In this episode of Growth over Grades, middle school teacher, Allison Curry, shares her journey and expertise in competency-based education (CBE). Allison candidly discusses her frustration with conventional grading systems, recounting how this led her to explore alternative approaches. Through her exploration, she discovered and embraced CBE, recognizing its ability to foster conceptual understanding and empower students by granting them agency in their learning journeys.
Pioneering Change through Competency-Based Education
For educators who aspire to place a greater emphasis on nurturing holistic student growth, Allison offers invaluable insights into the initial steps and the challenges that inevitably arise when embarking on this transformative journey. Drawing from her own experiences as a change agent in the classroom, she provides practical guidance on overcoming obstacles and navigating the complexities of implementing Competency-Based Education (CBE). Allison underscores the advantages of CBE not only for students but also for parents and educators alike.
Listen, watch, or read the key takeaways below.
Episode Highlights
- 4:37 Why did you pursue competency-based education
- 8:37 What has been the most challenging hurdle in CBE?
- 13:02 How have parents responded to CBE?
15:24 What do students say about competency-based education? - 17:24 What has been the greatest reward of CBE?
- 19:57 What steps can educators take to get started with CBE?
- 31:40 What is one piece of wisdom you would share with other educators?
Key Takeaways
- CBE amalgamates several skills from various content domains into a singular competency. This enables quicker progression through the curriculum standards.
- A significant challenge in CBE arises when schools lack uniform adherence to the practice, leading to inconsistencies in the educational language communicated by faculty, particularly to parents.
- To meet the assessment standards in a school that is not uniformly adhering to CBE, a teacher can use the following guidelines:
- Not Yet (below 70%)
- Emerging (70-80%)
- Approaching (80-90%)
- Mastery (90-99%)
- Expert (100%)
- Parents like CBE because it ensures conceptual understanding.
- Students find CBE more challenging, fostering the development of metacognition through teacher feedback and conferences. It empowers students by promoting agency and motivating growth, eliminating the limitations imposed by traditional grading structures.
- By teaching through competencies, educators gain a deeper understanding of their subject matter, taking into account the unique learning journey of each student.
