For years, I started each lesson off by reading the learning target to my students or having them read the learning target out loud to the class and then would just move on. Can you relate? One day, I asked myself, “What is the point of a learning target?”. Not long after that, I sat in a PD where they talked about the importance of not just reading learning targets but making sure our students understood learning targets. Then, I started to realize that a learning target is NOT just there to tell your administration what standard you are teaching or it is NOT just there to keep the teacher on track with pacing. I realized that how I was using learning targets in my classroom wasn’t helping my students and honestly had just become a mundane activity at the beginning of every lesson. Today, I am going to explain to how I changed how I used learning targets in my classroom and why I will never go back!
Meaningful Ways to Use Learning Targets at the Beginning of a Lesson
The first thing I changed was how I began a lesson with learning targets. I no longer quickly breeze through learning targets at the beginning of the lesson. Now, I spend time on the learning target to ensure that my students understand what they will be learning that day and to reinforce academic vocabulary that we are discussing for that topic. There are many ways to do this, but I am going to explain to you the process that I have used over the last couple years.
In the picture above, you see the 5 day process I use to help learning targets have meaning in my classroom and to help my students understand why we use learning targets. If I do not use the same learning target for 5 days, I will often combine or eliminate some of the days listed above. These ideas are all very easy to implement and yes, it does take a little bit of time, but I am happy that at least the time I am taking for this is now meaningful.
Meaningful Ways to Use Learning Targets at the End of a Lesson
Learning targets should be revisited throughout and at the end of your lesson! This is a great way to check-in on your students understanding and see what you may need to revisit the next day. Below, I have shared some different ways that you can some easy ways that you circle back to the learning target at the end of a lesson.
Now that you have some new ways to use learning targets in your classroom, I would love to share a new resource that I have created with pre-made learning targets. This resource if for 4th grade teachers that include ready to print and use learning targets for all 4th grade Common Core math standards. This resource includes full page learning targets, individual learning targets for student notebooks (12 on a page) and a couple bonus pages to help you use learning targets in a meaningful way in your classroom. Click the button below to check out this resource!
Do you teach 3rd grade or 5th grade? I have great news for you! I am currently working on creating learning targets for your Common Core math standards too. If you are interested in learning targets for 3rd grade, click here to be added to the waitlist. If you are interested in learning targets for 5th grade, click here to be added to the waitlist.
