Key insights:
- Our current schools are not designed to help every student reach their potential, and often act more as a form of childcare than an institution of learning
- Differentiated variable-pace learning, supported by new software applications, would go a long way toward ensuring everyone’s potential is nurtured without putting additional demands on overstretched educators
- It would free up time in the school day for all students to engage in enriching activities, pursue their own interests and develop valuable skills
- This approach would benefit all students—from high achievers to those needing extra support—and help nurture the next generation of thinkers, leaders and innovators
In sports, we celebrate talent and give athletes the resources and personalized support they need to develop their skills. Why can’t we do the same in academics?
Treating academics like sports means establishing a system where students are encouraged to pursue their interests and develop their talents to their fullest potential. It means respecting the diversity of kids’ abilities and motivations, not trying to erase them. Students would receive instruction appropriate for their current level and the speed at which they learn. They would have access to advanced learning material and be encouraged to excel academically. This could be done without putting additional demands on already overstretched teachers and underfunded schools, thanks to new educational software and AI tools. This approach would benefit not only those students but also society as a whole by nurturing the next generation of leaders, innovators and thinkers.
Professional athletes don’t train eight hours a day, and kids don’t need that many hours of instruction either. Even today, most homeschoolers and some private schools spend only a couple hours a day on academics yet still outperform traditional schools. Imagine public schools where academics might last only two hours a day, giving students the remainder of the day to pursue personal projects, socialize, play sports and engage in other enriching activities. Educational software can not only support this optimized instruction, but also provide flexibility by developing optimal learning pathways, identifying why students might be struggling and helping them get back on track. This environment would enable students to demonstrate intellect and commitment at an accelerated pace, allowing us to nurture these traits while teaching them useful skills.
The problem with modern education
This vision contrasts sharply with the current state of modern education policy, which is fundamentally broken. Today, schools are not designed to help every student reach their potential but rather to close the gap between the highest and lowest performers. This approach prevents the highest-achieving students from fully realizing their abilities. A glaring example is the decision by the San Francisco Unified School District to ban middle school algebra. Because some students failed algebra in eighth grade, SFUSD decided no students should be allowed to take algebra in eighth grade. Ten years later, this misguided move is still in the process of being reversed following significant backlash from parents, educators and the community.
“Today, schools are not designed to help every student reach their potential but rather to close the gap between the highest and lowest performers.”
One-size-fits-all academics, based on the lowest common denominator, simply does not work. Not only do strong learners suffer, but those needing more help don’t receive it either. The hours spent in school are not commensurate with the amount of real learning that occurs. Too much of the school day is just academic theater, with schools functioning mainly as childcare—a place where busy working parents can park their kids. We need to make schools more productive, fun and capable of best preparing all students for the real world.
I benefited from an education that was tailored to my capabilities and needs—but only through the tireless commitment and dedication of my parents. After I learned to read at an early age, my dad taught me math. In order to justify access to accelerated opportunities, his goal was to have me complete kindergarten math before I even started kindergarten, and he succeeded. In kindergarten, I went to a first-grade classroom for math instruction each day. This simple arrangement worked well for the next three years. However, my school only went up to third grade, so there was no fourth-grade classroom to join for math lessons. In retrospect, this was a blessing, because that’s when I started studying independently.
Lessons from my experience
When my classmates were having their math lessons, I would take a textbook to the back of the room and work on problems. In seventh grade, I rejoined a standard classroom for precalculus. In eighth grade, I took calculus and scored a 5 on the AP test. I succeeded because, throughout my school career, people ensured that I was always learning. Many other kids could do the same if we just give them the opportunity.
Gifted and talented programs do exist in many schools, and parents want their kids to participate and accelerate. Yet these programs are limited, both in the number of students they can serve and in the acceleration they provide. Just 0.0002% of the federal education budget is dedicated to gifted programs. This lack of investment in gifted kids disproportionately affects lower-income students, who don’t have the resources to seek enrichment elsewhere.
In San Francisco, where my kids were born, teachers are not even allowed to teach material above grade level, regardless of what kids are ready for. There is no track for smart, motivated kids to take algebra in eighth grade, let alone in fourth grade as I did.
