I’m so excited to share what I have learned from my EL Education background about:
1. Learning Targets
2. Success Criteria &
3. Checking For Understanding Strategies
These really impacted my class daily and are so powerful! If you haven’t started using them, then this is a great place to start!
What are Learning Targets?
A learning target is a learning goal you have for you students. These can be long-term targets and also daily targets. I’ve also heard them called learning objectives, but I prefer targets because I think they are more concrete. Targets can be different each day depending on your lessons or you can use the same target for multiple days. You will have 1 (sometimes more) learning target(s) for each part of your day.
Here is an editable resource that you can use to create learning targets! Just click on any image to see the resource!
How to Write Learning Targets
I create my targets as the goal that I want students to meet, knowing that brains are different and not all of my kids will reach it that day necessarily (see checking for understanding below).
I use my teaching standards, verbs from Bloom’s taxonomy, and whatever the students will be doing into consideration when I write targets.
This has been an area that I’ve improved over the years. I have learned that targets should be more about what students are expected to learn rather than what task they are doing.
Some of my targets are typed and laminated, especially if I use them often like during centers. Others, I write on my whiteboard next to my picture schedule. You can see a picture from my classroom on the blog cover.
It’s not enough to write targets.… You have to read and unpack them! Then you go over success criteria and reflect on your targets afterwards!
It might sound like a lot, but it makes learning meaningful. These steps develop connections in our brains so that students can actually learn and access the material later.
Unpacking Learning Targets
Imagine all of my cute firsties sitting down for a math lesson. I have my learning target on the board: I can use strategies for composing 10 in many ways.
I read the target and ask, “Are there any words that you need help understanding?”
A cutie raises their hand and asks about the big s word. So I underline strategies and we discuss that strategies are things we use to help us figure out problems. Then we go over strategies I have already taught and make a list under the word strategies.
Another cutie asks what the word composing means. I underline composing and write the word making above it. I clarify that we are making 10 in many ways.
You might wonder, why I wouldn’t just writing making in my learning target in the first place…. It is our job to expose kids to robust vocabulary and build academic vocabulary. I take every chance I can to use robust vocabulary in my targets!
I paraphrase my learning target with how we have unpacked it and have the kids give me a thumb readiness (checking for understanding) if we are ready to move on or if we need to unpack further.
Then I show them (I do) one way to make ten by holding up 5 fingers and another 5 fingers. Next we go over our success criteria!
What is Success Criteria?
Think of success criteria as the students thinking “How will I know if I am being successful with the learning target (activity, center, etc.)?” It is a list that students can go over while working and when they are reflecting later.
Wwwoooaaahhhh. We expect littles to do this? I must admit that when I first heard of success criteria, I felt very overwhelmed. I didn’t know how I could making it developmentally appropriate and it was frustrating. I tried lots.. of. things. that really just didn’t work for me or the kids. Some of it looked nice, but the kids weren’t reffering to it mostly because they couldn’t read it all yet!
How I Use Success Criteria with Little Learners
Well my friends, I found that what worked best for my littles was a simply chart of LOOKS LIKE & SOUNDS LIKE. Now, I am no artist, but I found the charts were way more accessible if I drew little images next to the criteria to help my students.
So lets go back to our example math target: I can use strategies for composing 10 in many ways. Here is an example of success criteria I would have:
It LOOKS LIKE
kids using the making 10 Bead Sliders
kids using ten frames
kids using counters
kids using number bond mats
kids sliding counters
kid writing different ways to make 10
It SOUNDS LIKE
kids counting
counters moving
kids sharing different ways they made 10
Do you SEE how my success criteria engages students because they will know just what to do? My behavior issues will also be easier because my expectations are clear. Double Win! If you want the free Looks Like & Sounds Like chart in the image above, just head over to my freebies page 🙂
Student Reflection & Checking For Understanding Strategies
Don’t skip this step!!! It can be hard to build time in to reflect on their learning, but it is soooo important! This is where learning goes deeper and you help them develop life-long learning skills!
Put a timer on to end 3-5 minutes earlier than usual to do your check-in.
Have the kids gather back and face you. Read the target and have the kids give you a 1-4 finger self-check rating with where they feel they are with the target. (Reflection on their own learning takes time, practice, and a safe culture in your class, but doing it with each target will help them get there quickly).
I have my kids hold their finger-rating on their chest with eyes on me. I stress the importance of honesty so that I can get an accurate read and they build a habit of reflection (not competing with their peers). We have many talks about how brains are different and that is okay.
Use my FREE POSTERS please! (Get them below) Go over the posters each day so that kids know what 1 finger, 2 fingers, 3 fingers and 4 fingers mean.
Now there are lots of checking for understanding strategies & you can use them in the beginning, middle and/or end of lessons or activities. I learned lots of these strategies when I read Leaders of Their Own Learning by Ron Berger (definitely recommend), but the 1-4 finger check-in was my go-to!
Earlier in the post I talked about a thumb rating. It’s simple: Thumbs up means I’m ready, thumbs sideways means I need a little more clarification, thumbs down means I’m not ready. I also use thumb-rating daily!
I hope that this blog post really helps you with your journey on using Learning Targets, Unpacking those Targets, Success Criteria, & teaching kids how to reflect & Check their own Understanding!
I’d love to hear from you! Be sure to join my mailing list where I share my ideas, resources, freebies & more to help Engage Littles with their Learning!
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