Welcome fellow educators, this is podcast number 115. Today we continue part 2 of an interview with Richard Bitgood, our Online School high school Math teacher and curriculum developer. Richard and his wife Chelsea are leading the way in several new paradigms of curriculum development and math instruction. They also have provided for my wife and me two beautiful grandchildren. Needless to say they have been busy. I know that his passion in these two podcasts will be infectious. In fact I received a number of comments last week about the podcast. Here is an email from Claire Pollock, who is part of our Individualized Program admin team. Claire has been with Heritage for the last three years and is giving significant leadership with our home educators. She writes:

Hi Greg,

I listened to your interview with Richard last Tuesday and got excited when he mentioned the teacher who “rediscovered” that relational dialogue/feedback on learning was more conducive to learning than giving a numerical mark.

For me numerical marks only give a snapshot of skill level and understanding. There is a perception that marks are a closer to a study – a finality in learning a particular skill or understanding of a concept.

In essence, lifelong learning and assessment of learning, absent of the institute of education, rarely consists of numerical marks. One only needs to watch younger children assimilate learning sparked by a God given quest within each to wonder and explore His creation and relational being. We are created to find Him. All learning is a move towards understand and knowing Him or a move towards avoiding  Him.

Therefore, modelling an educational approach that is relational and directional for further learning is, I believe, a move towards our natural and spiritual approach to learning. Relationships take time. Mentors who take the time to provide directional feedback in the form of verbal or written dialogue will receive fulfilment as they witness their students transform.

I was encouraged when I heard that Richard and Chelsea have included a form of structure within their course to encourage fuller and further learning, such as their so to speak, “green light” approving the student  move to the next level of learning.

This is one step towards relational dialogue that provides instructional and directional feedback; feedback that encourages students to dig deeper into God’s order and creation; feedback the “feeds” the quest calling them closer to Him. Metaphorically, it is not a period put on the end of a sentence, such as a numerical score might be. Rather it is a question mark that encourages further learning...relationship.

Even though, the BC Ministry of Education, require all Distributive Learning programs to place a numerical final mark as an accumulations to the course, educators still have the freedom to encourage relational and directional feedback as the course is in progress.

Focusing on this relational and directional feedback model, more than numerical scores, will “disrupt” the traditional approach to education. Is it not a discipleship based learning model?

In appreciation,  Claire.

So here is part two of my interview with Richard on the Mastery Math Method:

Audio Only

Thank you Richard, we are excited about your leadership and where you are taking our schools. I believe this will become a significant role for Heritage in Christian Education over the next couple of years. Next week is our last podcast of the year. I can hardly believe we are at the end of one of the best school years ever for Heritage Christian Schools.  I have a great podcast to end on as well. I will be sharing a message from Ken Robinson from the Ted Talks. I am presently reading the book “The Element, How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.” We will continue to podcast throughout the summer bringing you the best of the Christian Educator’s podcast from the last two and half years.

Please email us your comments and thoughts on this podcast. Also, if you would like us to mail you a free copy of my book or send you the download link for the audio version of, Discipling This Generation for a Digital World, simply send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and let us know what type of an educator you are, home schooler, classroom teacher, school administrator, or interested parent. Please let us know how you heard about the podcast and, of course, please include your mailing address. Thank you for listening and thank you for your commitment to mastering mathematics through  discipleship-based Christian education.