Every student views new information through the lens of prior knowledge. In fact, some researchers suggest that learning requires connecting new information to what we already know. Either way, more connections leads to improved recall and utility.
Defn: Mastery - a high degree of competence in a particular area.
Communication is hard. We’ve all (probably) experienced situations where our words fall flat; where repeated explanation just doesn’t seem to create understanding. In this situation, you are an educator. Learning and teaching are two views of the same process. However, those views don’t always line up. Each individual’s past experiences, goals, subject mastery, learning habits, and the environment can all cause disconnects. Not just these qualities in students, but in the teacher as well.