EdTechnical How Revolutionary is Alpha School?
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Nov 26, 2025 Libby and Owen dive into Alpha School, a unique model transitioning from micro-school to a broader concept. They explore its structured academic mornings and afternoons dedicated to enrichment and life skills. The promise of efficient learning and mastery-based education is tantalizing, but they also uncover concerns about scalability, selection effects, and the authenticity of its innovative claims. With a thoughtful discussion on the potential of reorganized school time, they question whether this approach could truly revolutionize education.
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Two-Hour Morning Learning Block
- Alpha School condenses academic learning into a 2–3 hour morning block using software-guided independent work.
- Afternoons are reserved for enrichment, life skills, and student-directed activities.
Practice + Immediate Feedback Works
- Mastery-based practice with quick feedback and right-level tasks boosts learning for skills like math and reading.
- Owen Henkel argues this combination mirrors what top teachers do and is supported by learning science evidence.
Shift Teacher Time To Project Work
- Use software to orchestrate high-quality content and let students progress at their own pace during independent practice.
- Reserve teacher-led time for creative, interactive projects that need complex social instruction.