In this article, the author profiles Charles Dickens Elementary School in Vancouver, British Columbia, a school that dares to be different from the rest. This elementary school operates on a child-centered, multi-aged framework that is based on belief in an orientation towards continuous progress, appropriate evaluation of progress, schoolwide…

The article describes four schools that use a continuous progress or nongraded approach to pace gifted elementary students. Article inserts present information on the Richardson Study (a national study of gifted education) and guidelines for developing continuous progress and nongraded models. (SW)

Continuous progress education is designed to relate to the special interests, needs, and abilities of each individual learner. A curriculum responsive to the needs of early adolescents would include the elements of content organization, learning activities, time allocations, student assessment, staff and materials development, and budget. (JN)

Author holds that no educational research has ever shown that grades are helpful to children or to learning. He also lists eight major criticisms of the traditional grading system. (GB)