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This section explores concrete, field-tested strategies in four key practice areas: targeted and relevant, actively engaging, socially connected, and growth oriented. Educators can use these strategies to co-create experiences with students, bringing a personalized, mastery-based, and whole-child approach to life in the context of their own classroom, school, and content area.

Targeted and Relevant
  • Grade-level learning
  • Individual and small-group instruction
  • Differentiated pathways and material
  • Culturally relevant and sustaining
Actively Engaging
  • Choice and agency
  • Self-directed learning
  • Authentic inquiry and application
  • Knowledge activation and reflection
Socially Connected
  • Peer learning and collaboration
  • Relationship and trust-building
  • Family engagement and involvement
  • Community and civic connection
Growth Oriented
  • Goal-setting and planning
  • Sustained opportunities for practice
  • Meaningful feedback
  • Progress monitoring and reporting

Select Practice Area

Growth Oriented

Learning experiences that are growth oriented build intentionally towards mastery. Students have a clear understanding of where they are and where they are going, with multiple opportunities and ways to get feedback, demonstrate competency, and plan next steps. Explore practical strategies that:

image of GrowthOriented.png
  • Sub-topics
    • Goal-setting and planning
    • Sustained opportunities for practice
    • Meaningful feedback
    • Progress monitoring and reporting
  • Learning Location
    • hybrid
    • remote
    • in-person
  • Domain
    • science
    • math
    • ela/literacy
    • social studies
    • social emotional learning
    • physical health
    • mental health
    • identity development
    • cognitive development
    • arts
  • Modality
    • asynchronous
    • synchronous
    • analog
    • digital
    • whole group
    • small group
    • individual
  • Grade Level Example
    • elementary
    • middle school
    • high school
  • Educator Action
    • Data Use
    • Planning
    • Intervention
    • Delivery
    • Assessment
    • Collaboration
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Girl wearing glasses looks off to the side, in a thinking pose, holding a pencil to a paper on a desk

Example: Retrieval Practice - Power Tools for Instruction (IgnitED Research)

This video shares evidence from the learning sciences and a practitioner perspective around retrieval practice.
image of Using-Custom-AI-Chatbots-to-Support-Multilingual-Learners-with-Content-Acquisition.png

Lynwood Unified School District

Using AI to Support Multilingual Learners with Content Acquisition

Expanding Access to Academic Content Through AI-Powered Language Supports
Close-up shot of several pairs of hands, holding pencils, writing on papers on desk

Lovett Elementary School

Student and Teacher Progress Tracking through Tracker Sheets

Simple data sheets populated by students for progress monitoring
Photo closeup of laptop screen showing mastery data dashboard

LPS Richmond

Cumulative Quizzes

Assessing prior learning objectives to check for and emphasize retention
Photo of teacher working with a group of students at table in classroom

Roots Elementary

6-8 Week Learning Groups

Periodic benchmark assessments to determine student progress and adjust student learning paths
Teacher sits at desk with individual student, looking over textbook

Cisco Junior High School

Creating Extra Time for Student Support in Extension Classes

All 6th graders and some 7th graders have an extra class period for personalized support in math and ELA
Student writes on paper with pencil

Valor Collegiate Academies

Math Notebooks

Organizing student progress through content with a structured system of notes
Teacher speaks to student as she looks at laptop

Bronx Arena High School

Promoting Student Ownership and Agency

Building consistent structures that continually allow students to own their learning experiences
Teacher speaks with four students in a group at one table

Cisco Junior High School

Targeted Small Group Instruction

Supporting students in small group instruction during individual rotations
image of workshop.png

Holmes Elementary School

Workshop

Student Led Collaborative Groups
Male student sits at laptop while female student looks on from the side

Trailblazer Elementary School

Student Voice and Choice - Common Practices

Providing students with the ability to decide when and how they learn best throughout the day
Woman smiles, presenting at front of room with marker in hand

Communicate the Plan

Ensuring all students know what to do, when to do it, and how
Students sit grouped at tables with technology

Valor Collegiate Academies

Multiple Methods of Student Groupings

Mixing a variety of grouping strategies based on students’ needs
Two students sit on couch, reading from tablets

