Summary: Join C.T. and guest Miranda Thorman, Executive Director of East Bay Innovation Academy (EBIA) in Oakland, California, as they explore the transformative power of competency-based learning in a diverse, STEM-focused public charter school. This insightful conversation delves into how EBIA serves students from sixth through twelfth grade with a curriculum centered on project-based, hands-on learning that emphasizes real-world application over traditional testing.

Key Takeaways:

• Competency-Based Learning: This approach flips traditional education by focusing on students mastering skills and concepts to apply them in real-world, novel projects rather than just preparing for tests, fostering deeper engagement and relevance.
• Growth Mindset and Allowing Failure: Students are encouraged to learn at their own pace and are allowed to fail and retry, mirroring real-world learning and promoting a growth mindset among both students and staff.
• Project-Based, Hands-On Curriculum: Across subjects, students engage in meaningful projects—such as debates or building scale models—that require applying knowledge, making learning active and connected to real challenges.
• Diverse, STEM-Focused Community: EBIA serves a highly diverse student population with a strong emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math, including career pathways with internships and work-based learning.
• Formative and Summative Assessments: The school uses frequent formative assessments with feedback to guide learning, culminating in summative demonstrations of competency, which may differ from traditional grading systems.
• Challenges of Systemic Change: Implementing competency-based education within traditional school structures involves navigating entrenched systems like grade levels and standardized testing, requiring teacher training, coaching, and buy-in.
• Personalization and Real-World Preparation: Competency-based models support personalized learning paths and prepare students for college and careers by building portfolios of demonstrated skills applicable beyond school.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Competency-Based Learning

00:44 Meet Miranda Thorman

01:11 Overview of East Bay Innovation Academy

01:52 STEM Focus and Project-Based Learning

03:47 Competency-Based Learning Explained

07:07 Implementing Competency-Based Learning

14:07 Challenges and Teacher Preparation

16:15 Competency vs Traditional Models

25:29 Student and Family Transition

29:07 Growth Mindset and Final Thoughts

Connect with CT: linkedin.com/in/cheetung

Connect with Miranda Thorman: linkedin.com/in/miranda-thorman-0835a9292



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