Learning Targets

A student can articulate their learning objective and monitor their progress towards meeting it.

• Aligns with essential standards
• Matches rigor and sequence of unit
• Written in student-friendly language
• Students can define it in their own words
• Clearly displayed
• Referenced throughout the lesson
• Embeds academic vocabulary
• Measurable
• Uses concrete verbs
• Specific to context of a particular lesson or project
• Students self-assess and reflect on targets

PLC Question 1: What do we want students to know?

Assessments

Formative:

• Ongoing and used to drive instruction (frequent CFUs) Tied to driving questions of PLC work- What do we want students to know? How will we know students have learned it? How will we respond when they don’t and they do learn it?
• FAST (frequent, actionable, specific and timely)
• Assessment strategies that gauge the understanding of ALL students
• Involve students in assessing their own learning
• A variety of strategies used to assess (i.e. instant snapshot of class with technology, exit ticket, etc.)
• A variety of response options (different ways to demonstrate understanding).
• All DOK levels represented in assessment

Summative:

• Culminating assessments used to drive team and site next steps
• A variety of options
• Choice in demonstrating learning
• Use data to measure effectiveness of instructional programs, goals, and achievements

PLC Question 2: How will we know when our students have learned it?

Differentiation

Tailoring instruction of content, process, products, or the learning environment to meet individual needs of students; Providing a variety of supports for a variety of learners that assists each student in reaching the highest level of thinking and learning

• Teachers design lessons based on essential standards with students’ learning styles, scaffolds and equity in mind
• Group students strategically by shared interest, topic or ability
• Manage the classroom to support choice and inquiry
• Builds independence and removes barriers - modifying assignments to meet students’ current needs
• Use of academic vocabulary in context
• Flexible language frames and word banks
• Thinking tools, modeling, small groups
• Use of manipulatives, multimedia, visuals, or realia
• Flexible learning space
• Can be additional support (intervention) or enrichment
• Choice in how to demonstrate learning

PLC Questions 3 and 4:

• What do we do for students who don’t get it yet?
• What do we do for students who already got it?

Responsive​ ​teaching​ ​to​ ​ALL

(Culturally, Linguistically, And Socially/emotionally)
Culturally responsive (or relevant) teaching:"a pedagogy that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes" (Ladson-Billings, 1994, p. 382).

• Recognizes/utilize the cultural/ linguistic/ social-emotional capital and tools students bring to the classroom
• Educators understand their personal triggers and create environments to minimize those effects on student learning opportunities
• Lesson design encompasses essential standards, learning targets, multiple ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge, multiple entry points into the content based on the “whole-child”
• Make meaningful connections to the diverse backgrounds of their students while emphasizing a rigorous curriculum and high expectations for achievement
• Ideal Environment: students feel safe taking educational risks because they have a warm demander educator (high expectations, support, connection) who is aware of students’ challenges (i..e age,, home environment, social climate, etc.)
• Culturally Responsive Teaching article

Addresses PLC Questions 1, 2, 3 and 4