Lovett Elementary School

Accountability Partners

Student meetings with a partner to help them meet learning goals
Photo of teacher standing and talking with student seated in front of his laptop

Lindsay High School

Supports for Pacing

Multiple opportunities to help Learners stay on-pace
Student speaks in front of class

Bronx Arena High School

Graduated Student Autonomy

Consistent learning structures that shift from teacher-led to student-led as students gain ownership of their learning
Shot of binders showing Spanish language text

Bilingual Binders

Giving students options on what language to use when monitoring progress
Example of learner pathways showing different folders for math topics

Trailblazer Elementary School

Promoting Personalization through Learner Pathways

Students choose how to engage with learning activities based on daily pre-assessments and personal preferences
image of Third-and-Fourth-Grade-Mastery-Based-Grading.png

Chicago Public Schools

Third and Fourth Grade Mastery-Based Grading

Mastery-based grading to support student progress monitoring
A student sitting in front of a laptop computer

Virtual Engagement Profiles

Dynamic student profiles that track students’ virtual engagement
Photo of teacher aide standing and helping student with his work

LPS Richmond

Pre-Unit Diagnostics

Pre-assessments taken at the beginning of each unit to enable mastery-based progression and student choice, as well as promote student growth
Two female students sit at desk in classroom as one raises her hand

Lovett Elementary School

Modifying Standards to Meet Student Needs

Teaching a topic at different levels of depth & complexity to make it accessible for all students
Teacher works with students on project in classroom

Using Data to Advocate for Students with Learning Differences

Strategically using data to understand and support students with learning differences, inside and outside the classroom
Students work individually on laptops

Bronx Arena High School

Demonstrating Mastery with Two Challenges and a Capstone

Students complete challenges to progress through a course and a capstone to earn a credit
image of VideoPairing-strat.png

Video Pairing

Pair a video with an activity to make the learning more active
Teacher and student look on at computer screen

Cisco Junior High School

Empowering Ownership of Learning through Monitoring Learning Progress and Goal-Setting

Students reflect on their learning data and use it to set goals for academic growth
Student sits inside classroom, looking down at book and reading alone

Implementing a Flex Time Period

Creating flexible learning time for students to focus on high-value instruction
Photo of teacher and student in conversation seated at desk in front of laptop with other students in background

Lindsay High School

Progress Monitoring Through Empower

Facilitators use the Empower, formerly Educate, system to determine how well each Learner is developing along their learning path
Student smiles for photo, standing in front of table with experiment materials

Locust Grove Middle School

Implementing Learner Profiles

Gradually rolling out a tool designed to increase personalized teaching and learning
Teacher speaks with someone, hands folded

Bronx Arena High School

Collaboration between Teachers and Advocate Counselors

Collaborative teaching teams that support the whole student
Photo closeup of teacher with open laptop speaking to students in classroom

Lindsay High School

Daily Large Group Instruction

Using daily whole class instruction to address common needs
Teacher points at laptop while standing between two students

Locust Grove Middle School

Benchmarking Progress with MAP Tests

Identifying student needs and growth with MAP Assessments
Teacher stands in front of white board inside classroom while students in seats look on

Lovett Elementary School

Weekly Learning Cycles

Introducing topics through whole group instruction, then guided release toward independent learning
A young boy sitting at a desk with his arms crossed, smiling

Student Badges

Micro-credentials for students who demonstrate specific skills
Student works off of tablet in front of interactive white board

Lovett Elementary School

Student Choice of Mastery Demonstration

Allowing students to choose how they show mastery of the application of a skill
Teacher talks directly with student

Bronx Arena High School

Co-Creating Graduation Plans with Credit Mapping

Students and teachers map out learning and graduation goals and create a plan to achieve them
image of DefiningRoles-strat.png

Defining Clear Roles in Group Work

Supporting each student to be successful and collaborative during small-group time
Photo of student working on her laptop and writing by hand

LPS Richmond

Assessment Initiated by Student

Students request assessments to demonstrate mastery and set pace of course
Teacher holds up smartphone in front of students as they raise pieces of paper

