Mastering Resolutions
- To be as available as any student, colleague, or parent requires.
- To attend an extra-curricular event for every student I teach.
- To promote mastery as a priority in the learning environments I create.
The first two resolutions are the same as last year, and continue my committment to building community, and serving the individuals and groups I interact with. The third is a new-ish priority.
As educators we assign activities, and assess the quality of product which is produced. This assessment will ultimately become a qualification, or in the case of an administrator a positive performance evaluation. Indeed, one of our primary functions is to be a gatekeeper, or even a bouncer, determining which of our charges will be granted entrance to the next stage of their educational, or career journey.
I feel that I have been repressing another purpose. Education is also about helping others to perfect their understanding of a topic, or to complete their development of skills. Educators as responsible for ensuring mastery of material. This attitude subtly changes the approach to any learning activities.
Formative assessment becomes the norm, even with regard to end of unit projects. This year all of my summative assessments will be given with the option to repeat all or part of the activity if skills or knowledge have not been mastered. My aim is to be more aware of student achievement and to reteach more often.
I know that there will be challenges. Allowing students to redo essays will increase my workload, and there are only so many multiple choice questions available in question banks.
How do you promote mastery in your educational situations?
Gate image from: flickr.com/photos/wallyg/
Yoda image from flickr.com/photos/cirofono
