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Last summer, I published a journal article about Mastery Based learning in my classroom.

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Editor's note: This story led off this week's Future of Learning newsletter, which is delivered free to subscribers' inboxes every Wednesday with trends and top stories about education innovation. Subscribe today!
In Molly Nealeigh's fourth-grade math classroom at Piney Grove Elementary School in North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system, students spend most of the time studying at their own pace on skills they identify that they need to improve.

Every 12 weeks during the school year, students here take assessments to gauge their progress toward mastering all of the standards in the fourth-grade curriculum. While all students take these tests, Nealeigh's pay more attention to the results than average. For her fourth graders, the test results offer a picture of their strengths and weaknesses, revealing specific skills they need to sharpen.

Nealeigh helps them glean this understanding. She makes a chart, listing each test question under the standard it relates to (like "use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place"). Students calculate a percentage for each standard based on how many related questions they got right or wrong. When students get 80 to 100 percent of questions related to a given standard correct, Nealeigh considers that mastery, and the students don't have to do any review. Less than that and students either have to work on the skills by themselves or, if they got fewer than 60 percent of the questions correct, with a teacher.

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"The mindset is 'Give students their own data and let them choose what to work on themselves,'" Nealeigh said.

Nealeigh's classroom uses mastery-based learning, where student skill acquisition is the priority. More traditional classrooms proceed through a curriculum based on class time. One day is spent teaching one skill to the entire class, for example, and the next day, the teacher moves on. Students who miss something do poorly on the next test, and everyone charges ahead. In Nealeigh's classroom, students keep going back to a given topic if they don't quite understand it, proceeding only once they've mastered the related skills.
Related: A school where you can't fail - it just takes you longer to learn
Because she has a two-hour math block in her school, Nealeigh said she teaches new content every day for the first 45 minutes and then students are free to work on their own for the remainder of the period. She created online "pathways" for each standard in the fourth-grade math curriculum and students decide every Monday which pathways they're going to tackle that week. Once they work through the pathway, watching videos and practicing problems to learn the skill, they take a quiz. If they pass it, they can move on.

She said students got so absorbed with completing their pathways last year that they worked on them at home, during school breaks and even into summer vacation. Nealeigh recorded one of her students explaining his thoughts on the new system and he described a sense of empowerment at being able to choose which pathway to try on any given day. He liked the freedom to move at his own pace, whether it takes a day, a week or more.

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"The mindset is 'Give students their own data and let them choose what to work on themselves.'"

Nealeigh, meanwhile, gets more time during her two-hour class to pull aside small groups of students who are struggling to master certain standards and give them a more intensive lesson.

Nealeigh saw such impressive results with her students in just one year that other teachers are already beginning to implement her system in the high-poverty school. Third- and fifth-grade teams are working together to create pathways for all the standards covered in their curricula as well.

For teachers who don't have the luxury of two-hour blocks, Nealeigh said the system could still work. She recommends spending a couple days per week teaching new material and giving students the rest of the week to work on pathways individually.

For teachers who feel overwhelmed by the prospect of a radical shift, Nealeigh recommends taking small steps.

Romain Bertrand helped Nealeigh design her system last year. He is the manager of blended and personalized learning coaching for BetterLesson, a company that offers teacher coaching and curriculum resources. He said teachers shouldn't feel obligated to do all or nothing when it comes to mastery-based learning.

"If students have full awareness of what their testing data means, if they can say 'Oh I need to work on this, I could get better at this' - even if you're not building out other things, they're self-advocates," Bertrand said, referring to teachers who help students use test results to understand what skills they need to sharpen but don't create self-paced pathways or other elements of a mastery-based system. "In other classes, they're in the dark. If someone is able to go halfway, it's already huge."

This story about youth leadership training was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.

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What "mastery-based" can look like in the classroom

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Editor's note: This story led off this week's Future of Learning newsletter, which is delivered free to subscribers' inboxes every Wednesday with trends and top stories about education innovation. Subscribe today! In Molly Nealeigh's fourth-grade math classroom at Piney Grove Elementary School in North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system, students spend most of the time studying at their own pace on skills they identify that they need to improve.

