Mastery Learning

Whitmore School’s courses are mastery-based, rather than time-based or test based. Students stay with a lesson until they demonstrate competency.  We do not allow students to “just pass the course,” and earn credit for a “D” level of understanding.  Instead, staying with a lesson until they master it allows every student to work academically at the “A” or “B” level.  This system replaces discouragement from failing a course, with the satisfaction of achievement through perseverance. It also allows each student to perform at their highest level and guarantees a solid foundation for more advanced courses.

Your student will be scheduled for three academic courses at a time. This is the normal workload for Whitmore School that allows students to stay focused and work through their courses in a timely manner.

All courses are supported by one-on-one student-teacher interaction for all lessons. As a result, each course is essentially a teacher led individualized tutorial. By the nature of our system, each student receives the level of attention they require. No student  gets pushed ahead before they are ready. Nor do they get held back by the pace of other students in the course.

Our online system is designed to focus on students’ strengths and achievements, rather than their limitations and failures. For example, our individually-paced system eliminates the “need for speed” present in a standard classroom and allows students to learn at their own natural rate.

Students may begin a new course at any time during the calendar year, and progress at the pace that they find most comfortable. As long as the student masters the course work, they will be awarded credit for the course. Instead of having to keep up with the pace of other students, Whitmore School students can learn as slowly or rapidly as their personal learning style dictates.

Whitmore school courses are self-paced, however, there are 2 limitations to this:

• No student is permitted to finish a course in less than 30 days from the time he or she submits the first lesson in that course. This is due to our accreditation requirements.
• After 1 year from the time of enrollment, your student’s username and password will expire. If his or her coursework is unfinished and they have not yet received a grade for the course, you will need to re-enroll your student so that they may continue to complete their course(s). No worries about lost work, or having to start over again. Your student will continue in right where they left off.
• If your student is close to graduating, or you are not planning on re-enrolling for another year, your student may be eligible to pay for a 30-day extension in order to complete the courses in order to graduate. Please see the information in the “Time is up-Need an extension” chapter of the handbook.