Sharing Learning Targets with Students

In our last ILT meeting we had at Paint Lick I asked the team to fan out across the school to look for high expectations using this instrument.  As I expected, the results were very encouraging! In all but one classroom visited there were learning targets posted.  The instruction was differentiated with students engaged in high-level conversations or work!  I was really proud to show you all off! :)

From the observation instrument and the feedback I received from the team, our next step is to make sure that we aren't just posting targets, but that students are able to tell you what they are learning.  Only one student in the rooms we visited was able to do that.

There is a TON of research behind sharing learning targets with students.  According to Moss, Brookhart and Long in "Knowing Your Learning Target,"

No matter what we decide students need to learn, not much will happen until students understand what they are supposed to learn during a lesson and set their sights on learning it. Regardless of how important the content, how engaging the activity, how formative the assessment, or how differentiated the instruction, unless all students see, recognize, and understand the learning target from the very beginning of the lesson, one factor will remain constant: The teacher will always be the only one providing the direction, focusing on getting students to meet the instructional objectives. The students, on the other hand, will focus on doing what the teacher says, rather than on learning.
Knowing Your Learning Target, Connie M. Moss, Susan M. Brookhart and Beverly A. Long

I can't wait to get in your classrooms this week to ask your students what they are learning and to get into intervention to see how you are ensuring those who didn't master the target are receiving another opportunity!