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Better Lesson Blog Post by Molly Nealeigh (Part 

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Better Lesson Blog Post by Molly Nealeigh (Part 

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In her first post, Students Drive Their Learning: What Is A Mastery Based Learning System, 4th grade math teacher, Molly Nealeigh shared why she began to use a mastery based system, and explained what it is and how it supports students to work at any level, any time, anywhere. In her second post, Molly breaks down essential elements in a Mastery Based Learning System including Data Analysis and Reflection, Learning Profile with MasteryConnect, Error Analysis Booklets, and the Math Contract. Each element is an important component of the system she built alongside her BetterLesson coach, Romain Bertrand, to make this shift in her instructional approach.

A. Data Analysis and Reflection

Students analyze their data immediately after taking an assessment. For each assessment, I create a chart broken down by standard and the questions that go with that standard. Since I use Mastery Connect, it makes it easy for students to look at their correct/incorrect answers and fill out the chart. At first, it takes a lot of explaining to students how to correctly mark the spaces and what the data means. I help students calculate a percentage for each standard and then we talk about mastery levels. In my class, we set mastery (green) at 80-100%, near mastery (yellow) at 60-79%, and needs support (red) at 59% or lower. Students are able to share through reflection what they did well on and what they have not mastered yet.

SECRET #1: Do this within 48 hours of taking an assessment. Also, let students color skills green, yellow, or red with a crayon. OR even better, have them do it electronically and highlight them on Google Drive. It will help them visualize it better!

B. Learner Profile with MasteryConnect

Students examine their standards on the progress page of their MasteryConnect profile and categorize skills based on mastery, near mastery, or needs support. We have a discussion around near mastery and needs support skills. This is important because when students end up creating or choosing their pathways, they will need to understand that it will be easier for them to flip their near mastery skills to mastery than it would be for the needs support skills. The needs support skills should be saved for intervention time and/or small group time. The near mastery skills will become skills they work on independently through pathways and Canvas Modules.

Secret #2: Don't spend too much time on this step. The most important point is making sure students know that red skills require more support from a teacher or assistant and the yellow skills mean they can be more independent.

C. Error Analysis Booklets

This is where things get really exciting! The booklets give students the chance to dive deep into the why they missed a question. This booklet sorts errors based on either "careless mistakes" or "I don't understand this at all." For my students, it made them feel more at ease when they were given to the option to explain what happened and make the test correction right away, rather than making it out to be something they can't do at all. This also helps the teacher because you want to use your time helping students fix mistakes they need remediation in. The booklets take some time. But I got some of my most personal, reflective student explanations through them that helped me understand my students way more than if I had not asked them. Even in fourth grade, students were able to pinpoint exactly what they their error was and this made workshop time more valuable for us all.

SECRET #3: The first time I did this, I underestimated how long it would take students to complete this. So, the next time I did, I chunked it and had them first look at the power standards and then the standards they missed the most in.

D. Math Contract

The example below is one variation. There are a lot of different ways you can set up a math contract! For my class, we update the contracts each week. Students turn in their contracts on Fridays and create new ones first thing Monday. This does not take more than five minutes. Students use their data to choose the near mastery (yellow) skills they need to work on. They choose up to three skills and that is what they work on independently during workshop time. Students assign themselves pathways and are given codes for the test out quizzes on MasteryConnect. Students complete their math contract at their own pace. Sometimes a conversation is needed because students won't always be great time managers. So, at the beginning, I try to have them complete two skills by Friday and give them completion points in the gradebook.

Secret #4: Copy these on cardstock. Students tend to rip and crinkle them, unfortunately.

Molly Nealeigh is a 4th Grade Math Teacher at Piney Grove Elementary, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, NC.

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The Building Blocks of a Mastery Based Learning System (Part 1)

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In her second post, Molly Nealeigh, 4th Grade Math Teacher, breaks down essential elements in a Mastery Based Learning System including Data Analysis and Reflection, Learning Profile with MasteryConnect, Error Analysis Booklets, and the Math Contract. Each element is an important component of the system she built alongside her BetterLesson coach, Romain Bertrand, to make this shift in her instructional approach.

