Learning Targets

Over the past several days I've attempted to write a post about a really good professional development presentation in our county, but it just isn't coming together.  As I have stated before I'm more of an editor for opinion pieces than a evidenced based writer like the common core wants us all to become.
Professional learning can be an oxymoron many times, there's nothing professional about it and no one learns anything.  Last Tues at our district level monthly professional learning meeting professionalism and learning actually took place for me.  Sarah Jacobs, Common Core Georgia Performance Standards ELA, spoke about learning targets and balanced assessments.  She was energetic, quick witted, heavy with knowledge, and used all the techniques that model a good lesson.  Her focus was on learning targets and balance assessments.  Her presentation was mostly pep-talk about why we use targets and balanced assessments.

NINE ASPECTS OF LEARNING TARGETS

• First principle of meaningful learning and effective teaching
• Each lesson (target) serves a purpose in a larger, overarching learning goal (standard)
• Teachers and students understand and aim for a common goal
• Teachers and students make learning visible to maximize progress
• Goals are appropriate, challenging, and increase motivation
• Lessons intentionally develop assessment-capable students
• Focus is on what students are actually doing during a lesson
• Everyone in the school (teachers, students, administrators) have
specific targets and “look-fors”
These are all very simple ideas that I think everyone would agree on, but it's not being implemented in a day to day basis.  Targets are daily goals for all to see, hear, and understand.


• Knowledge- I can identify a
metaphor
• Reasoning – I can make a
prediction
• Performance/skills- I can read
with expression
• Products – Write a clear thesis

The targets are written in clear I can statements or show and tell statement, listen to my poem I wrote today.  Setting targets this way puts the responsibility back on the learner and off of the teacher.  Our school has a huge problem with this concept.  Our teachers are working as hard as they possibly can and they become frustrated all the time by the performance level of their students work.  The kids are lazy, the kids don't care, but my response is the kids don't know what you truly want from them and you haven't sold your product well.  Yes, we do have a very difficult population of students to reach, but you knew that from the start.  Why this professional development was perfect for me is because I'm walking our building daily thinking of ways to buy everyone in to essential questions and it's not working.  Learning targets is perfect and I've already seen one teacher with I can statements in her room.  If you want to learn more about learning targets Sarah Jacobs was using the book, Learning Targets.
My targets:
1.  Explain idea to admin team
2.  Get feedback from IEP teachers
3.  Talk with three teachers about learning targets - Wade, Hanson, 3rd grade
4.  Read book noted above

This week at school we've been discussing writing and the common core.  Topic sentences, closing sentences, and all the problems students have with writing.  I think I have all those problems too.  I'm planning to get better by writing and having someone else read, I hope.  If you take the time to read please give me a comment, feedback is always great.
I'm attempting two new things on my blog a link and a link to a google document - please tell me if they work.

Learning Targets Presentation

Good luck setting targets!