Using Learning Targets as a
School and District
Instructional Improvement
Strategy
Presented by:
Connecticut State Department of Education Coherence Conference
February 25, 2016
Watertown Public Schools
Facts
• Number of Students: 2,848
• Number of Schools: 5
(One Pre-K-2 primary school, two grades 3-5
schools, one grades 6-8 middle school, one high
school)
• District Reference Group: D
2
Team Members for This Presentation
Students:
Grade 2 Students
Grade 9 Global Issues Students
Grade 12 Video Production Students
Teachers:
Maria Schweyer, Grade 2 teacher, John Trumbull Primary School
Mary Lou Kuegler, Social Studies teacher, Watertown High School
Administrators:
Lisa Fekete, Principal, Polk Elementary School
Jennifer Galik, Assistant Principal, John Trumbull Primary School
Paul Jones, Principal, Watertown High School
Marylu Lerz, Principal, Swift Middle School
Roberto Medic, Assistant Principal, Watertown High School
Laura Meka, Principal, John Trumbull Primary School
Janet Parlato, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
3
Basis for Learning Targets
Susan Brookhart and Connie Moss, 2012
4
The Learning Targets
Framework
• I can (Today’s Learning Target):
• To do this, I must learn and
understand: (Important Ideas, Topics, Subjects)
• I will show I can do this by: (Performance
of Understanding)
• I will know I am successful when:
(Success Criteria)
5
Initial Motivation to Use the
Learning Targets Framework
• Frequent administrative turnover in a 10 year
period.
• Underperformance across all standardized
measures, including CMT, CAPT, Smarter
Balanced, SAT, and AP.
• Emphasis on addressing key components of the
Connecticut Common Core of Teaching Rubric.
6
Purposes of Learning Targets
• To establish and develop a common vocabulary
across the district related to teachers’
instructional decisions and students’ learning
• To emphasize effective instruction and
assessment practices through the use of a
district-wide framework
• To provide a process that addresses attributes
of the Connecticut Common Core of Teaching
Rubric
7
Important Philosophical Stance upon
which the Learning Targets Framework
is Built
• The power and potential of “I Can…” in
building students’ independence as learners
and their own perceptions of competence
and agency
8
The Learning Targets Framework and
District Instructional Improvement
Strategies
• Alignment with District Themes
• Part of a multi-pronged approach to
instructional improvement
9
Alignment with District Themes
• District planning is aligned with one of the
following themes:
•
•
•
•
Growth Mindset
Coherence and Alignment
Beliefs
Social Capital and Relational Trust
• All Administrative Council agenda items are
aligned with one of the themes as well.
10
Alignment with District Themes
Growth Mindset Guiding Questions:
How do strategic instructional decisions lead to student growth and
achievement?
How do strategic leadership actions and decisions lead to
organizational growth and achievement?
How do we measure and report upon progress?
In what ways do we reflect upon our work and growth?
In what ways do we encourage reflective practices in teachers and
students?
How do we implement action steps that result from our reflection?
11
Alignment with District Themes
Coherence and Alignment Guiding Questions:
• How are the district mission, values, and goals
present in all decisions and actions?
• How do we align practices and expectations to
ensure consistency across schools?
12
Approaches to Instructional
Improvement
13
Levels of the Use of an Innovation
Levels of Use
Indicators of Level
Non-Use
The user has no interest, is taking no action.
Orientation
The user is taking the initiative to learn more about the
innovation.
Preparation
The user has definite plans to begin using the
innovation.
Mechanical
The user is making changes to better organize use of the
innovation.
Routine
The user is making few or no changes and has an
established pattern of use.
Refinement
The user is making changes to increase outcomes.
Integration
The user is making deliberate efforts to coordinate with
others in using the innovation.
Renewal
The user is seeking more effective alternatives to the
established use of the innovation.
14
First Activity: Turn and Talk
• Explain where one of the innovations or initiatives
in your district falls on the levels of use chart.
• Why do you think the innovation or initiative is at
this level of use?
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Connections Between the Learning
Targets Framework and the Common
Core of Teaching Rubric
Indicator
Rubric Language
Connection to Learning Target
Framework
1a: Positive
Learning
Environment
Creates
opportunities for
students…to take
responsibility for
the own learning
--“I can” phrasing of the learning
target encourages student
responsibility for their learning.
--Student-accessible language of
learning target assists with
understanding the purpose of the
learning.
--Students’ knowledge of success
criteria provides them with an
understanding of how effective
completion of a task/activity should
look.
