Mastery Vs Tests

Why do some students do well, but others struggle? Is it really about capability, or does the system not have the patience to explain concepts in a broader way?

The concept of Mastery learning is not exactly new, but it points out many holes in our current education system. After deep consideration, you could say that it is possible that the way education works works against itself. Some children who may learn slower, in an alternative way, or just want more explanation could find themselves failing simply for learning in a non-confirmative way. It sounds harsh, but bear with me…

How many times did you take a test in school, and get some answers wrong, but never explain where you went wrong, or how? Instead, after that test is done, you just move on to the next topic. It’s not only true at the GCSE level but in primary schools, colleges, and universities. The curriculum is wired so tightly that there is no time for a student to have further explanation on the topic or a breakdown of understanding as to why an answer was wrong.

Why Is It Important?

If a child does not understand why the answer was wrong, this creates a gap in their knowledge. Should this start in KS2, this leaves endless holes in knowledge that will matter later on.

Let’s say there is a boy, who is struggling with KS2 mathematics. If the gaps in his knowledge aren’t filled, then when he comes to KS3 he will struggle and he’s set up to fail with KS4. Gaps in knowledge need to be properly addressed. This boy could’ve been an expert mathematician if he had been able to fill in the gaps in his knowledge at KS2. While he may struggle with one concept at KS2, once he gets past that he could fly through the rest. In cases like so, some children do need the space to master and learn concepts fully.

How Can This Be Corrected?

While it is convenient for the education system to lump children into groups by age group and perceived ability, it is not a focused model. By this, I mean that many subjects would benefit from an approach similar to learning a sport or an instrument. When you are learning to play the piano you play hot-cross buns over and over until you’re sick of it. Once you master the basic piece, you move on. This is the idea of mastery. It does not make sense to have an approach where a student does not master the subject. Instead, students are graded on test scores alone and any holes in their knowledge are simply left there. We just move on to the next thing, without consideration of the impact of these gaps later on.

The concept of mastery vs tests is simple. Testing is good, as it enables teachers to see where a student is at in their academic understanding. However, it is a flawed concept, as little is actually done about the test scores. Should a student have shown exceptional promise in a test regarding fractions, but poorly on an algebra test extra understanding of algebra should be provided. Right? But, how often is it? Oftentimes, a child can become disengaged or feel resentful towards a subject as they feel their growth is stunted in that subject because their gaps are holding them back. The gaps shouldn’t even be there.

Eradicating Gaps: Mastry Vs Tests

Mastery is the focus on eliminating gaps in knowledge. While this may mean longer schooling for some, it would mean a more fulfilling education. The current education format is that the learning/mastery process is fixed to a point, but the grades are variable. Instead, instead it should be the learning/mastery that is variable, allowing leverage for a child to learn for as long as they need to in order to master the topic. Meanwhile, the +e outcome/ the result should be fixed at mastery. Consider that we do not build buildings, cars, or business models this way. We do not see flaws in a result and say “91%, that’ll be fine”, we strive for 100% and mastery of a niche, so it does not make sense for our schools to work this way.

As the 21st-century world left the industrial age and morphed into the information revolution, it is unsurprising that there is a calling for a new way of learning. The education sector needs to catch up with the rest of the world. The world has a more open mind. We have entered an era of globalization, but still, a child can be left behind in their learning with knowledge gaps.

The change needs to come from the education board. The broader society needs to decide that the government needs to focus on mastery in children and less on test scores. However, whether or not this is possible in the UK, is yet to be seen.

Mastery Vs Tests: Independent Learning

This is where homework comes in, or maybe, less of it. It is probably more useful for students to take a test home with them once they’ve had a test back. Why?

No one can guarantee that the UK education sector will value Mastery over tests. But, we can consider that children can seek out mastery of topics at home. Where they may struggle in a class, find tutoring outside of school hours to help build mastery. Private tutoring can be a massive help in aiding students who need to bridge the gap to mastery.

Check out how you can get private tutoring through BEST and help your child with mastery!