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Better Lesson Blog Post by Molly Nealeigh (Part 2)

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Better Lesson Blog Post by Molly Nealeigh (Part 2)

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In Molly's third and final post, she shares the rest of the elements that make up her Mastery Based Learning System. If you want to catch up on why Molly decided to use this system, and the first set of essential elements, check out her previous two blog posts: Students Drive Their Learning: What Is A Mastery Based Learning System? and The Building Blocks Of A Mastery Based Learning System .
Canvas Modules
I create modules by standard that house all of the pathways and resources students can use at anytime -- even at home. I link a lot of items from the Google Drive so students can also make a copy and create a folder to organize their own items. I've also uploaded Educreation videos to these modules so students can also hear my voice teaching to them, too. The Canvas modules take time. You can share modules in the "Commons" so you could divide and conquer making these modules with teammates and then share them with each other. Students have utilized these at home and enjoy having an area they can go to and learn about a skill they have a question in. I tell students that even if you are not working on that skill on your math contract, you can still use all of the learning materials in the modules. This is also great because after an exit ticket, you can quickly assign a module to a student to review material while you pull a small group!

SECRET #5: Organize by skill, maybe not the standard. For example: "Multiply Fractions" instead of "4.NF.4" Sometimes students would totally go to the wrong standard because they read the letters wrong. Oops!
Pathways
The most exciting part of it all! PATHWAYS! If you haven't joined the Pathway Party, you need to join NOW! Time consuming, yes? Rewarding, YES!!!! Creating a pathway for each standard took me around 2-3 weeks. But, you keep them forever and can always tweak them.

Pathways has transformed my whole teaching career. I used to run out of time to work with my high students and my low students because I spent most of my time with my "push" students (we've all been there). The pathways not only give students something specific to work on independently. But it also gives students a range of different learning styles. Students are able to watch videos, play games, create an activity or project, upload a FlipGrid video, practice worksheets with answer keys, etc.! The options are endless.

Students find ownership in pathways. Students choose the skills they need help on and can work on the pathways at any point, anywhere. Students work through the pathways and make their own decisions. For example, I have student who does much better watching the videos and then working on practice worksheets with answer keys. She becomes her own teacher and checks her work after completing a few problems. When she feels she is ready to move, she does! If she does not feel ready, she continues to use the resources and problem solve until she is ready to test out. Having students decide when they are ready empowers them to take their learning more seriously. They WANT to change their color on MasteryConnect from yellow to green! They WANT to say they did it themselves! Allowing students the ability to make mistakes and CHOOSE their own best way to fix them has made a huge different in my classroom.

SECRET #6: It is important to be clear about directions on the pathway, without being too wordy. The first round of pathways I made looked like they belonged to adults, not children. I had way too many directions and sections that it was intimidating for my students. I revised them to be simple and student-friendly and my students responded very well.

Test-Out Quizzes

At the end of the pathway, students take a quiz to check for mastery. These quizzes are about 5-10 questions depending on the skill. I also make sure to give a range of DOK (Depth of Knowledge) questions. I don't want to give a child all DOK 3 questions. But definitely not all DOK 1 questions. I give some computation, some word problems, and usually one question that is pretty challenging. I set the mastery level 80% or higher depending on how many questions I have. Near mastery would be from 60-79% and not yet mastered would be 59% and lower. Since I upload these quizzes to MasteryConnect, the students see their score right away! If you do not use MasteryConnect there are other apps and websites that would allow students to instantly see their score. It is also great if students know which questions they missed right away and therefore can make corrections. I have students who reach mastery and still want to correct the one or two problems they missed. If they were near mastery, students will go back to the pathway to rewatch a video or practice a certain part of the worksheet/answer key so they can eventually change their color from yellow to green. Having a test-out quiz also holds students accountable. You can give grades in the gradebook for these quizzes being completed or corrected. Students enjoy "flipping" their color from red or yellow to green and it has become sort of a competition to see how many colors they can flip in a quarter.

SECRET #7: Print a paper copy for students. Although it is a lot of paper it helps to see how students annotate the word problem and the work they show you. This also can be something you put a sticker or Mr. Sketch star on for students to take home to show their family. What I recommend is running 15-20 copies of each quiz and keep it in a file folder. Students can take one with permission when they are ready and you don't have to run a copy during a small group.

