What are Success Criteria?

Success criteria in terms of teacher clarity encompass clearly defined expectations, objectives, and standards for learning, enabling students to understand precisely what is expected of them in terms of knowledge, skills, and performance. When articulated effectively, these criteria serve as benchmarks that help students navigate their learning journey, fostering a clearer path toward achieving specific learning outcomes. 

Why are Success Criteria important?

Success criteria are essential as they provide clear benchmarks and measurable objectives that guide students' learning, offering transparency and direction while enabling self-assessment and progress monitoring, ultimately fostering motivation, goal attainment, and deeper understanding of learning objectives. 

What are some steps to designing Success Criteria for a lesson?

1. Identify Content Standards:

   1. Clearly define the specific Content Standard(s) to achieve from the lesson.

2. Break Down Objectives into Measurable Components:

   1. Divide the Standard(s) into smaller, measurable components or tasks that students can understand and achieve through identifying the nouns and verbs from the standard

3. Make Criteria Explicit:

   1. Clearly articulate the criteria for success, using the outlining what successful completion or achievement looks like for each objective or task derived from the verbs of the standard.

4. Use Clear and Understandable Language:

   1. Express the success criteria in language that is accessible and understandable for your students, avoiding jargon or ambiguous terms.

5. Provide Examples and Non-Examples:

   1. Offer examples that illustrate what meeting the criteria entails and non-examples that clarify what does not meet the criteria.

6. Involve Students in Understanding Criteria:

   1. Engage students in discussions or activities that help them understand and internalize the success criteria, ensuring they comprehend the expectations.

7. Display and Refer to Criteria Throughout the Lesson:

   1. Display the success criteria prominently within the classroom or learning materials, referring to them consistently throughout the lesson.

8. Encourage Self-Assessment and Reflection:

   1. Prompt students to self-assess their progress against the criteria and reflect on how they can improve to meet the established benchmarks.

9. Adapt and Review Criteria as Needed:

   1. Continuously review and adapt the success criteria based on student progress and feedback, ensuring they remain relevant and achievable.