“Given the assumption of the school year/month/week/day, what degree of mastery is expected of so many standards? “(https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/learning-standards-instructional-materials)

-Anonymous, Washington

Mastery.

Interesting word. 

We use it like it means something. Everything.

And so, it seems a noble goal. Why would we want any less from ourselves for our students?

If we aren’t making masters, then what are we making?

Well, first, we ain’t making anything. 

And second, “masters.” What does that even mean? 

No, seriously. 

Mastery. Do we really mean kids have mastered something? Forever? They’ve arrived, and they now have at their immediate disposal the necessary (blackbelt) knowledge and skills to kick academic ass? 

To wit, the kid who got an A on the test on Friday (demonstrating mastery of targeted standards) but cannot produce the same results on Monday. Mastery? Or mystery?

How does this (and it does) happen? Maybe it’s more mystery than mastery.

Maybe mastery’s a myth. 

When does one master teaching? One doesn’t.

So how do we get kids to master (way) too many standards?

We prioritize (priority standards).

And then we prioritize our priorities. 

And soon we know not where things begin or end.

So, we then do what we must.

We prioritize growth.

~sy