16
Connections Between the Learning
Targets Framework and the Common
Core of Teaching Rubric
Indicator
Rubric Language
Connection to Learning Target
Framework
2c: Selecting
Appropriate
Assessment
Strategies
Plans specific
criteria for
student success,
and plans
opportunities for
students to selfassess using the
criteria
Students’ knowledge of success
criteria provides them with an
understanding of how effective
completion of a task/activity should
look.
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Connections Between the Learning
Targets Framework and the Common
Core of Teaching Rubric
Indicator
Rubric Language
Connection to Learning Target
Framework
3a.
Instructional
Purpose and
Content
Progression
Clearly
communicates
learning
expectations to
students and sets
a specific purpose
for the
instruction.
The “I can” statement and success
criteria make clear to students the
expectations for today’s lesson.
The unit’s learning trajectory
Clearly presents
(sequence of learning targets
instructional
throughout a unit) should be logical
content in logical and purposeful.
and purposeful
progression
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Connections Between the Learning
Targets Framework and the Common
Core of Teaching Rubric
Indicator
Rubric Language
Connection to Learning Target
Framework
3b. Student
responsibility
and
independence
Implements
instruction that
provides multiple
opportunities for
students to
develop
independence as
learners and share
responsibility for
the learning
process.
Students understand the structure of
the day’s lesson, including what they
will learn, how they will
demonstrate their learning, and
what successful demonstration looks
like.
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This shared information provides
students with more control over and
responsibility for their learning.
Connections Between the Learning
Targets Framework and the Common
Core of Teaching Rubric
Indicator
Rubric Language
Connection to Learning Target
Framework
3c. Criteria for
Student Success
Communicates
specific criteria
for success and
provides multiple
opportunities for
students to selfassess
Success criteria are part of the
learning targets framework, and
eventually, we will post them so that
the success criteria are clear to
students.
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Connections Between the Learning
Targets Framework and the Common
Core of Teaching Rubric
Indicator
Rubric Language
Connection to Learning Target
Framework
4a. Professional
Learning
Participates
actively in
required
professional
learning and
seeks out
opportunities
within and
beyond the school
to strengthen
skills and apply
new learning to
practice
Lessons about learning targets will
occur over the next several
professional development sessions,
and the district-wide expectation for
the posting of learning targets will
be clear.
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Video
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Second Activity:
Turn and Talk #2
• What did you see in the video that
connects with the Common Core of
Teaching Rubric?
23
Key Terms from the Learning
Targets Framework
• Today’s Learning Target/I Can Statement
• Performance of Understanding
• Success Criteria
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Definition of Learning Target
• A learning target describes, in language that
students understand, the lesson-sized chunk
of information, skills, and reasoning processes
that students will come to know thoroughly
and deeply.
• A learning target is connected to a specific
performance of understanding for today’s
lesson.
I can: Today’s Learning Target
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Definition of
Performance of Understanding
• A learning experience or task that requires
students to actually do, say, write, or make
something during today’s lesson to aim for
the target, deepen their understanding, and
produce compelling evidence of what they
know and can do related to the target.
I will show I can do this by:
(Performance of Understanding)
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Definition of Success Criteria
• Descriptions of what it means to do quality work
in today’s lesson
• The criteria are observable and measurable so that
students can use them to assess the quality of their
work while they are learning.
• The criteria explain what successful work looks like for
today’s lesson to help students understand what they
will do to demonstrate their learning and how well they
will have to do it.
I will know I am successful when: (Success Criteria)
27
Target Sample #1
I Can tell the difference between how a character feels at a
particular part of a story and the character’s overall personality traits.
To Do This I Must pay close attention to patterns in how the
character reacts to events in the story.
I Will Know I’m Successful When I have recorded and
analyzed how my character reacted to different events in the story and
then determine their personality traits.
Dear Superstar Readers,
As I said yesterday, remember that your book may not tell you exactly how the
character feels, or what the character thinks, so you must figure out for yourself,
using all of the information you have about the character. Don’t forget to look
for patterns in how the character reacts to events in the story.
Love, the Book Fairy
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Student Activity
Name: ______________________________________
Date:
Character Personality
Book Title: ____________________________________________________
Author: ______________________________________________________
Character:
Event:
___________________________________________________
Character’s Reaction:
Given what you know about your character and how he/she reacts to
different situations, what can you tell about your character’s personality?
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Target Sample #2
I Can compare how my character has changed from the beginning,
to the middle, to the end of the story.
To Do This I Must look back and analyze how the character acted
and what he/she said in each chapter to determine how the character has
changed.
I Will Know I’m Successful When I have recorded on my
graphic organizer how the character has changed from the beginning of
the story, to the middle, to the end of the story. I have then analyzed the
changes to identify the character’s personality.