Buddy Tutors

Buddy Tutors have been a great addition to my classroom. The students who have mastered all the current skills can apply to be a buddy tutor and create a business card of the skills they would be most confident in helping a student with. The students are really excited to help one another and it actually helps you out, too! They can run a small group or do 1:1 tutoring. I meet with the student first and give he or she the worksheet they will do with the student(s) and go over which strategies to teach and how to gradually release students on becoming more independent and not doing all the work for them. Buddy tutoring ends up becoming a great mini-system in my classroom that helps reinforce skills for students who are struggling. Plus, the students love working together!

SECRET #8: Make sure these students know this is not "down time" but are "hired" to get the job done! Without clear direction, students may not completely understand the purpose of being a buddy tutor.

Molly Nealeigh is a 4th Grade Math Teacher at Piney Grove Elementary, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, NC.

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The Building Blocks of a Mastery Based Learning System (Part 2)

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In Molly's third and final post, she shares the rest of the elements that make up her Mastery Based Learning System. If you want to catch up on why Molly decided to use this system, and the first set of essential elements, check out her previous two blog posts...

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What Is A Mastery Based Learning System?

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What Is A Mastery Based Learning System?

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Before I develop a mastery based learning system in my classroom, I felt like I could never give my students everything they needed. I ran out of time and never got to every small group. Giving a "one size fits all" lesson was frustrating when I felt my students deserved choice and the freedom to learn at their own pace and in their own way.

Since I started this system, students have become the drivers in their learning and even ask if they can work on their pathways at home! Students are focused during workshop time and work on a specific skill, based off their most recent data, independently. I have found that this system has enabled students to feel comfortable in the math classroom, confident in obtaining mastery at their own pace and in their own learning style. This is the first in a series of blog posts where I share how I implement student-led mastery in my classroom and the resources I use.

What is A Mastery Based Learning System Driven by Students?

Before you begin the process of developing a mastery based learning system, it is helpful to understand what this system is and how it works.

A Mastery Based Learning System Driven by Students is a system created to help students grow at any level, at any time, anywhere. It's a blend of personalized learning, pathways, data analysis and reflection, student-led instruction, contracts, and peer tutoring.

Students analyze their most recent data to see what skills they need to improve on.

Students use this data to choose pathways they will work on independently during workshop time.

Students set short-term and long-term goals for themselves and the teacher becomes more of the facilitator than the controller of learning.

Students complete a series of tasks aligned to the skill they are working on and when ready, take an assessment to check for mastery.

Students are the drivers in their learning and make their own decisions. Each student moves at a different pace and the teacher supports each student in their journey by monitoring progress, conferencing, and providing resources to students.

The Major Elements of a Mastery Based Learning System Driven by Students:

1. Data Analysis and Reflection

2. Learner Profile with MasteryConnect

3. Error Analysis Booklets

4. Math Contract

5. Canvas Modules

6. Pathways

7. Test-Out Quizzes

8. Buddy Tutor

Because building such a system does not happen overnight, I will share my learnings in two more posts. I will also share resources and templates that you can use! This will support you as you build your own system at the same time if you feel inspired to do so. In my next posts, I will break down the major elements of a Mastery Based Learning System and share the strategies and resources that supported my students to be successful. Meanwhile, this short video will give you a good taste of what's to come and why trying a system like this might be worth your time!

Molly Nealeigh takes a selfie with her students.

A short video interview of one of Molly Nealeigh's students sharing his excitement about her new learning system.

Molly Nealeigh is a 4th Grade Math Teacher at Piney Grove Elementary, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, NC.

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Students Drive Their Learning: What Is A Mastery Based Learning System?

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Before I develop a mastery based learning system in my classroom, I felt like I could never give my students everything they needed. I ran out of time and never got to every small group. Giving a "one size fits all" lesson was frustrating when I felt my students deserved choice and the freedom to learn at their own pace and in their own way.

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Exemplars, FAQ guide, and templates

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Exemplars, FAQ guide, and templates

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Exemplars, FAQ guide, and templates

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Exemplars, FAQ guide, and templates

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Example from NCLearns 3.0 Virtual Conference

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Example from NCLearns 3.0 Virtual Conference