Let me Clear...or shall I say transparant

 Learners deserve a great teacher not by chance, but by design.  (Fisher, Frey, Hattie). This refers to a belief that the decision you make should be purposeful and intentional based on the best interests of your students.  You have an opportunity to double the rate of learning in your classroom.  Think about the baseline you just realized last week during MAP testing.  You can affect change and double the growth simply by focusing on clarity. See the figure below.  Think about doubling growth by May. WOW!

"Learning is most successful when teachers see learning through the eyes of their students and students see themselves as their own teachers." John Hattie

Everything is possible when you focus on clarity.  Our main mode to do this is through our school improvement action steps:

1. Teachers write quality learning intentions (credible, decontextualized, knowledge and/or skills) including success criteria based on grade level progressions (daily). (achievement)
2. Teachers provide feedback using the language of quality learning intentions/success criteria in daily instruction (before/during/after). (achievement
3. Teachers plan and integrate learning activities/tasks that are aligned to and assess the learning intention (daily) (achievement)

Your work as a PLC is devoted to these areas to achieve clarity. The trick is to do these steps consistently throughout the school year.

Learning Intentions

A learning intention is a description of the intended learning. It is a specific and describes the destination for the day. It should be clear and focused. It is not a description of a task or a series of steps:

    Explain how understanding a graph can help me predict and compare data.

    Summarize two texts to create a central ideas and compare them.

Larry Ainsworth uses the following as criteria for writing effective learning intentions:

1. Written as the learning destination "Where are we going?'
2. Is a summary or general restatement of the standard(s)
3. Is a global statement without specifics
4. Is age-appropriate, kid-friendly but retains the rigor an intent of the standard.
5. It includes key term and vocabulary
6. No references to specific context (ie resource)
7. Explains why it's important to learn.

I am learning the essential characteristics of three dimensional solids. So I can determine relationships within solids (volume, area, angles.)

Success Criteria

The learning intention is a hanging chad without success criteria.  Success criteria describes the evidence student need to show they have achieved the intention.

    I can read and describe the criteria on a graph.  

    I can write equations based on the data found on the graph.

    I can write a summary of a text.

    I can cite evidence from text.

    I can analyze evidence to draw a conclusion or develop a central idea.

Effective Success Criteria have the following:

1. Specify what student are to do.
2. Provide a map to the destination "How are we going?"
3. Identify the details needed to achieve the learning intention.
4. Use specific terms from the standard and maintain the rigor of it.
5. Include objective wording
6. Is in student-friendly language.
7. Includes other details not included in the standard but necessary to complete the intention.

I am learning the essential characteristics of three dimensional solids. So I can determine relationships within solids (volume, area, angles.)

I can describe the characteristics of three dimensional solids.

I can compare and contrast different solids using the characteristics

I can use the essentials characteristics to short three-dimensional solids

I can justify my sorting using the essential characteristics.

Success criteria comes in many forms

Amy Scherb's asks for shared thinking

Models

Rubrics

Descriptions

Student work

Metaphors

 Models and a Rubric from Art

Description in Carol Bigley's Room

Transparency, as used in science, engineering, business, the humanities and in other social contexts, is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed. Transparency implies openness, communication, and accountability.

You are the agent that allows for clarity to happen and achievement to accelerate.  

Let's get started.

Let's Collaborate

Let's Be Consistent

Let's be clear

Let's raise achievement.