In this episode of the Growth Over Grades podcast, Jordan Lewis chats with Julia Bamba, a principal on special assignment, driving secondary innovation in Washington. They dive into the benefits of mastery-based learning, discussing how to engage families, leverage technology, and celebrate student success. Julia Bamba also shares practical tips for educators looking to start their journey toward educational innovation.
Journey from Teacher to District Leader
Julia Bamba is a former Language Arts teacher and the founding principal of Gibson Ek High School. She now leads district-wide efforts to drive innovation through mastery-based learning. “There are still many schools holding onto a traditional mindset, and we're working to show what’s possible when you try something different,” she shares. For Julia, it all starts with relationships—knowing students deeply so you can help them grow. She’s also passionate about connecting learning to life beyond the classroom. Some of her focuses are career readiness through internships and real-world problem-solving. These initiatives engage both students and the wider community.
Episode Highlights
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:01:00 - Guest Introduction
- 00:13:50 - Iteration and Growth in Innovation
- 00:18:12 - Boosting Student Motivation
- 00:21:35 - Bridging Understanding with Families
- 00:23:58 - Innovative Assessment
- 00:30:28 - Celebrating Student Achievement
- 00:36:48 - Leveraging Technology to Inspire Students
- 00:46:08 - Launching your Innovation Journey
- 00:49:04 - The Future of Mastery-Based Learning
Iteration and Growth in Innovation
Julia sees innovation in education as something that’s always evolving—not just one-and-done projects. She encourages school leaders and teachers to lean into the Design Process, especially when things get challenging. “It’s easy to revert to a more traditional mindset when things feel chaotic, as if we want to control them,” she acknowledges, “but we need to trust the process.”
Julia reminds us that real innovation comes from experimenting. Great ideas come from learning by doing and adapting ideas to fit the unique needs of your own school community. On top of that, visiting other schools and learning from peers can spark fresh ideas. Innovation is about staying curious, embracing the process and challenges, and working together through the uncertainty, while always keeping your focus on what helps learners grow.
Boosting Student Motivation
Mastery-based learning helps students do more than just understand the content they’re learning—it helps them see how their skills are growing over time. Julia points out that in traditional systems, students often feel frustrated and demotivated. They have to “prove” themselves all over again to a new teacher each school year. But growth is continuous with mastery-based learning; students don’t have to start from scratch because they build on what they’ve already learned.
Moreover, learning doesn’t happen in isolation. Teachers, parents, and community members should regularly talk about student growth. This shared language creates a clear purpose and makes a difference for learners. “They see the value and understand what they’re learning. They can talk about it, take feedback, redo work, and come back to share it again,” she says. Having an ongoing conversation will motivate students and make learning stick.
Bridging Understanding With Families
Julia points out that when families look for alternatives to traditional education, it’s often because the conventional model isn’t meeting their child’s needs. The goal isn’t to convince them that the school is a better fit, but rather it’s to help them understand how the school approaches learning in a way that might work better for their child. “It’s about making sure families are part of the conversation from the beginning and that connections are made with the adults, especially the advisors,” she explains.
Julia also reminds us how important it is to keep parents in the loop and make them feel like true partners in their child’s learning. That means breaking down what assessment terms like “emerging” or “exploring” mean and creating hands-on opportunities—like exhibitions and portfolio presentations—where families can see their child’s learning process in action. When families are invited into the process, they gain a clearer, more meaningful picture of how their child is growing, not just in academics, but in confidence and real-world skills too.
Innovative Assessment
Julia believes that measuring student growth should be a personal, ongoing journey—one that’s supported by strong relationships. At her school, every student is paired with an advisor who guides them through their academic journey over multiple years, helping them navigate their learning and track their growth along the way. But this kind of support isn’t done in isolation. Advisors work hand-in-hand with the student’s other teachers to make sure no piece of the learning puzzle gets missed.
Portfolios are a key part of how that story comes together. They’re a space where the full learning journey lives. “I want to see the messy part—where did you run into challenges? How did you change? How did you adapt?" Julia explains. For her, the most meaningful part of learning isn’t the polished final product, but the growth, struggle, and reflection that got the student there.
Celebrating Student Achievement
Julia highlights two ways schools can celebrate student learning while meaningfully involving families. The first is the Exhibition, where students present a 30 to 40-minute showcase of their learning. But it’s not just a slideshow; Julia encourages students to bring their learning to life. “If you want to use slides, I don’t want to just see words. I need to see pictures, evidence, and the people we collaborated with,” she explains. During these presentations, the audience plays an active role, asking thoughtful questions that help students reflect and grow.
The second model is the Design Fair. While it may look like a traditional Science Fair at first glance, the focus here is deeper. Students aren’t just presenting their final product—they’re pushed to reflect on their process, their challenges, and what they learned along the way. The goal in both models is the same: to help students take pride in their learning journey and give families a window into work that they took ownership of.
Leveraging Technology to Inspire Students
Julia Bamba sees technology as a powerful tool for innovative teaching. She encourages teachers to make tech hands-on and approachable, creating opportunities like “Crash Labs,” where students can tinker, explore, and learn through play. “It’s about experimenting, practicing, enjoying, and just messing around,” she says.“If they like it, we can help them dive deeper.”
But she’s also realistic about the barriers some schools face. When it comes to tech access, her advice is to get scrappy and resourceful. That might mean repairing old equipment or applying for local grants to fill the gaps. But no matter what tools you have, the most important thing is to start with what excites your students. “If we build the garden and hope they’re interested, but they’re not, we’ve wasted all this time,” she explains. The key is meeting learners where they are—and letting their curiosity drive the learning.
Launching your Innovation Journey
Julia encourages school leaders to drive innovation by first connecting with those already doing the work in their school communities. Visit classrooms where new ideas are in action. Keep having ongoing conversations with fellow educators. Most importantly, bring students into the dialogue. “It’s about building connections, starting small, testing a few ideas, and generating energy around those efforts,” she says.
She reminds us not to wait for the perfect moment to begin. It’s important to start small, but leaders should also dream big. Innovation doesn’t require having all the answers upfront—it starts with curiosity and a willingness to learn alongside your community.
The Future of Mastery-Based Learning
Innovation and mastery-based learning are essential for shaping the future of K–12 education—and for ensuring all students have a chance to thrive. Too often, students who don’t fit into traditional systems are overlooked, even though they have so much to offer. These learners can be seen for their strengths and supported in meaningful ways.
Julia knows this work isn’t easy, but the outcome is worth it.
"What we want for our kids is to create limitless opportunities, offer them choices, and support them with real-world applications for their future."
Her work is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we put students at the center, involve families in the learning process, and continue learning alongside our communities. In doing so, we can reimagine what K–12 education can be—and help every student discover their potential.
