Mastery Blog - Mastery Portfolio

September 10, 2025·

Approaching the New Year With a No Grades Classroom

You’ve done the research. You may have even tried it out in one of your classes for a unit or more. You’ve reflected and realized that it isn’t just shifting…

April 10, 2025·

Rethinking Homework: Making Assignments Meaningful and Engaging

For many students (and let’s be honest, teachers too), homework has long been synonymous with worksheets, rote memorization, and a sense of obligation rather than genuine learning. But what if…

September 16, 2024·

Introducing Equitable Grading to Families

“What do you mean you don’t grade homework?” Have you heard this question before? What about, “How is my kid going to be prepared for college if they can turn…

June 26, 2024·

Own Your Learning with The MasteryBook

This past year, I was fortunate to have access to MasteryBook, a platform that reallycomplemented the way I approached competency-based learning in my classroom, from Grade 9Science to Grade 11…

June 7, 2024·

Author and Education Entrepreneur Selected as PDK Distinguished Educator

ARLINGTON, Va., May 1, 2024.— Starr Sackstein, Chief Operating Officer and partner of Mastery Portfolio, LLC, has been named a 2024 PDK Distinguished Educator for her transformative work in developing…

January 30, 2024·

Leading with Heart: Starr Sackstein of Mastery Portfolio On The Power of Authentic Women’s Leadership

An Interview With Pirie Jones Grossman This interview was originally published in Authority Magazine and can be found here: https://medium.com/authority-magazine/leading-with-heart-starr-sackstein-of-mastery-portfolio-on-the-power-of-authentic-womens-474db6c97ed9 More authentic relationships — By getting to know my team well,…

January 1, 2024·

“Can I have more practice?

This year, more than ever, my students are saying things like, “I’m not quite ready for the conference yet. I want to watch this video again”, “Are there any more…

December 6, 2023·

Tracking Progress and Metacognition

This week, we’re sharing one teacher’s journey to find tracking systems that work for her high school math class. When technology and the internet make raw information so readily accessible,…

October 23, 2023·

Ané Ebie-Mouton is a Lead Learner

Born in Chicago Illinois, Ané Ebie-Mouton considers herself an educator vs. a teacher. Teachers dispense facts and figures to prepare students for an end year test. An Educator engages in…