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Competency based education Competency based education is an education program in which advancement is predicated on demonstration of competency. No student moves forward in any subject until they have mastered the current level. The end result of this is that there are no arbitrary designations of grade level (K-8) based on the coincidence of a student’s age. A student is placed in a curriculum based on current ability with a plan to move forward from that place. That plan (like an IEP for every student) may be modified as often as needed – even daily, if necessary! Competency based education allows students to move ahead in topics that are learned with ease, while allowing extra time/instruction/practice to master those topics a student finds more difficult.
Common Core Yes, we believe in the philosophy of Common Core – being committed to assuring that every student masters a core set of learning objectives. But, we are not in agreement with the current application of initiating a new and confusing curriculum. Common core should mean assuring that every student masters the current, time tested basics of reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and history AND that each student is able to apply what is learned to diverse real-world situations

Standardized testing Standardized testing tells us very little about the individual student. Sometimes the most brilliant and creative individuals do not perform well on standardized tests because they do not have standardized minds. Standardized testing is simply unnecessary in a small class environment because the teacher is able to know the competencies of each student without it. The small class size at DaVinci Day makes such testing unnecessary. The teachers know each student and what their proficiency level is through daily interaction.

Special needs Every student is special, so, in reality, every student has special needs. Some needs are larger than others, but none are more special. At DaVinci Day:The student with higher intellect and creativity gets enrichment and challenge.The student with ADHD gets redirection and help focusing.The student with learning disabilities gets alternative teaching techniques.The student with behavior issues gets structure, accountability, reinforcements, and consequences.

Gifted students Students with gifts of intellect or creativity do not need to learn faster… they need opportunities to learn wider. They are able and tend to embrace taking a topic for a ride… exploring the details and implications beyond what is in the textbook.

Behavior problems Every student has behavior issues from time to time. Often, acting out is a mask to hide a student’s perceived shortcomings. Many students (both children and adults) would rather be seen as belligerent than dumb. For some students, these acting out times occur uncomfortably often. Most students with behavior issues respond positively to structure and accountability with consistent rewards and consequences. In general, as students gain competency and confidence, acting out tends to diminish.

No Child Left Behind The purpose of “No Child Left Behind” is to move students along in curriculum appropriate for their chronologic age. The true outcome of “No Child Left Behind” is that students who have difficulty keeping up are truly left behind. Additionally, under “No Child Left Behind”, gifted students are forced into mediocrity because there is little room for advanced, enriched, and wider learning.

Preparation for high school It is sad that an alarming number of students start high school without basic skills and knowledge in math, language arts, history, and science. High school is the time in which the grades on the transcripts form the permanent record for college applications. It is unfair to send students to high school unprepared. As adults, we would not try to take a class without meeting the prerequisites. But we expect children to manage classes that they may be academically unprepared to take. Being physically old enough for high school should not be the only entrance requirement.

Class size If children were meant to be raised in large groups, humans would have litters instead of single babies with only the occasional multiples. At DaVinci Day, we feel the optimal class size is eight. Each class is more like a small family than an impersonal circus. In addition to eliminating the anonymity of the large classroom which allows students to fall between the cracks, the small class size allows teachers to tailor instruction to each student. A side benefit of a more intimate education is that the students form close interpersonal relationships.

Unstructured learning environment The idea that students should sit up straight at rows of desks, walk silently in straight lines, all do exactly the same thing in the same way at the same time is copied from the military school model and comes, in part, from the industrial revolution during which schools were designed to mold students to ultimately work in factories. Children are bundles of energy…. Forcing a student into this unnatural environment requires them to divert some of their concentration to attain unnecessary compliance. The less structured classrooms at DaVinci Day allow students to focus attention on the all consuming task of learning.

Creativity Creativity is not just for art class. Students enjoy creating and reading their own stories. Students engage in the hypothetical when asked what if questions in history and science. Students will look for mathematical applications in everyday life. And, most importantly, students at DaVinci Day are more likely to engage in creative endeavors because there is no stress of judgement (grades) attached to it

Academic stress The idea that a student should be able to master a preordained set of competencies simply because a student is a certain physical age defies everything we know about child development. Children grow and mature at different rates. This arbitrary timeline of when a student should master what creates unnecessary stress for both parent and student. The most regrettable outcome is that stress gets in the way of learning. Increasing stress actually decreases learning. At DaVinci Day we try to take the stress out of education.

Grades Grades are a measure of competency; they are required in a large group environment to track progress. The most damaging aspect of grades is that students start working for the grade instead of the education. This fosters cheating, plagiarism, shortcuts, and stress. How many times have we heard the question, “Is this good enough?” Do we really want a generation of students who aspire to just good enough? At DaVinci Day there is no need for grades awarded for achievement… because every student stays with every topic until mastery; every student ultimately earns an A in every subject.

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