Trailblazer Elementary School

Formative Assessment Tool: Plickers

Collecting formative assessment data instantly with minimal technology use
Photo of student and teacher giving each other high-five celebrating sucess

Roots Elementary

Moving with Mastery Through Learning Standards

Using data and flexible resources to determine which students are ready for more challenging material
Teacher looks on as group of students work together

Locust Grove Middle School

Selecting Small Groups by Learning Level

Continually shifting groups to support students working at the same learning level while moving at their own pace
A group of children using a tablet computer in a classroom as teacher looks on

Advocating for Students’ Unfinished Learning Needs

Using data to address unfinished learning
Icons on a tablet screen showing thumbs up, a heart, and a celebration popper

Non-Verbal Engagement

Leveraging non-verbal cues during synchronous video lessons
Photo of poster board on wall that shows various graphs of data

Cisco Junior High School

Common Data Practices

Cisco looks at a variety of data sources and uses them in different ways to improve teaching and learning
Photo of teacher standing in front of class teaching to group of seated students

Roots Elementary

Scheduled Ongoing Large Group Instruction

Large group instruction frequently used to meet common needs and instruct efficiently
Gray T-shirt that reads "I am the difference at Trailblazer Elementary"

Trailblazer Elementary School

Inclusion Approach to Special Education

Integrating special education teachers into general education classrooms
Student types on laptop while wearing headphones

Trailblazer Elementary School

Integrating Online Programs to Differentiate Learning

Personalizing content by student need, with bounded student choice
Photo of seated student working with her notebook and on her laptop

LPS Richmond

Student Choice Over Path, Place, and Modalities

Students choose assignments and learning resources to create a more personalized learning experience
Students sit together in classroom, looking at laptops, while one looks up and raises his hand

Example: Learner-Led Classroom Management (IgnitED Research)

This video shares evidence from the learning sciences and a practitioner perspective around classroom management.
Photo of small group of students seated and working together

Roots Elementary

Daily, Weekly, and Long-Term Student Groupings

Employing multiple grouping approaches to meet immediate needs as well as provide stable working teams
Photo of creative classroom with flexible groups of students

CICS West Belden

Flexible Grouping

Combining students to differentiate instruction
Student smiles as she looks at laptop

Locust Grove Middle School

Customized Learner Pathways

Creating common pathways for academic progress that can be customized for individual students
Photo of teacher and student working on a worksheet side by side at table with laptops directly in front of them

LPS Richmond

Weekly Formal One-on-One Teacher Support

Planned weekly meetings to review goals and progress, and provide support
A seated student raises his hand, with blurred view of teacher in the foreground

Complete Sentences

Students respond in complete sentences to build language proficiency
Photo of classroom with indication showing student is signing up for assessment on the whiteboard at front of class

Pleasant View Elementary School

Supporting Student-Initiated Assessment

"Low-tech" system to prompt assessments without interrupting learning of group
Two students work inside classroom, looking at laptop together

Lovett Elementary School

Student Choice of Learning Partners

Enabling students to determine how they work best and trusting the choice they make
Teacher and student speaking, working on laptops

Bronx Arena High School

Conferencing to Set and Review Goals

Collaborative check-ins to ensure progress and productivity
Photo of teacher working with two students on their laptops

LPS Richmond

Flexible Daily Small Group Instruction

Customized groupings to address learning needs and create team experts for specific learning objectives
Teacher holds pen and speaks to class as students listen

Valor Collegiate Academies

Content Review with Mini Lessons

Creating short, structured lessons to fill knowledge gaps
Photo closeup of tablet screen reading "Good Work" with student in background

Roots Elementary

Creation and Use of Micro-Standards

Using more granular standards to better understand student progress
Two students sit beside each other in hallway and hold up reports, smiling

Lovett Elementary School

Lovett Learner Profiles

Collecting data to understand students beyond academic progress
A man sitting at a desk working on a laptop

Two Steps to Improve Lesson Planning Through Instructional Design

Utilize instructional design principles to improve student learning and increase effectiveness in lesson planning
Photo of Road to Success chart with student and teacher hands implying explanation

CICS West Belden

Student-Led Progress Tracking

Assessment initiated by student to increase ownership
Photo of teacher standing and speaking with seated student working on her laptop

Lindsay High School

Learner Accountability for Grading

Learner responsibility to ensure the gradebook reflects their most recent learning progress
Photo closeup of two laptops

Lindsay High School

Triangulation of Data

Looking at data to determine appropriate Learners supports during Personalized Learning Time
Photo of multiple groups of students seated around tables in a classroom

LPS Richmond

Class Competitions

Unit and daily goal-completion competitions to engage and motivate students
This is a photo of students working together to provide support to each other.

