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Chapter 3
Culture of Mastery I am entirely certain that twenty years from now, we will look back at education as it is practiced in most schools today and wonder that we could have tolerated anything so primitive. —John W. Gardner
In mastery-based-learning schools, students work with teachers to choose tasks they feel let them display their proficiency with standards or learning goals based on learning progressions expressed as proficiency scales. They no longer simply complete assignments to plow through curriculum. Rather, learners are able to tap into their personal experience, knowledge, and cultural context to create learning plans or personal projects that empower them. This equates to students taking control of their own learning by expanding on their learning and applying previously mastered material to new learning objectives. It is this way that mastery-based learning is closely aligned with trauma-responsive schooling and culturally responsive teaching. This chapter centers around cultivating a culture of mastery, which empowers students to demonstrate proficiency on high-level learning goals. The chapter also presents a vehicle for addressing traditional curriculum and standards through the effective use of proficiency scales, which results in higher engagement of students and teachers. In addition, nurturing a robust culture of mastery also helps build relationships through learning partnerships that are inherent in mastery-based-learning models. Furthermore, creating a culture of mastery aligns with the belonging and esteem levels on Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy. You can assess your school’s efforts toward this change by using the “Culture of Mastery Proficiency Scale” (page 81). 63