Dear Superstar Readers,
The best characters in a story show a lot of emotion. Pay close attention to your
character and how they react to certain events in the story. Ask yourself if you
would have reacted the same way. Have a conversation with your partner and
share these thoughts.  Remember two heads are better than one!
Love, the Book Fairy
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Student Activity
Character Change
Title:
_______________________________________________________
Character:
_______________________________________________________
I can describe how and why my character changed throughout the story.
Beginning:
How did the character feel and tell why:
Middle:
How did the character feel and tell why:
End:
How did the character feel and tell why:
How did your character’s feelings and emotions change over the course of the story?
How would you describe your character’s personality?
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•
Student Work Sample
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Target Sample #3
I Can analyze the main character in my realistic fiction story and
identify how he/she and I are alike.
To Do This I Must pay extra-special attention to my character’s
likes, dislikes, wants, troubles and heart’s desires.
I Will Know I’m Successful When I have identified at least 3
ways the main character in my realistic fiction story and I are alike.
Dear Superstar Readers,
You know you could go through your whole life complaining and finding all of
the things that are wrong with people, or you can go through life finding the
things you can relate to (things you have in common). Look past your
differences and find out how you are alike . This is a great life lesson!
Have Fun!
Love, The Book Fairy
33
Student Activity
How Are We Alike?
Book Title: __________________________________________________
Character: ___________________________________________________
The character’s likes, dislikes, troubles and heart’s desires:
My likes, dislikes, troubles, and heart’s desires:
How _________________________ and I are alike:
Write at least 3 ways you are alike.
____________
____________
____________
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Student Work Sample
35
Student Work Sample
36
Target for Students’ Use
37
Key Ideas Related to the
Learning Targets Framework
• Idea #1: A learning target is a lesson-sized
statement of what the student should gain from
that day’s lesson; a learning objective can span
over an entire unit or over the course of the year.
• Idea #2: There must be a clear connection between
the learning target and the activity that is
completed during the day’s lesson.
• Idea #3: Learning targets build across a learning
trajectory during the course of a unit.
38
Key Idea #1: Learning Target vs.
Instructional Objective
How does a learning target differ from an instructional
objective?
• An instructional objective describes an intended
outcome from a teacher’s point of view. It contains
content outcomes, conditions, and criteria.
• A learning target describes the intended lesson-sized
outcome and the nature of evidence that will determine
mastery of that outcome from a student’s point of view.
It contains the immediate learning aims for today’s
lesson.
39
Activity for Key Idea #1
• I can (Today’s Learning Target): distinguish between an
instructional objective and a learning target.
• To do this, I must learn and understand:
(Important Ideas, Topics, Subjects) that learning targets are goals for
today’s lesson and instructional objectives can span over several lessons.
• I will show I can do this by: (Performance of
Understanding) sorting learning targets and instructional objectives
into two distinct piles and explaining why I sorted the cards the way I
did.
• I will know I am successful when: (Success
Criteria) I sort learning targets and instructional objectives with at
least 90% accuracy and can provide at least one reason for each of my
sorting choices.
Key Ideas #2 and #3:
Connection and Trajectory
• There must be a clear connection between the
learning target and the activity that is completed
during the day’s lesson.
• Learning targets build across a learning trajectory
during the course of a unit.
• Learning targets vary in their rigor and levels of
complexity across a unit.
41
Activity for Key Ideas #2 and #3
• I can rate the connection between each target and each
activity.
• I can determine the level of Webb’s Depth of Knowledge for
each target and each activity.
• I can explain the learning progression across the trajectory.
• I will show I can do this by circling the level of connection for
each day and placing the Depth of Knowledge level next to
each I Can statement and activity.
• I will know I am successful when I can explain the reasons for
my ratings and levels for each I Can statement and activity.
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Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
• Developed in 2005 as one way to analyze the
complexity or rigor of classroom activities and
tasks.
• Webb focused on the actions that students complete
in demonstrating what they know and are able to
do, which is why the categories contain verbs.
• Webb explained that the levels are not progressive,
meaning that the youngest learners can complete
Level Four thinking some of the time.
Implementation Strategy
• All district administrators read Learning Targets:
Helping Students Aim for Understanding in
Today’s Lesson by Moss and Brookhart.
• A subcommittee of administrators met to develop
a common understanding of the framework and to
plan how teachers would learn about the
framework and its use.
• Primary consideration: Meeting teachers where
they are versus a rapid implementation
44
Implementation Strategy
• The subcommittee decided:
• Sixty to ninety minutes of each professional
development session would be dedicated to learning
targets.