Remote Buddy Projects

Grouping in-person and remote students together for projects
image of Deepening-Arts-Enrichment-Through-3-Week-Focus-Scheduling.png

School District of Cudahy

Deepening Arts Enrichment Through Three-Week Focus Scheduling

Modified schedules minimize health risks and deepen engagement
Student sits in classroom, looking off to the side as he holds a pencil

Lovett Elementary School

Collecting Student Data through Varied Assessments

Teachers use multiple data points to better understand student progress
Two students raise their hands while sitting in classroom

Locust Grove Middle School

Depth of Knowledge Levels

Clarifying rigor by identifying four different levels of content mastery
Photo closeup of laptop screen showing mastery data

ReNEW DTA Academy

Sharing Mastery Data Transparently Across the Class

Allowing students to see each other’s scores to better enable student support and growth
Teacher and student look down at tablet

Bronx Arena High School

Prioritizing Non-Traditional Metrics

Looking at basic metrics likes attendance and output to better understand student progress and learning challenges
Student speaks with teacher, smiling

Locust Grove Middle School

Teacher-Student Conferences

Individualized conferencing for students to discuss appropriate academic progress and supports
Student sits alone in lounge chair, working on laptop

Cisco Junior High School

Balancing Student Choice and Needs with Playlists

Students select their work from skill-level appropriate playlists
Two students and teacher look at laptops

Bronx Arena High School

Creating Competencies for Mastery-Based Learning

Developing broad and specific learning goals that are easy to understand and act on
Male student looks over colorful board on wall

Trailblazer Elementary School

Common Mastery-Based Practices

Creating a common understanding of mastery practices among staff and students
Students sit in row at computers, looking at screens

Cisco Junior High School

Providing Pacing Guidance with "Must Do" and "May Do" Tasks

Playlists contain components that students must do to show mastery, as well as additional options that extend learning
image of Gamification-strat.png

Gather Data Through Gamification

Use engaging and fun platforms to quickly check for understanding
Student wearing earphones smiles as he works on laptop

Valor Collegiate Academies

Self-Paced Progress through Playlists

Students work through playlists at their own pace
Teacher speaks to students while they touch and observe a 3-D city map

Trailblazer Elementary School

Genius Hour

Self-paced passion projects that students pursue through inquiry-based learning
Student sits at desk, working

Cisco Junior High School

Using Pretests and Posttests to Identify Learning Growth and Needs

Creating formative data with pretests and summative data with posttests
Four folders placed on a wall, each with a different emoji face

Cisco Junior High School

Collecting Quick Feedback with Emoji Folders

Students provide qualitative data each day about how well they think they understand what they are working on
Teacher sits at table with student with windows in background, looking together at laptop

Valor Collegiate Academies

Looking at Student Work Protocol

Structured review of student work to better understand how students approach assignments and determine additional supports
Photo of student arm writing in notebook with laptop in background

LPS Richmond

Daily and Weekly Goal-Setting

Students review their data to determine goals for the day and week
Girl writes on paper, sitting near computer

Pleasant View Elementary School

Authentic Projects

Assessment of mastery through projects in addition to skill-based learning
Photo of teacher working with two students

CICS West Belden

Progress Triangulation

Looking at profile, pathway, and ongoing data to assess student progress
Student standing at white board with tablet in hand, looking back and speaking toward classroom

Lovett Elementary School

Student-led Conferences

Empowering students to advocate for their learning during teacher conferences
Two students working on laptops

Bronx Arena High School

Measuring Three Levels of Mastery

Students can show proficiency of academic skills at learning, functional, and nuanced levels
View of bulletin board showing class progress markers

