachers, which is a living and learning field jointly created by learners and homeroom teachers. Here, homeroom teachers can not only observe learners' enthusiasm for learning and develop their academic special project abilities, but also guide and influence learners' social and emotional development through observing their daily interactions.
Depending on the level of English proficiency, learners of all grades may receive English language learning (ELL). English language learning support covers both in and out of class: in the classroom, it helps teach and learn English courses through micro-classrooms, groups, etc.; outside of class, it provides appropriate supplementary materials and organizes interesting English activities based on the learner's rhythm. At the same time, the ELL team regularly organizes MAP tests to monitor students' ability development and growth, and provides targeted help to students in a data-driven manner based on this.
Similarly, Chinese language learning (CLL) are provided for learners based on their different levels of Chinese language learning. This allows learners to have a more relaxed environment to access more diverse Chinese language learning materials. At the same time, parents can also lead learners to do more extensive reading exercises in a Chinese language environment, improving their Chinese language reading, comprehension, and expression abilities.
At present, the two courses of "Chinese Language Arts" and "Morality and Rule of Law" in MSA are taught in Chinese, and the other courses are taught in both languages.
During the process of growing up, one will face many confusions, troubles, and pressures. School counselor provides a safe space for learners to express their needs. At the same time, it helps learners relieve emotions, master self-adjustment abilities, clarify confusion in self-growth, and respond to challenges in learning and life with a positive attitude. Psychological support not only supports learners, but also provides certain support to parents and educators. Together, we support the healthy growth of learners.
Psychological support is a support system centered on learners and carried out through home-school collaboration. Psychological support teachers will establish contact with each learner and provide follow-up support to those in need. The primary school psychological office adheres to the "open door policy", which means that learners can seek help from the psychological counseling office whenever they need it.
Based on the tracking and evaluation of learners' physical and mental health in the SEL course, we will provide one-on-one or small group psychological support for learners who need help. Regular parent workshops can also help parents understand and guide learners' psychological development.
Inclusive education refers to the establishment of a learning environment and teaching model in schools that can provide the best learning opportunities for all students. If this goal is not achieved, not only must all teachers embrace the concept of inclusive education with an open mind, but also qualified inclusive education teachers and strong administrative support must be provided. Among them, inclusive education teachers play a crucial role in supporting students in need.
The inclusive education of MSA is aimed at all primary school learners. Inclusive education teachers will design different teaching plans for learners with needs, provide one-on-one tutoring, and provide teaching training for other teachers. At the academic level, they support learners' abilities in reading, writing, calculation, etc.; at the behavioral level, they regulate learners' behavior in school and provide guidance for their daily communication and interaction.
If your child needs inclusive education support, inclusive education teachers will invite you to attend relevant meetings and fill out an informed consent form. During the support process, parents can work closely with teachers based on their child's individual situation.
Co-building is a significant feature of the relationship between home and school. In the past few years, more than half of the families have carried out substantial co-building work in various aspects, such as school education and teaching activities, enrollment and social influence, operation and logistical support, and home-school relationships. The collaboration between home and school has created many beautiful and memorable moments.
In addition to regular emails, parent-teacher conferences, (bi) weekly reports, and appointments with homeroom teachers, primary schools also set up listening sessions for parents, curriculum nights, one-on-one interviews with the principal every two weeks, and monthly tea parties with the principal.
In primary school, two parent committees have joined the school-level parent committee to promote resource sharing and collaborative construction, establish close parent-school cooperation with the school, and enhance mutual trust between parents and schools. The school arranges two or more formal exchanges between the school-level parent committee and the school affairs committee every academic year to support the school-level parent committee in understanding the school's development and providing constructive opinions on the school's education, teaching, and operation management.
Primary school offers monthly courses on parenting and family growth for parents. Based on the developmental characteristics of learners of different ages and the education, teaching, and operation management system of MSA, corresponding parent growth course systems are developed. Mechanisms for mutual assistance and learning among parents in the community are explored and encouraged. A periodic parent activity system based on MSA community culture is formed to support parents to continuously move towards inner enrichment and positive action.
Primary school will invite parents to participate in various departmental and school-level activities, such as community days, festival celebrations, themed month activities, end-of-term final exhibitions, art festivals, sports events, MSA summer banquets, MSA winter banquets, etc.
This kind of home-school relationship has become the core support force for us when facing any problems and uncertainties. It is also a strong backing for us to support every learner to burst out with unique vitality, cope with the uncertainty of the future world, and promote the solution to human social problems.
We believe that a trusting relationship is key to supporting the learner's sense of belonging, meaning, and self-direction during adolescence, a critical stage in their development. MSA Middle school no longer uses a fixed-classroom course schedule, which has made it harder for learners to build relationships. Therefore, every MSA learner will be matched with a advisor who will accompany him or her. Middle school teachers are expected to do both teaching and advising, witnessing the growth of the learner together with other community members.
Normally, a 1 to 1 private advisory talk will be conducted every month at least. After the trusting relationship is built, learners are highly encouraged to seek for support from their advisors upon their own needs.
The advisor is primarily responsible for the following four areas of learners' development:
The Advisory Class focuses on core competencies such as self-awareness, self-management, social skills, learning habits, and interest exploration. It helps learners establish a strong sense of self, enhance emotional regulation and goal-setting abilities, and develop positive interpersonal interactions. At the same time, it continuously refines learning strategies and habits, laying a solid foundation for future growth. Additionally, the course incorporates sex education, approaching the topic with scientific accuracy, openness, and respect. It guides learners in understanding physical and psychological changes, developing healthy perspectives on sexuality and relationships, and building positive, confident interpersonal connections. This supports them in forming a healthy self-identity and mature social adaptation skills during adolescence.
Furthermore, the middle school Advisory Class offers elective topics, allowing students to select learning content based on their interests and needs. This flexible course structure not only provides learners with the autonomy to explore areas of personal interest in greater depth but also offers diverse learning experiences. It encourages them to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts, fostering independent thinking and problem-solving skills. Through this approach, students gain deeper self-awareness, unlock their potential, and cultivate a continuous growth mindset, preparing them for future learning and life challenges.