Early Release Staff Development Clear Learning Targets

Meeting District Goals through Mastery Learning:

I can improve instruction by creating clear learning targets

December 4, 2009

Agenda for this Session

• Identify research based instructional strategies that further district goals

• Teachers can improve instruction by: – Teaching for mastery – Creating clear learning targets– Utilizing formative assessment results to

adapt instruction

• Learning Target Sheet (pre and post)

Mastery Learning

• Proposes that all children can learn when provided with the appropriate learning conditions in the classroom

Mastery Learning

• Teachers ensure that all students master key objectives.

• Teachers develop a plan for those students who will not master the objectives the first time they are taught.

• Support staff assist in teaching students who learn differently.

Mastery Learning

• What steps has your school taken to promote mastery learning?

• What steps have you taken in your own classroom to promote mastery learning?

• Guidance Counselors, Teacher Assistants and other staff, how have you supported mastery learning through your work?

Mastery Learning

• Is dependent upon clear learning targets and effective use of formative assessment

• Classroom Assessment Cycle:

Evidence is gathered

in variety of ways

Inferences, analysis of data

and interpretations are made

Learning Targets are clarified

Instructional plans and modifications are carried out

Student Involvement

Clear Learning Targets• Our entry point into the classroom

assessment cycle is determining the intended learning

• Variously known as content standards, benchmarks, grade level indicators, essential learnings, learning outcomes, lesson objectives

• All represent the intended learning

Learning Targets and Learning Goals

• What is the difference between a learning target and a learning goal?

• Learning Goal - Objective- what you want students to learn

• Learning Target - Begins with “I can…/I know…” and is in student-friendly language

• How can identifying learning targets for students be helpful to them? To the teacher?

Clear Learning Targets

• Are derived directly from your curriculum

• Can be modified according to the results of pre-assessment and diagnosis of student learning needs

• Are the first step in designing good instruction

• Cannot be based on materials available

Learning Targets Help Students

• Gives students information to set personal goals and self-monitor their learning

• Students who can identify what they are learning significantly outscore those who cannot. Robert Marzano

Why Clear Learning Targets?

• To plan effective assessments, must first be clear on the intended outcome of instruction.

• Clarity for determining what instructional activities to plan—all instruction and classroom activities aim at specific learning targets.

• Ability to balance “depth” vs. “coverage”—prioritize instructional time on core concepts and skills most important for mastery

Why Clear Learning Targets?

• Clarity on learning targets reveals the truth about textbooks (degree of match to the curriculum) – (Partner Discussion here)

• Gives teachers knowledge to make choices regarding use of textbooks and resources.

Learning Goals Samples• Elementary- The learner will solve problems

using measurement concepts and procedures involving elapsed time. (Math, 3rd grade-2.01)

• Middle School- The learner will describe the patterns of and motives for migrations of people, and evaluate the impact on the political, economic, and social development of selected societies and regions. (Social Studies, 7th grade- 4.01)

• High School- The learner will understand the structure and function of carbohydrates.

Clear Learning Targets Samples• Elementary- I can solve problems of

elapsed time. (Math, 3rd grade-2.01)

• Middle School- I can discuss why people in Africa move from place to place and how that movement changes the economy [society and politics]. (Social Studies, 7th grade- 4.01)

• High School- I can explain the structure and function of carbohydrates.

Variety of Targets within a Goal

• Within a goal, there may be several learning targets including:– Knowledge Targets: the facts and concepts

we want students to know (recalls, identifies)– Reasoning Targets: the mental processes

students use (predicts, infers, classifies, compares, summarizes)

Variety of Targets within a Goal

– Skill Targets: student performances that demonstrate their mastery (oral fluency in reading, giving an oral presentation)

– Product Targets: the concrete example of a student’s knowledge, reasoning and skill (research paper, essay)

– Disposition Targets: students’ attitudes about school, content and learning (likes math, reads for pleasure)

From Learning Targets to Stepping Stone Questions

• Often, there is important information (discrete facts) that students must know in order to reach the learning target. This is important background knowledge.

• Stepping stone questions provide students with necessary foundation in content to enable higher level thinking.

• They help students and teachers know whether students can recall facts, definitions or descriptions from the curriculum.

From Learning Targets to Stepping Stone Questions

• Student-friendly clear learning target or objectives turned into a question

• Generally a literal thinking question (knowing and understanding)

• Usually have a specific, correct answer

• Could be called a Daily Essential Question

Stepping Stone Question Samples

• Elementary- What are the steps for solving a problem of elapsed time? What does elapsed mean? (Math, 3rd grade-2.01)

• Middle School- What groups of people in Africa have moved from place to place? What made them move? How did their movement change the economy [society and politics]? (Social Studies, 7th grade- 4.01)

• High School- What is the structure and function of carbohydrates?

From Stepping Stone Questionsto Essential Questions

• Essential Questions (EQs) offer the organizing focus for the unit, the big ideas. They overarch a unit or topic of study that help students make sense out of complicated ideas.

• They are open-ended, broad-based and resist a simple or single right answer.

• EQs get at the important, vital issues related to the subject matter.

• More on EQs next session.

The Whole Picture--ElementaryEQ- How would life be different

if time were not important to us?

Stepping Stone:What are the steps

for solving problemsof elapsed time?

Stepping Stone:What are the types

of elapsed timeproblems?

Stepping Stone: How do I subtract

time across anhour?

Goal: The learner willSolve problems using

measurement concepts involving elapsed time.

Learning Target:I can solve problems

of elapsed time.

Follow-Up Assignment

• Choose a unit you will be teaching in the next month or two.

• Complete a matrix of overarching Essential Question, Stepping Stones, Learning Goals and Learning Targets.

• Share and analyze the matrix with a grade level or department colleague. Revise.

• Submit to principal by December 17, 2009.