What is CRR?
While ABD (Adventure, Belonging, Dignity) helps us understand what kind of life we want children to imagine and work toward, CRR—Courage, Reflection, and Relationship—helps us understand how children can build that life.
CRR is not a set of values to memorize. It is a set of capacities that we actively help children develop. These capacities are deeply connected to the core learning skills we work on—language, reasoning, math, and tech—but go beyond them.
CRR guides us in preparing children to live wisely, act courageously, and collaborate meaningfully in real life situations.
Why We Use CRR
As educators, we often focus on what to teach (skills, knowledge, syllabus). But we also need to ask: What kind of person are we helping this child become?
The CRR framework helps us:
- Understand what deeper competencies we are building through every learning experience.
- Stay focused on the long-term growth of the child—not just the completion of a task.
- Design sessions, workshops, and reflections that build real inner strength and social intelligence.
- Help children make sense of both their inner life and the world around them.
The Three CRR Capacities and Growth Questions
1. Courage
Courage is not just about bold action. It is about being able to stay with uncertainty, stay honest with ourselves, and take action even when results are not immediate.
Growth Questions:
- Do I pay attention to and understand my inner thoughts and feelings?
- Am I able to acknowledge and accept these thoughts and feelings without judgment?
- Do I allow myself to explore these thoughts and feelings as a way to better understand myself and the world around me?
- Do I cultivate the courage to be patient and trust the journey, even when the results are not immediate?
2. Reflection
Reflection is about understanding the world we live in, seeing the boundaries around us, and finding creative and practical ways to move forward while caring for others.
Growth Questions:
- Do I recognize the physical and social limitations/boundaries that govern the world around me?
- Do I regularly think of ways to meet my needs within these boundaries or find ways to expand them, while being considerate of others?
- Can I identify the necessary skills, knowledge, or mindset I need to prepare myself for living a meaningful life on my terms?
- Do I believe that having clear goals and regularly planning and evaluating my actions will eventually lead to the right solutions and outcomes?
3. Relationship
Relationship is about being aware of others, respecting differences, and building honest, caring, and useful connections. It includes the ability to resolve tensions and act with others in mind.
Growth Questions:
- Do I stay aware of the people around me and how my actions affect them, while also taking care of my own well-being?
- Do I find ways to live authentically without compromising the care and respect I offer to others?
- Do I start meaningful conversations when needed to find solutions that work for everyone respectfully?
- Can I encourage others to act with courage and perspective when it’s needed?
How We Use CRR in the Fellowship
As a fellow, you are not just teaching content—you are helping children develop these three capacities over time, across many contexts. CRR helps us:
- Design learning experiences that grow both skill and character.
- Reflect on how each child is evolving—not just what they can do, but how they think and relate.
- Track progress through questions and real-world behavior—not marks or levels.
- Create a common language in our team to talk about meaningful learning.