Friday, January 11, 2013

"Learning Targets: Helping Students Aim for Understanding in Today's Lesson" Book Share

Learning Targets--Helping Students Aim for Understanding in Today's Lesson
By Connie M. Moss & Susan M. Brookhart
 
 
 
In earlier posts, I have shared that at Norman Elementary we have formed a FAME Team
(Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators). At one of my Coaches meetings the book that is listed above was recommended. I started reading it and I knew that I had to share with my Team and on this Blog. I highly recommend that you read this book. It will really help your understanding of  what Learning Targets are and their importance.

 *I found used copies on Amazon.com-very inexpensive to purchase  ISBN  978-1-4166-1441-8
 
I'm going to highlight the important points that I've taken from each chapter throughout the next few weeks so I hope you follow...
 
 
Chapter 1- Learning Targets: A Theory of Action
 
 
*A nutshell statement:  The most effective teaching and the most meaningful student learning happen when teachers design the right learning target for today's lesson and use it along with their students  to aim for and assess understanding.
 
*Learning Targets are student-friendly descriptions--via words, pictures, actions, or some combination of the three---of what you intend students to learn or accomplish in a given lesson. When shared meaningfully, they become actual targets that students can see and direct their efforts toward. 
-These can also serve as targets for administration or others that are in charge of improving the quality of learning opportunities to raise student achievement.
 
*Effects on TeachersLearning Targets drive effective instructional decisions and high-quality teaching. Designing and sharing specific learning targets to enhance student achievement can help teachers to become better able to:
-Plan & implement effective instruction
-Describe exactly what students will learn, how well they will learn it, and what they will do to demonstrate that learning
-Use their knowledge to help students scaffold increased student understanding
-Establish teacher look-fors to guide instructional decisions
-Translate success criteria into student look-fors that promote the development of assessment-capable students
 
 ****Guided by learning targets, teachers partner with their students during a formative learning cycle to raise student achievement, and make informed decisions about how and when to differentiate instruction to challenge and engage all students in important and meaningful work.
 
Effects on Students: When students, guided by look-fors, aim for learning targets during lessons, they become engaged and empowered.
-Compare where they are and where they need to go
-Set specific goals for what they will accomplish
-Choose effective strategies to achieve those goals
-Assess and adjust what they are doing to get there as they are doing it
****Students who take ownership of their learning attribute what they do well to decisions that they make and control. These factors not only increase students' ability to assess and regulate their own learning but also boost their motivation to learn as they progressively see themselves as more confident and competent learners.
 
Effects on Building Principals: When building principals look for what students are doing to hit learning targets during lessons, they improve their leadership practices.
 
Effects on Central Office Administrators:  A learning target theory of action enables central office administrators to gather up-to-the-minute data about what is working in their classrooms and schools.
 
The Nine Points of Action:
A learning target theory of action embodies the relationship among essential content, effective instruction, and meaningful learning. The nine action points provide context for the ideas and suggestions in this book.

1.  Learning targets are the first principle of meaningful learning and effective teaching.

2. Today's lesson should serve a purpose in  a longer learning trajectory toward some larger learning goal.

3. It's not a learning target unless both the teacher and the students aim for it during today's lesson.

4. Every lesson needs a performance of understanding to make the learning target for today's lesson crystal clear.

5. Expert teachers partner with their students during a formative learning cycle to make teaching and learning visible and to maximize opportunities to feed students forward.

6.  Setting and committing to specific, appropriate, and challenging goals lead to increased student achievement and motivation to learn.

7.  Intentionally developing assessment-capable students is a crucial step toward closing the achievement gap.

8.  What students are actually doing during today's lesson is both the source of and the yardstick for school improvement efforts.

9.  Improving the teaching-learning process requires everyone in the school-teachers, students, and administrators--to have specific learning targets and look-fors.

The book goes into much more detail so I do recommend it to further your understanding on all points. The next post will be on Chapter 2:  How to Design Learning Targets.

Please share thoughts and/or experiences with Learning Targets.

Vicky

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


5 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this Vicky. I am going to be going through this book with my FAME team, and I'll probably direct them to this site too. Keep up the great work.

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  2. In chapter 1, I can see how learning targets need to be very student-friendly. I noticed at my son's school, they are given an assignment with the learning target written on, however, some of the language seems confusing for a student reading it. I like the way that learning targets help students to take ownership. For example, my son was given the assignment to make a project that demonstrated his understanding of landforms. He chose to build a playdough project which included 10 different landforms. He was excited to show his creation to his peers and also explained each part of his project to the class. It is still on display at our home.

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  3. Within the nine points of action, I really like to keep #6 in the forefront: "6. Setting and committing to specific, appropriate, and challenging goals lead to increased student achievement and motivation to learn." I believe that it is important to keep reminding ourselves and our students of the specific goal we are working towards. With everyone on the same page, it helps keep the learning process moving and on target.

    When working with preschoolers this is especially challenging. Often they get distracted, and so we do too! W

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  4. As a teacher, I want to touch on the "Nine Points of Action" there were a couple that stood out to me.

    #3: It's not a learning target unless both the teacher and the students aim for it during today's lesson. This is something very meaningful to look at because when teaching I always have a specific objective or goal I am trying to reach with my students but their interest and/or distractions can lead you to a different "teachable moment" and that's okay.

    #6: Setting and committing to specific, appropriate, and challenging goals lead to increased student achievement and motivation to learn. I agree that specific student goals need to be reminded on a daily basis but we also need to set realistic and age appropriate goals for our students, this is challenging when working with preschoolers.

    JC

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  5. I agree with JC, what stood out to me most and what I would like to incoorporate into my teaching toolbox for planning and implementing small goup activities is from the "Nine Points of Action":

    #3: It's not a learning target unless both the teacher and the students aim for it during today's lesson.

    #6: Setting and committing to specific, appropriate, and challenging goals lead to increased student achievement and motivation to learn.
    But as JC and W stated this can be challenging to come up with ideas to make this appliable to preschool. :)

    LK

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