“…we believe more students could be doing college-level math and computer science before high school.”
That’s why I ensured that my kids could teach themselves at an early age. Seeing how well it worked led me to found Mentava, to make accelerated learning more broadly accessible to any student who wants it. Our company’s mission is to give options to kids whose learning needs aren’t being met. We’re building a software-based daily tutor because we believe more students could be doing college-level math and computer science before high school. Our first product is a software-based daily tutor designed to teach preschoolers to read.
Differentiated learning is the future
My core belief is that the future of K–12 education is differentiated, variable-pace learning. We should not force students to wait for their greatness to take shape. Instead, their potential should be nurtured and encouraged.
Evidence from homeschooling suggests that such goals can be achieved even as students spend a smaller portion of the school day on academics. That would free students to engage in nonacademic activities that interest them. These could include personal projects, socializing or playing sports. This approach would make learning more enjoyable and significantly reduce the stress associated with long school hours and excessive homework.
What’s more, it would better prepare students for the real world. In the workforce, success often depends on skills that are not taught in traditional academic settings, such as creativity, problem-solving, teamwork and time management. By giving students the time and space to pursue their interests and develop these soft skills, we would better prepare them for future success.
In such an environment, software could be used to augment learning, providing personalized assistance where needed. Adaptive technology allows students to advance at their own pace, tailoring the learning experience to meet each student’s needs.
Alpha School, which has locations in Austin, Brownsville, Miami and Silicon Valley, is a great example of an institution that has made strides in this direction, and successfully so. The school provides resources, time and structure for students to pursue bold projects with an Olympic-caliber goal. Examples of student projects include working with the city to develop a mountain bike park, building a blog following of more than 10,000 readers on Substack and creating an invisible keyboard. The students learn twice as fast by using adaptive technology, an innovative schedule and self-agency. Alpha School uses software to provide instruction at the appropriate level and pace while adults serve as “guides” to help students clarify their interests and goals.
Differentiated, pace-varied learning increases equity by respecting students’ diverse mastery levels, learning styles and ability to absorb new material. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds often face challenges in the traditional education system. They may lack access to the same resources and support as their more advantaged peers and need more support than is possible with a one-size-fits-all approach.
“Differentiated, pace-varied learning increases equity by respecting students’ diverse mastery levels, learning styles and ability to absorb new material.”
By tailoring education to meet each student’s individual needs, we can ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed. Adaptive technology and differentiated learning plans could provide the necessary support for students who are struggling to catch up and help them excel. For teachers, the use of tech-supported differentiated learning would ease the burdens of providing differentiated instruction while freeing up time to focus on giving additional guidance to the students who most need it.
Getting started
How can parents, teachers and school leaders start transforming education to better nurture and develop each student’s potential? The journey could begin with a few steps:
- Look for specific policies that might be hindering students’ ability to excel. For example, are there restrictions on advanced coursework? Are there limitations imposed on pursuing variable-pace learning? If so, organize to repeal those restrictions.
- Understand the obstacles teachers are coping with. For example, policies may dictate class sizes, standardized testing requirements or curriculum restrictions that prevent them from meeting all students’ needs. Enlist teachers as your allies in effecting change.
- Use your voice to improve the system. Collaborate with other parents, academic leaders and community members who share your concerns. A united group can have a stronger impact than individual voices. For example, after parent and community pushback, the school board in San Francisco voted to begin a process to reinstate algebra in middle school. (In a subsequent referendum, more than 80% of voters voted to urge San Francisco to end its ban on middle school algebra. Unfortunately, the battle for algebra continues because the vote was non-binding, but it sent a clear message about the community’s overwhelming support for more advanced and differentiated learning opportunities.)
It’s time to rethink our approach to education. The current system is not set up to help every student reach their potential. By treating academics more like sports, we can create a system that nurtures and encourages greatness from an early age. Differentiated, variable-pace learning can make education more enjoyable, reduce stress and better prepare students for the real world. Let’s create an education system that truly helps every student reach their full potential.