Bronx Arena High School

Providing Productivity Guidance through Tasks and a Banking System

Students work on different courses in different places, but all are expected to complete five learning tasks each day
Photo of student and teacher working together at desk

ReNEW DTA Academy

Student Self-Reporting Progress

Students provide progress updates to minimize teacher grading time
Photo of students working together on laptop computers

ReNEW DTA Academy

ReNEW's Creating Student Grades in a Mastery System

Creating a grading system to reflect mastery progress
Close-up of a student working, with pencil in hand, on paper at desk, with blurred view of student to her side

Valor Collegiate Academies

Playlist Data Trackers

Monitoring student progress through a simple, paper-based tool
Photo of two students working together in front of laptop

LPS Richmond

Multiple Ways to Demonstrate Ongoing Progress

Allowing students to select from different program assessments to demonstrate readiness for mastery assessment
Student looks closely at another person at desk

Bronx Arena High School

Students Focus on Three Credits

Enabling opportunities for deeper and faster learning by limiting the amount of classes a student can take at the same time
Teacher leans over desk, writing on paper, with students nearby

Know-Wonder-Learn (KWL) Chart

Building in opportunities and connection
Photo closeup of student reading on her tablet device

CICS West Belden

Personalized Learning Plan

Linking objectives in skill-based units to offer unique pathway to mastery
One teacher works with one group of students as another teacher in the background works with other students

Valor Collegiate Academies

Coordination Between Core Content and Math Focus Teachers

Collaborating over student data to ensure instructional time is used effectively
Chart of student names and progress across objectives

Lindsay High School

Capacity Matrix

Providing an explicit learning agenda to guide Learners through each learning unit
Three male students sitting in hallway, holding pencils and looking down at papers

Lovett Elementary School

Lovett's Modified Grading Based On Skill Level

Measuring academic growth based on students’ current skill levels
Photo of student and his laptop with screen showing data dashboard

LPS Richmond

Data Dashboard for Progress Monitoring

Teacher uses data dashboard to understand where each student is in their learning pathway
image of MasteryTrack-Strategy-Image.png

Mastery-based dashboards from MasteryTrack

Making data about student learning progress instantly available and useful
Photo of high-school classroom

LPS Richmond

Common Launch

Opening class with shared problem solving to create a culture focused on growth
Photo of students and teacher in classroom

CICS West Belden

Targeted Large Group Instruction

Using whole groups to maximize efficiency
Overhead view of person writing on paper while another looks on

Bronx Arena High School

Coordinating Student Supports with Facilitation Plans

Creating a common document to help track students’ progress and supports in a flexible learning environment
Smiling teacher holding a tablet in a computer lab, students working at desktops behind her.

Valley New School

Teaching Students AI Ethics Through Workshops

Empowering Students to Navigate AI’s Ethical Complexities
Student smiles at laptop screen

West Chester Area School District's Cyber Program

West Chester Area School District's Approach to Mastery and Expectations

How a virtual/hybrid program addressed student mastery and expectations around rigor for virtual learning
Photo of teacher seated at front of class with group of students seated in front and copying teacher patting head

Roots Elementary

Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Groups

Differentiated groups to enhance different learning experiences
Teacher leans down by one student, looking down at desk

Bronx Arena High School

Student Pacing Based on Content Mastery

When students show mastery, they immediately move on to new content or courses
Photo of teacher instructing seated groups of students

Pleasant View Elementary School

Focus on Building Cognitive Skills

Equal emphasis on cognitive skills in addition to academic concepts to support student learning and growth
Chart showing mastery level of a particular student across subjects

Roots Elementary

Roots' Mastery-Based Reporting

Actionable growth reports after every assessment cycle
Written chart titled "Non-Fiction Summary." The text below presents sentence prompts for students to use and reads: "The text (blank - title) is about (blank - main idea). First, you should now (blank - detail 1). Next, (blank - detail 2). Then, (blank - detail 3). Finally, (blank - detail 4). Now I think (blank - opinion) because (blank - detail to support opinion).

Scaffolded Summary

Supporting student writing using sentence stems