Deadlines move fast. School calendars don’t wait. But learning doesn’t always follow a schedule—and it shouldn’t have to.

That’s why we’re investing in self-paced courses. Students learn better when they control the pace. They pause when something’s unclear, repeat ideas that don’t stick the first time, and jump ahead when they’re ready. That flexibility matters more than most people realize.

In a live class, if you miss a concept, you fall behind. There’s pressure to keep up, even if it means pretending you understand. Over time, that builds gaps—especially in subjects like math or coding, where each topic builds on the last. Self-paced formats give you room to actually learn, not just follow.

We’ve seen this already in our first Linear Algebra course. Students finished at very different speeds. Some wrapped it up in a week. Others took their time over a month. But both groups walked away with the same thing: a clear understanding of the material. They didn’t have to compete for time, attention, or support. They could focus on getting it right.

That’s the kind of learning we want to encourage. One that values depth over speed, process over performance.

There’s still a place for real-time sessions—mentorship, projects, peer feedback. But the core instruction? It works best when students can shape their own path.

As we build out the rest of the Pebble curriculum, that’ll stay at the center of our design. No pressure to rush. No penalty for slowing down.

You learn best when you learn on your terms.

— Arnav Bonigala