Posting Learning Targets

I reguarly ask my teachers to post their learning targets.  It makes sense to me that anyone who comes into the room can see immediately what the learning target is.  It makes sense to me that students want to know what they are supposed to be learning.  It isn't enough to just post them, it is important to state them as well.  Over and over.   Students need to learn how to focus what they are doing.  By readdressing the learning target repeatedly, the student begins to narrow in on what it takes to do what is being asked of them. 

I sat down to think of other reasons posting learning targets would be a good thing.  Here are some things that came to mind:

1.  It levels the playing field for all students.  Students with ADD, with learning disabilities, with 504 plans, auditory issues, ELL students, all these students have better opportunities for recalling the learning target when it is posted and restated in the classroom.

2.  It provides a focus which in turn, helps motivate some students to try to meet the learning goal.  This focus extends to the lesson planning of teachers.  It will help teachers keep focus on the learning target when creating assessments, too.  When planning a lesson, think of what the students should know and be able to do when they are done with the lesson.  That is the learning target!

3.  Students can see their progress!  When a teacher says, "you are almost there" and the student doesn't know where "there" is, the student cannot see how far they have come and where they are headed. Posting the learning target is like climbing a hill with a flag on top!

4.  When written in student friendly language, the learning target serves as an opportunity for students to refer back to the words when needed.  Make sure the learning target is stated and not the activity.  Read Chapter 2 is an activity, "I can describe the author's purpose" is a learning target.

I also started thinking about reasons why you wouldn't want to post the objectives:

1.  You are doing it for the prinicpal.  While I do believe it is important, it is for the students.  Unless you are addressing the target with the students, it becomes just another chore to do.

2.  It is an inquiry based lesson and you want the students to discover something for themselves.  Perfect!  Let the students know that they are going to be writing the learning target after the lesson instead of before it!

3.  I trust my teachers to do the best thing for students and their learning.  If they feel it is an important part of their teaching, they would do it.  However, many didn't even consider doing this until I suggested it.  I keep reminding them that what we know today doesn't make everything we did before wrong.  New information, new research, new technology helps us do things better every day!

So, posting the learning objectives helps students focus on the learning, but it is up to the teacher to make that a powerful piece in your lesson presentation.  Those who do this report excellent results.