Learning Targets - Part II

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I hope that you are looking forward to the winter break this year as time to yourself.

Last month I talked about Learning Targets and some thoughts I had on them.  This month I want to just give a little bit more for you to think about as you write learning targets.


One important aspect of the Learning Targets that I did not talk about last month was gathering data on how students did in meeting the learning target for the day.  Students will be working towards the learning target during the period and they need to be able to reflect and report out how they did in achieving the learning target.  Some methods I use in collecting this data over the years is:  thumbs up/thumbs down at the end of the period, Khan Academy score for the period, Exit Ticket questions, Google Form Question.  In addition, students need to know what criteria will be used in meeting the learning target (the 'look fors').  For example, in my class today the learning target was, "I can find the perimeter of a shape using the Pythagorean Theorem (by getting 50% or more on the Khan Academy lesson)."  Students are then able to assess, for themselves, by the end of the period if they met the learning target for the day.

Gathering of the data is important as it gives important information to the teacher in moving forward the next day - does any review need to take place, does more rigor need to be added to the lesson, can I move forward in the learning process?

The data you gather can be done through a variety of means - find ways that are meaningful and relevant for you and your students.  The important part of this is that you have evidence from your students that allows you to make a personal decision about whether the class achieved the learning target for the day or not.

I, personally, find the data gathering and review of it the interesting part of the day - it tells me, in black and white, whether the students grasped the learning target.  The data then influences my deliberate decisions for the next lesson.

Writing learning targets is important in that it gives students a goal for the lesson - having a data tool to gather the amount of success in achieving the learning target is an important next step in implementing learning targets. 

Students need to know what the criteria is for achieving success and teachers must be able to measure that success.

I wish everyone a well deserved restful break.

Still teaching and loving it,

                      Kevin Stott

De Anza Middle School