Mastery Learning

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Mastery Learning

• Its What Kids Need to Get Ready for High School
  and Beyond

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Mastery Learning

• We are using a progressive grading and marking
  system derived from sound research and focused on
  the best interests of all students as we work to
  ready them for the demands of high school and
  beyond. This system is grounded in the work of
  the Middle Start Foundation Michigan Schools in
  the Middle SREB researchers like Rick Wormeli,
  Ken OConnor, and others.

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Mastery Learning

• This system is based on one idea
• A student's grade must represent only their level
  of mastery with the state-mandated curriculum
  content. ALL students can master the material
  they need to learn.

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Mastery Learning

• Historically, student grades (in the form of
  midterm reports, online tools such as ParentView,
  and report cards) have come to include many
  different types of information.
• A student's average has measured classroom
  behavior, attitude, personality, and work ethic.
• These behavioral measurements are important and
  should be communicated to parents however, they
  limit the effectiveness of the grade by obscuring
  academic data.

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Mastery Learning

• In an effort to correct this problem, and in
  cooperation with county-wide and district-wide
  initiatives and our school administration, we are
  making use of an ABCI-type grading policy. This
  change will bring several impacts for students
  and parents

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Mastery Learning

• Studies confirm that ABCI promotes High
  expectations. Higher student engagement and
  achievement. A shrinking achievement gap.
  Supportive and responsive instruction and
  assessment. Improved student-teacher
  relationships. Fewer discipline problems.
  Strong family partnerships.

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Mastery Learning

• With this model, students who were formerly
  unable to demonstrate proficiency or work to
  their potential take ownership of their learning,
  and high-performing students receive additional
  challenges and encouragement to keep them
  engaged.

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Mastery Learning

• Formative assessments, homework, and other forms
  of practice will be a relatively small portion
  (30) of a child's grade. Feedback will be given
  to students to help them improve.

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Mastery Learning

• Summative assessments (those assignments designed
  to determine the student's level of mastery at
  the end of a unit of study) will constitute the
  bulk of quarter grade (70) for a student. These
  will include quizzes, knowledge tests, skills
  tests, reports and lab summaries.

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Mastery Learning

• Students who show mastery at the minimal level
  described in the state-mandated curriculum will
  earn a C (numerically 70-79), and those who show
  grade-level-appropriate comprehension will earn a
  B (80-89). Students who show extensive
  above-grade-level understanding of required
  concepts will earn an A (90-100).

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Mastery Learning

• Students who do not demonstrate minimum-level
  mastery (0-69) on summative assessments will
  receive a grade of 0 for Incomplete.
• Students who do not demonstrate at least minimal
  mastery of content will have opportunities to
  re-learn and retake graded (summative)
  assessments until they demonstrate at least
  minimal mastery.

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Mastery Learning

• Comments on ParentView and interim reports/report
  cards will be used to give students and parents
  detailed feedback about work-related behaviors
  such as homework completion and focus in class.

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Mastery Learning

• The ultimate goal is for the letter grade that a
  student earns to represent only the extent to
  which that student has learned the course
  content.

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Mastery Learning

• Student progress will be measured by the
  instructor as a unit progresses, allowing
  instruction to be customized to the needs of the
  class.

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Mastery Learning

• I believe in ABCI because it maintains
  accountability. If a student doesnt master a
  foundational concept, s/he cant go on until
  s/hes learned the meat and potatoes. 7th grade
  math teacher, Fennville Middle School, Michigan

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Mastery Learning

• ABCI has forced us to eliminate busy work.
  Assignments are only given if theyre worth
  doing. If its worth giving an assignment then
  itd better be worth doing and do well. This has
  forced us to question all of our instruction and
  assignmentswhy are we doing this? What are the
  curricular goals? Weve become very
  intentional. 6th grade teacher, Fennville
  Middle School, Michigan

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Mastery Learning

• The way that you get credit for the work you do
  here is a little different. For example, when you
  take an exam you're graded and if you get a C or
  above you move on to the next learning and test.
  If you don't, then you study and you retake the
  test and you do that until you are competent in
  what they're trying to teach. Have you done that
  before, and can you describe that process?
• The grading system is ABCI and if you don't pass
  a test then you get an I. If it's a C or
  above, you pass. And you have to retake the test
  and the highest grade you can get on the test is
  a C. If you fail that one then you just go
  through it orally with the teacher and you
  explain what you did wrong, and the teacher helps
  you through it.
• Have you ever had that?
• In Geometry I got an I on my test but I made it
  up and my teacher helped me to understand it
  better, so I'm doing better in Geometry. Because
  of ABCI I push myself a little harder to get good
  grades.
• Does it make learning easier for you and less
  threatening? Does it affect you in that way?
• All it does really is it makes me study harder
  and be more prepared, otherwise you have to make
  up a test. I mean, you can't just let it go
  because you have to make it up and so you might
  as well just do well.

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Mastery Learningeffects thus far