The document outlines a school's journey toward implementing competency-based learning. It discusses three key shifts: 1) Clarifying values by describing student outcomes in terms of transferable skills and academics, 2) Aligning feedback to promote student self-regulation and agency, and 3) Aligning culture so the school community is involved in systems and implementation. The agenda covers these shifts and provides examples of competency-based approaches to values, feedback, and culture. The overall approach is to move toward defining, teaching, and assessing students based on competencies rather than traditional subjects.

1. Planning and Teaching with
Skills, Habits, and Competencies
in Mind
Keane Nacional
Curriculum Coordinator
Dave Trajtenberg
Middle School Principal

2. Session Outcomes
● Participants will walk further down the path of Graded’s
competency based learning implementation journey.
● Participants will understand the key shifts that are being
leveraged along this journey.
● Participants will ask, inquire, question, and propose about the
various aspects of this journey.
● Participants will walk away with insight, perspective, and next
steps to support their respective journeys.

3. Agenda
Values
Student Outcomes
Feedback
Grading, Reporting &
Assessment
Culture
Systems & Implementation

4. Competency
Based
Learning
Shift #1
Clarifying
values
● Academic
● Essential Skills
for Learning
Shift #2
Aligning
feedback
● Grading
● Reporting
● Assessment
Shift #3
Aligning
culture
● Teacher
Leadership
● Community
Mindset
Our Approach

5. Shift 1: Clarifying Values
Student outcomes are transferable and
disciplinary and transdisciplinary.
Disciplinary
Academic Standards
Transdisciplinary
Skills / Habits / Competencies

6. Student Outcomes
KEY SHIFT
Student outcomes are described in terms of transferable skills and strategies;
may include both academic and SEL-related outcomes.
Academic
Indicators are used in an academic
perspective when the teaching,
learning, and assessment of the
indicator are informed by adopted
academic standards by a subject
and/or course that promote deeper
learning and transfer.
Essential Skill for Learning
Indicators are used as an essential skill
for learning when the teaching,
learning, and assessment of the
indicator is informed by behavioral
attributes and/or learning habits that
promote self-regulation.
Shift 1

7. Shift 2: Aligning Feedback
Feedback, reporting, and assessment promote
student self-regulation and agency.
Self-Regulation
Feedback that helps students learn.
Agency
Feedback that is self-reinforcing.

8. Reporting, Grading & Assessment
KEY SHIFT
Developing grading, reporting, and assessment structures that develop the competencies
and students’ ownership of them.
Shift 2

9. Shift 3: Aligning Culture
An effective culture is informed by
Direction
Sharing direction with others
Alignment
Coordinating knowledge and practices
Commitment
Mutual benefits

10. Systems and Implementation
KEY SHIFT
The Middle School community (students, faculty, and parents) participate at multiple levels
of systems and implementation.
Shift 3

11. References
Drath, W.H., McCauley, C.D., Paule, C.J., Van Velsor, E., O’Connor, P., McGuire, J.B. (2008).
“Direction, alignment, commitment: Towards a more integrative ontology of leadership”.
The Leadership Quarterly. 19, (6). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2008.09.003
McTighe, J., Curtis, G. (2019). Leading modern learning: a blueprint for vision-driven schools.
Solution Tree Press.
Meadows, D. (1999). “Leverage points: places to intervene in a system”. The Sustainability
Institute. https://donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Leverage_Points.pdf

12. Gracias!
Obrigado!
Thank You!
Keane Nacional
keane.nacional@graded.br
Dave Trajtenberg
david.trajtenberg@graded.br

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