[Ohiogift] mastery-based learning?

[Mary Collier]

Our family had similar experiences with math class, etc.  This is the same approach used to determine valedictorians, salutatorians, etc.  Compliance to turning in busy work is very important for grades and class rank.  Supposedly, this works more for girls than boys - although I can speak from personal experience, not all girls.
Mary Collier



-----Original Message-----
From: Kimberley Doucher <kdoucher at doucher.com>
To: smarantz <smarantz at columbus.rr.com>
Cc: Ohiogift <Ohiogift at lists.service.ohio-state.edu>; XL-PDX <XL-PDX at yahoogroups.com>; OATAG <OATAG at yahoogroups.com>; (Mary Collier) <redfoxmary at aol.com>; margaretdelacy <margaretdelacy at comcast.net>; (Mary Collier) via Ohiogift <ohiogift at lists.osu.edu>
Sent: Fri, Oct 21, 2016 7:33 pm
Subject: Re: [Ohiogift] mastery-based learning?

IMHO - one of the best parts of ‘mastery-based’ learning is that rote tasks and homework assignments that actually have little (nothing?) to do with the actual learning process are highlighted as actually being meaningless.  We saw this in my daughter’s 2nd grade math class when she didn’t ‘show her work’ on a math test (because she was solving the problems in her head) and thus received an ‘F’ on the test.  It happened again in Honors Lit when the teacher raved about my daughter’s 'insightful contributions to class discussion’ and ‘a deeper understanding of [the book] than that of older students’ but was receiving a ‘C’ in the class because she wasn’t writing the teacher-provided annotations at the particular page/margin.  (Her grade improved when she figured out that the ‘annotation assignments’ hadn’t changed in at least 3 years and so she started taking her older sister’s book to class and showing it to the teacher at the beginning of every class.)

In the mastery-based program she’s now enrolled in, my daughter’s class still receives tasks and assignments from the teachers but the students who ace the assessments without completing the assignments aren’t penalized.  It seems that the teachers are also more excited about figuring out ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t work’ with each of the students - maybe because they’re not grading rote assignments??

Kim Doucher


> On Oct 21, 2016, at 6:16 PM, (Susan Marantz) via Ohiogift <ohiogift at lists.osu.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hmmmm.... I am struggling with understanding and accepting mastery based learning as a positive strategy for serving gifted students.  
> 
> Is learning just about working through a list of linear objectives?
> 
> If you take away collaboration, creativity, and complexity, I think you are missing key components of a quality education.   And I believe that gifted students need more than just a quick pace through material.
> 
> I would be interested in having more discussion on this topic if list serve readers would like to respond.
> 
> Susan Marantz
> GIS Maryland Elementary School
> Bexley
> 
> ---- "(Mary Collier) via Ohiogift" <ohiogift at lists.osu.edu> wrote: 
>> 
>> Should have/could have been done a hundred years ago.  There should be no excuses these days with all the technology.
>> Mary Collier
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Margaret DeLacy via Ohiogift <ohiogift at lists.osu.edu>
>> To: OATAG <OATAG at yahoogroups.com>; XL-PDX <XL-PDX at yahoogroups.com>; Ohiogift <Ohiogift at lists.service.ohio-state.edu>
>> Sent: Fri, Oct 21, 2016 12:21 am
>> Subject: [Ohiogift] mastery-based learning?
>> 
>> Friends:
>> 
>> Below is a link to and excerpt from a blog post on the "high flyer" blog jointly hosted by the NAGC and the Fordham Institute.
>> 
>> This article will also appear in the NAGC publication "Teaching for High Potential"
>> 
>> 
>> Mastery-based learning, is it good for gifted learners?
>> 
>> https://edexcellence.net/articles/mastery-based-learning-is-it-good-for-gifted-learners
>> 
>> Mastery-based learning, also called competency-based or proficiency-based learning, is a program of personalized, differentiated education where students’ progress is based on their successful achievement of learning objectives, rather than prescribed “seat time” in a specific grade level. Typically, these programs require students to demonstrate proficiency through frequent assessments before advancing to the next learning activity or objective. Several states, such as Iowa and New Hampshire, are currently exploring the implementation of competency-based education programs in their districts, which will improve educational opportunities for gifted children in the regular classroom—but only if administered properly.
>> 
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