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half page. In a traditional setting, Charisse might complain about the apparent inequity of this situ- ation. However, in this competency-based setting, Charisse understood that she was working her edge—a level of scaffolding and proficiency related to the learning target that Antoine, an ELL student, was not ready to undertake. Antoine, travelling a longer road, needs additional support. Equity comes in the fact that both students are stretching themselves as they work towards the same learning target.
As one might imagine, Charisse wasn’t totally immune from the feeling that she had “more work” than Antoine on a given day. Still, she, like many other students, espoused the philosophy articu- lated by an MSAD15 student: “what comes around goes around.” The student who easily reaches learning targets in ELA today, may struggle in math tomorrow.
Many of MSAD15’s high school students are veterans of competency education, with three or four years of experience, enough to have become experts alongside their teachers. Students
reported, for instance, that they had warned district administrators not to expand the program too rap- idly at the high school because “it is radically dif- ferent” and would take time for students to accept. “Start one grade at a time and work your way up,” they advised, adding that there would also be a significant learning curve for the teachers. MSAD15 students talk about working with their teachers to make competency education work, expressing appreciation for teachers who are open to their suggestions and invite them to make deci- sions. Four middle school students explained that “We unpack the standards” and then determine the best way to group themselves for a particular activity or recommend particular structures to organize learning more effectively. Teachers empha- sized how they trust their students “to help us figure out what works best for them.” “My students usually come up with some great ideas,” said one, “so I trust them.”
Tenth grade students at Vergennes Union High School echoed these sentiments. Teacher Leader and Spanish Teacher Kristine Kirkaldy has spear- headed the school’s effort to create a competency- based system, making her case teacher-by-teacher, and student-by-student. Supported by an adminis- tration that believes deeply in teacher leadership, Kirkaldy and a small cohort of colleagues have managed to create momentum among faculty. At the same time, many students have been resistant to abandoning their well-understood Carnegie Unit system for a model that seems to require a lot of additional effort.
Undaunted by the push-back, Kirkaldy has tack- led the issue head on by meeting with her most vocal critics to hear their concerns and make her case. Two tenth graders were recent converts who had participated in a pilot version of the Portfolio process. The students described how much they appreciated the opportunity to “finish” their work to the highest level possible by having the time to keep working on tasks without feeling crunched by arbitrary deadlines.
Kirkaldy’s deep commitment to student leader- ship led her to create a small student team to be ambassadors for the new portfolio-based gradu- ation requirements. In this role, they meet with current seventh grade students to explain the new system and respond to questions and concerns. Having shared the floor with high school teachers, they confidently and sympathetically explained that the “teachers are still figuring this out, and getting on the same page. We helped them figure out the language they could use that younger students would understand.”
Student attitudes toward owning their own learning are a crucial indicator of the value of competency education, but it is important to note that compe- tency education also produces some remarkable results. At Casco Bay, competency education is the air students breathe. The school has used its Expeditionary Learning framework to create power- fully engaging classrooms. In January, students presented their work to their fellow classmates
62 Ho w Students Experienc e Compet ency Educ ation
63 Ho w Students Experienc e Compet ency Educ ation
after completing a week-long intensive study of a single subject. One performing arts group wrote songs and performed them in their band. Another group learned about textiles, undertaking sewing, knitting, and other hand-work projects. The topics studied were as varied as teacher and student passions and were shaped by the specific learn- ing needs of the students. The presentations were humorous, compelling, and connected to the real world, and emphasized the school’s commitment to sharing learning experiences. The students were excited, confident, and fully engaged. After one young woman read an intense personal poem, the entire school gave her a standing ovation.
A few months later, an eleventh grade student met with the school’s Assessment Team (made up of teachers and administrators) to present her plan for leading a weeklong intensive course on “Urban Homesteading” with a fellow student. Their plan was for students to learn about the skills and prac- tices of early homesteaders and then find ways to apply those practices in their modern urban life in Portland, Maine. Using a rubric, the Assessment Team asked clarifying questions, made a few sug- gestions, and ultimately approved the course. At Casco Bay, as in the other schools discussed here, students have authentic opportunities to lead, make decisions, manage their own learning, and facilitate the learning of others. The words and actions of these students reveal that competency education is not just a theory promulgated by adults, but a powerful factor in student experience, one in which they are deeply invested and engaged.
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Conclusion and Looking Ahead