Never Work Harder Than
Your Students & Other Principles
of Great Teaching
by Robyn R. Jackson
Principle 2: Know where your students are going
(Chapter 2 – pp. 54-76)
The importance of Learning Objectives
- At St Mary’s we use the Lorraine Munro whiteboard configuration (Do Now, Learning Objectives, Homework) so that the students are prepared for each lesson and know what to expect. When creating Learning Objectives for our lessons we need to make sure that we distinguish between learning goals and the activities that we plan. Often our objectives are really learning activities that outline what we plan to teach/ what students will do in the lesson, not what we want the students to learn.
- Learning Objectives need to focus on what students will be learning.
- To create effective Learning Objectives for each lesson, think about what the students need to achieve by the end of a unit of work. Then break this end goal into smaller objectives which will guide each lesson as they work through the unit.
- Clear learning goals should drive everything you and your students do in the classroom.
- Effective Learning Objectives will emphasise content (what students need to know or understand - e.g. Students will know the meaning of irony) and/ or process (ways of learning and skill development – e.g. Students will be able to explain how an author uses irony to strengthen his/ her argument).
- Unpacking standards/ final learning goals focuses lesson planning. It helps us to determine exactly what students should learn, select learning activities that are well-matched to learning goals and to students’ individual needs.
- State goals in terms of minimal rather than maximum acceptable performance.
- Learning Objectives must be concrete and measurable (e.g. instead of students will write for a variety of purposes try students will write to persuade and to explain which is able to be assessed more easily and clearly).
- Communicate goals to students and parents and hold students accountable for achieving them.
- Learning activities must match the Learning Objectives of the lesson.
Designing Appropriate Assessments
- There are two things to consider when you are creating an assessment – will it give you an accurate picture of whether the students have met the learning goal and will it allow you to give students the feedback necessary in order to improve?
Try these ideas:
- Break your learning goals down into the steps that students will take. Present these steps to the students visually so that they can track their own progress.
- Look at each learning activity that you use with your classes and determine what the ultimate learning goal is for each. Does this align with the Learning Objectives of the lesson or unit that you are teaching? Is the activity teaching a need-to-know
- Ask students to explain in their own words why they are completing particular tasks/ assignments/ experiments … Make sure that they can connect the activity to the Learning Objective
- Do more than just put the Learning Objectives on the board. Discuss with students what the objectives mean and ask for their opinions about the best way to help them reach the objectives.
- Explain to students how they will use what they are learning before you start something new
- Make connections between what they are currently learning and what they have already learned.
- Once the Learning Objectives for a unit/ Achievement Standard have been shared with students, ask them to set their own goal (in their own words) for the end of the unit. Get them to explain what they will need to do to be able to get there. Students can reflect on their progress towards their goal after formative assessments.
Managing Stress this year
These two articles have some good strategies to put in place so that you have less stress in your life:
High Needs Students
ASCD's Five Most Popular Posts in 2011:
Myth of Bell-to-Bell Instruction Vs. "Golden Rule of 15 Minutes"
In this post, math teacher Kadhir Rajagopal describes his instructional style, in which he's never up at the board doing traditional direct instruction for more than 15 minutes per class period. Hear how he uses mini-lessons and "interactive teach-back" to keep his students engaged and putting their new knowledge to instant use.
Seven Ways to Go From On-Task to Engaged
We see examples of on-task but disengaged behavior every day: students mindlessly copying notes from a screen, listening to a lecture but daydreaming about what to do after school, robotically completing a worksheet. So, how do we ramp up both on-task behavior and real, meaningful engagement for our students? This post by motivation expert Bryan Harris shares seven easy ways to increase the likelihood that students are both engaged and on-task.
Should We Allow Students to Use Cell Phones in School?
Several education leaders share perspectives and experiences with varying policies toward student cell phone in schools. Most think cell phones can be responsibly used as part of classroom instruction. What do you think? Are cell phones welcome in your school?
Cure for the Cameron Diaz
While the movie Bad Teacher was welcome comic relief for some, this post provides an alternative, profiling several education-related documentaries released this summer: American Teacher, The Bully Project, Our School, and The Learning. Look for them available on DVD or view instant.
How Negative Social Proof Can Undermine Classroom Management
Negative social proof works in a similar way as positive social proof. Because most of us look to others to help us decide our own behavior, the practice of stressing the poor behavior of a few students may actually encourage and increase that behavior. This post by Bryan Harris says educators are better served to point out and discuss the positive behaviors of the majority of our students.
