Professional Resource: Leaders of their Own Learning, Ch. 1

Learning targets are concrete goals written in student-friendly language that clearly describe what students will learn and be able to do by the end of a class, unit, project, or even a course. They begin with an “I can” statement and are posted in the classroom. The term target is used intentionally, as it conveys to students that they are aiming for something specific.

Learning targets are...

• Derived from national or state standards embedded in school or district documents such as curriculum maps and adopted program materials.

• Written in student-friendly language and begin with the stem “I can...”

• Measurable and use concrete, assess-able verbs (e.g., identify, compare, analyze). The verb suggests the way in which the target will be assessed.

• Specific, often referring to the particular context of a lesson, project, or case study.

• Focused on the intended LEARNING, not the intended DOING. That is, they are phrased as statements about the skills or knowledge students will develop as opposed to what students will complete (e.g., “I can describe the ideal habitat for a polar bear” vs. “I can write a paragraph about the habitat of a polar bear”).

• Matched to the cognitive process demanded of students (e.g., knowledge, reasoning, skill)