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Question
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Ken - How do I reach mastery learning at the 8th grade with 160 students? I focus only on summative assessments for mastery because it is overwhelming to do formatives to qualify for summatives. In the last 6 months, I have had 5 lunch periods without students needing to "redo work for mastery." I tried to reduce days, but cannot meet the needs in 2 or 3 days per week. I am working hard on formatives to prepare them for the summatives, but I am still having about 8-10 percent struggling below a 3. To me, if students need more time or practice, then mastery needs to be within the school schedule (a class period) day (not at lunch or after school) or it is viewed as punishment. Many of the teachers are hesitant to try standards-based grading because of the mastery component. Please advise.
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2010-02-08
Nancy Smith |
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The
Grade
Doctor
says:
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Nancy,
I applaud you for doing all the right things and am sorry to hear that you are finding it
overwhelming although I think your comments reveal why that is the situation. It is
because you are trying to do it on your own; all the grade 8 teachers should be doing what
you are doing and then the work load of getting to mastery would not be overwhelming
for you and the teachers who have been hesitant to join. For example at a Junior High near
Tacoma, WA the 8 math teachers provide help and retesting Mon-Thurs after school but
each teacher only has to do one day each two weeks.
I disagree with you that mastery needs to be within the school schedule because what you
are trying to do is make learning fixed and to do that time needs to be the variable.
Students need to see time before or after school or at lunchtime as support not
punishment.
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