[Podcast Episode] A school with 70 Choices Every Six Weeks, Every Student a Designer, with Garrett Smiley
Journey with us into the innovative world of Sora Schools.
Here, every six weeks heralds a new beginning as students sift through 70 diverse subjects, deciding whether they'll dive into artificial intelligence friendships, architect their own civilizations, or plunge into the mysteries of the Roman Empire's decline.
But at Sora, the power of choice doesn't end there.
If none of the 70 topics resonate, students can champion their own projects, always steering their educational ship. Yet, even in this realm of freedom, challenges like student insecurities and the weight of tradition loom. Discover how Sora Schools uses technology not just as a tool, but as a bridge, connecting these unique learning experiences to traditional academic credits. And in the words of Garrett, their approach is a "quantum leap in how education works."
Quotes:
"The powerful moment is when they realize they are always in control of their GPA and, essentially, their grades. Because if you 'fail', if you get a zero out of four on, let's say, critical thinking — that's actually pretty hard to do — but if you get a zero out of four on critical thinking, you do it better next cycle and it's gone. It never happened."
"Students are sitting there every six weeks, they choose new learning experiences. So they're sitting there and they have 70 choices, things from building artificial intelligence to how to build your own civilization. At some level, you are there because you chose to be there. They are always in the driver's seat of their education."
"Education historically is designed the way it is because this is a very complicated thing we're all doing and we did not use to have computers to organize people and information. All the design constraints that drove that initial configuration are no longer true. So I think you just have to kind of throw it all out. It's mostly this antiquated thing, and I think we are much better suited throwing it out than trying to reform it into something relevant for the 21st century."
Key insights:
Student-Driven Learning: Traditional educational systems are set up with a fixed curriculum and structure, but Garrett emphasizes the importance of letting students choose their own learning experiences. At Sora Schools, students are presented with a multitude of choices, from building artificial intelligence to studying the fall of the Roman Empire. This not only empowers students but also ensures they are genuinely interested and invested in what they're learning.
Rethinking Efficiency in Education: Historically, the educational system has been designed for efficiency, often compared to a factory model. However, many of the constraints that shaped this system no longer apply in the modern age. With the advent of technology and more resources, the old model may be more of a hindrance than a help. Garrett suggests that instead of trying to tweak and modify it, it might be more beneficial to completely overhaul and reinvent it.
The Illusion of Permanent Failure: In many educational settings, a bad grade or failed test can seem like an insurmountable setback. However, at Sora Schools, the approach is different. If a student doesn't perform well, they have the opportunity to learn, improve, and redo their work in the next cycle. This not only provides a safety net but also instills the idea that mistakes are part of the learning process and not the end of the road.