iObservation Element Study
November 2018: Identifying Critical Content from Standards
Summary of this element
However, there are significant differences, and it is important to understand how these two elements are focused on different aspects of instruction.
A Breakdown of Module #3
Focus Statement
What does this mean?
The focus statement indicates that the learning target and the performance scale (which are what convey the critical content to students) are shared at the beginning of the class and is continually connected to the classroom activities and work being done throughout the class.
Essentially students should understand how the work they are engaging in throughout class connects to the target(s) for the day.
Desired Effect
What does this mean?
This desired effect, while it seems to indicate otherwise the way it is worded, is not asking for students to evaluate the learning at the end of the class and to categorize what they learned as important or unimportant.
Rather, the idea is that they are so familiar with the learning target they are able to use that throughout the entire class period to connect to the most important aspects of the lesson and activities.
Scale for Identifying Critical Content from the Standards
But Wait...There's More! Taxonomy!
When we write learning targets, we ensure that they are aligned to the curriculum - and this includes the level of taxonomy to which they are written (this is what is done during planning).
The expectation of this element is that the instruction (and the instructional activities in which we engage students) matches the taxonomy level of the learning target.
However, we recognize that not all students are ready to work at the same taxonomy level, so sometimes we need to make adaptations to our instruction or to the instructional activity to support those students in particular.
Celebrate and Share
When we use learning targets with students, and we provide instructional activities at the taxonomy level of the target, that's when we begin to see the impact on achievement in our classrooms.
Inviting others into our classrooms to give us feedback on this specific element is a perfect way to grow in this area. And don't forget that content leaders are ready to provide any help they can - from planning the learning targets to helping implement with students.
Enjoy your November!