Learning Targets

There are just somethings that I really believe strongly in, and one of them is Learning Targets and Objectives.  Our school has adopted Setting Objectives and Learning Targets as one of our school improvement goals.  Our goals came from Classroom Instruction that Works.

Since, I'm a literacy coach, I really don't see students....except I've started tutoring over my lunch on Thursday and I LOVE IT!!!!!!  I'm working with 4th-5th graders. 

I just thought I'd share my learning targets for our tutoring sessions.  These were my learning targets for my lesson's on author's purpose and cause and effect.  I use Mondo Safari Magazines to teach these lessons.  These are a great resource.  Each magazine has a non-fiction story, a fiction story, a play and a poem.

I'm currently doing a book study on Learning Targets.  What I'm most excited about learning is how students can self-assess if they met the learning target.  Everything I've been reading stresses the importance of the students taking ownership for their learning. 

One of the neat things I see when I go into classrooms is when teachers are referring to the learning target before, during and after the lesson, so the students are making a connection to the outcome of the lesson and why they are practicing the specific skills.


Is this something that you are expected to do at your school?  How do you help students link their learning to the objectives you set?