• A common “lesson” would be delivered by the
building administrators in each school. The lesson
would come from a common PowerPoint presentation
with common activities, developed by the
subcommittee of administrators.
45
Implementation Strategy
• Each learning targets lesson contained the same
elements each time:
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Direct instruction in an aspect of understanding and
using learning targets
• Practice in using or analyzing learning targets and
sharing out results
• Exit slip, which served as formative assessment to
guide the development of the next lesson for teachers
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Learning Targets Trajectory for
Teachers – Order of Lessons
Lesson #1:
• I can understand the basic elements of the learning targets framework.
• I will show I can do this by reading and analyzing the parts of a
completed framework example.
Lesson #2:
• I can distinguish between a learning target and an instructional
objective.
• I will show I can do this by sorting learning targets and instructional
objectives into two piles.
Lesson #3:
• I can divide an instructional objective into various learning targets.
• I will show I can do this by creating a list of learning targets from my of
my unit objectives.
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Learning Targets Trajectory for
Teachers – Order of Lessons
Lesson #4:
• I can categorize learning targets and activities according to their Depth of Knowledge levels.
• I will show I can do this by placing my group members targets and activities on the
appropriate level of the Webb’s Depth of Knowledge wheel.
Lesson #5:
• I can apply Webb’s Depth of Knowledge categories to a learning targets and classroom
activities.
• I will show I can do this by categorizing learning targets and classroom activities into one of
the four Webb’s Depth of Knowledge levels.
Lesson #6:
• I can understand the necessary connection between an “I can” statement and classroom
activity in a lesson, as well as the necessary building of “I can” statements throughout a unit.
• I can apply Webb’s Depth of Knowledge to learning targets and related activities from my
own practice.
• I will show I can do this by rating the strength of connections between “I can” statements and
activities and following the trajectory of learning across four days.
• I will show I can do this by placing the Webb’s Depth of Knowledge level next to each
learning target and activity.
48
Examples of Frequently Asked Questions
• Q: Does each lesson only contain one
learning target?
• A: Depending on the length of a lesson, a lesson
may have one or two learning targets. Keep in
mind, though, that the learning target should
contain the knowledge and/or skills found in one
lesson, not a series of lessons.
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Examples of Frequently Asked Questions
• Q: How much of the “how” do I include in the “I
can” statement?
• A: The “how” is the performance of
understanding, and it is usually not included in the
“I can” statement. The “I can” statement is the
standards-informed statement of what students
should know and/or be able to do by the end of the
lesson.
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Examples of Frequently Asked Questions
• Q: How do I write a Learning Target for a class
discussion?
• A: Think about the purpose of the discussion:
What should students know and/or be able to do
as a result of the discussion? What specific skill or
specific content knowledge should students learn
by participating in the discussion?
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Examples of Exit Slips and
Exit Slips Results
• I feel confident in writing “I can” statements for
each lesson.
• Strongly Agree = 21%
• Agree = 78%
• Middle of Agree and Disagree = 1%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree = 0
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Results of the District Survey from the
October 9 Learning Targets Session
From the October 9 Learning Targets Session:
I feel confident in writing “I can” statements for
each lesson.
• Strongly Agree = 21%
• Agree = 78%
• Middle of Agree and Disagree = 1%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree = 0
District Results from the October 23 Session:
Depth of Knowledge Levels for Learning Targets
and Activities
Learning Targets
Activities/Tasks
Level 1
28%
19%
Level 2
37%
25%
Level 3
22%
29%
Level 4
13%
27%
How We Stated Expectations
for Learning Targets’ Use
•
Our district is committed to a purposefully paced roll-out and
careful implementation of the learning target framework.
•
For the month of September, practice rewriting instructional
objectives as “I can…” statements using first-person, studentfriendly language for each lesson.
Current Expectation (After October 1, 2015):
All teachers will post a new “I can” statement daily for each lesson.
After April 1, 2016:
Teachers will always post the “I can” statement.
Teachers will then post either one of the following:
“I will show I can do this by…” or
“I will know I am successful when…”
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District Next Steps
• Continued work with learning targets in grades K12 in 2016-17
• Specific professional development in instructional
practices for each school
• Move from less formal learning walks to more
formal instructional rounds, including each school
developing a problem of instructional practice
• Expansion of video to communicate about
learning targets to more audiences
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Questions that Remain
• How do we differentiate our presentations and
activities based upon teachers’ varied level of
understanding of learning targets?
• How can we effectively measure the impact of
learning targets upon student achievement and
teacher practice?
• How can teachers differentiate learning targets
within one lesson?
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