Let Go of the Reins to Allow for Student Self-Advocacy

Let Go of the Reins to Allow for Student Self-Advocacy Written By Starr Sackstein Control, the false sense of knowing the outcome as the plan is put into action. Tightly holding the reins, manipulating the space to achieve a perceived understanding of success, all to maintain the illusion. Does this sound familiar? This is how […]

Student Reflections: MasteryBook

In advance of their grading conferences at the end of the 2021-2022 school year, Portal students were asked to reflect on a number of questions about their learning. One of the questions was, “How did your understanding of your learning change once we started to use MasteryBook? What did you do differently once you had MasteryBook as a tool?”

Office Hours: 30 minutes with Constance Borro

“Having specific, real-time data doesn’t seem possible in the status quo, but it is possible, and that data is transformative. “ Constance Borro, CEO of Mastery Portfolio Constance Borro, CEO of Mastery Portfolio, sat down with R.E.A.L Discussion to talk about Mastery Portoflio’s beginning, its strengths, and our ultimate goal of revolutionizing grading and assessment practices […]

Video: 6 Tips For Going Gradeless

Change the conversation about grading to one about learning. When a student asks, “what did I get?” redirect him/her to “what did you learn?” The language we use around learning matters, so we must be intentional when students want to talk about progress. Try to avoid speaking in terms of numbers and letters and focus […]

Reversing Grading Meltdowns: a MasteryBook User’s Story

Enthusiastically Written and Shared By Jessica Claasse, educator at BEIS Mastery portfolio was introduced to me on the verge of a grading meltdown. I am not sure if that is even a thing. But let’s call it what it is- Grading sucks. If I have to turn the seconds of sleep that I have lost […]

Make Standards Visible in Mastery Communication

Learning is an on-going process and it seems inadequate and arbitrary to try to label learning along the way when it looks so different for so
many students. But since many of us are in the situation that does require grades, we must make sure students and parents aren’t surprised when progress reports or report cards come. Even if
your comments are pre-written, make sure to provide meaningful comments to aid in understanding the snapshot you are providing.

Mastery Portfolio’s, Starr Sackstein on the Dr. Will Show

In this episode of the Dr. Will Show, Dr. Will Deyamport III and Starr Sackstein discuss the importance of shifting the conversation about and practices around how most schools approach grades.  Listen to this podcast to hear Mastery Learning Expert, Starr Sackstein share her knowledge around how and why schools should consider transitioning to asset-based […]

Why Mastery Portfolio?

Shifting away from traditional grading practices is challenging, but that obstacle shouldn’t deter any educator who is interested in doing what is best for all kids. As we move to a different paradigm that tracks learning through progress of priority competencies, we allow students to see their strengths and build on them. In this podcast […]