Information

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Content Planning

Strategy 1 — Learning Targets & Success Criteria

Impact

Learning targets and success criteria provide students with clarity about what they are expected to learn and what successful learning looks like. When teachers clearly communicate the purpose of a lesson, students can better connect classroom activities to intended outcomes. Success criteria also provide students with a way to monitor their progress, reflect on their learning, and recognize areas where they may need additional support.

Steps/Process

 

  • Identify the standard or essential learning outcome.
  • Determine what students should know, understand, or be able to do by the end of instruction.
  • Translate the learning outcome into clear, student-friendly language.
  • Develop success criteria that describe what successful performance looks like.
  • Introduce and discuss the learning target with students.
  • Refer to the target and success criteria throughout instruction.
  • Ask students to reflect on their progress toward the learning target.

 

Strategy 2 — Backward Design

Impact

Backward Design encourages educators to begin planning with the desired learning outcome rather than beginning with classroom activities. Teachers first determine what students should learn, then identify evidence that will demonstrate learning, and finally plan instructional experiences. This process strengthens alignment among standards, assessments, learning activities, and intended outcomes.

Steps/Process

 

  • Identify the desired learning results.
  • Determine the knowledge and skills students should demonstrate.
  • Decide what evidence will demonstrate successful learning.
  • Develop assessments aligned with the intended outcome.
  • Plan instructional activities and learning experiences.
  • Determine what scaffolds, differentiation, or resources students may need.
  • Review the plan to ensure alignment among outcomes, assessment, and instruction.

 

ASSESSMENT FOR STUDENT LEARNING

Strategy 1 — Exit Tickets

Impact

Exit tickets provide educators with immediate formative information about student understanding. A short response at the end of instruction can reveal misconceptions, identify students requiring additional support, and show whether students are ready to move forward. Teachers can then use this information to make purposeful instructional decisions for the next lesson.

Steps/Process

 

  • Identify the most important learning objective from the lesson.
  • Develop one to three brief questions aligned with the objective.
  • Give students time to respond independently at the end of instruction.
  • Collect and review responses.
  • Sort responses according to patterns of understanding.
  • Identify misconceptions or areas requiring additional instruction.
  • Use the results to plan reteaching, grouping, enrichment, or the next lesson.

 

 

 

Strategy 2 — Checks for Understanding

Impact

Checks for understanding allow teachers to gather evidence of student learning throughout instruction rather than waiting until the end of a lesson or unit. Frequent checks can reveal misconceptions early and help teachers determine whether to continue instruction, provide clarification, reteach a concept, or offer additional challenges.

Steps/Process

 

  • Identify important points during the lesson where understanding should be checked.
  • Select a response method such as questioning, response cards, whiteboards, polls, hand signals, or quick writes.
  • Pose a question directly connected to the learning target.
  • Gather responses from all or most students.
  • Examine responses for patterns and misconceptions.
  • Adjust instruction based on the evidence collected.
  • Check again to determine whether the instructional adjustment was successful.

 

 

Learner Engagement

Strategy 1 — Think-Pair-Share

Impact

Think-Pair-Share provides structured opportunities for students to think independently, discuss their ideas with another student, and contribute to whole-group learning. The strategy can increase participation because students have time to formulate and rehearse their ideas before speaking publicly. It also shifts some classroom thinking and discussion from the teacher to the students.

Steps/Process

 

  • Pose an intentional question connected to the learning objective.
  • Think: Give students individual time to formulate a response.
  • Pair: Place students with a partner to discuss their thinking.
  • Encourage partners to compare, explain, or expand their responses.
  • Share: Invite pairs to contribute ideas to the larger group.
  • Ask follow-up questions that encourage deeper thinking.
  • Connect student responses back to the learning target.

 

 

 

Strategy 2 —Student Choice & Voice

Impact

Providing meaningful opportunities for student choice and voice can increase students' ownership of the learning process. Teachers maintain clear learning expectations while giving students appropriate options for how they access information, practice skills, participate, or demonstrate understanding. Choice can help students connect learning to their interests, strengths, and preferred approaches to learning.

Steps/Process

     

    • Establish a clear learning objective.
    • Determine where meaningful student choice can be incorporated.
    • Develop two or more appropriate options.
    • Communicate expectations and success criteria for each option.
    • Allow students to make an informed selection.
    • Monitor student engagement and progress.
    • Ask students to reflect on their choice and its effectiveness in supporting their learning.

     

     

    Learning Environment/Culture

    Strategy 1 — Behavior-Specific Praise

    Impact

    Behavior-specific praise communicates exactly which positive behavior an educator is recognizing. Instead of simply saying “Good job,” an educator identifies the behavior being reinforced, such as “I noticed you began working immediately and followed all three directions.” This provides students with clearer information about behavioral expectations and can help establish a positive, predictable learning environment.

    Steps/Process

     

    • Identify the behavioral expectation.
    • Explicitly teach and model the expected behavior.
    • Observe students for examples of the desired behavior.
    • Provide immediate and specific acknowledgment.
    • Name the behavior being recognized.
    • Connect the behavior to an established classroom expectation when appropriate.
    • Monitor whether the desired behavior increases and adjust support as necessary.

     

     

     

    Resources: 

     

    Watch it in Action: 

    https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/mcontent/fss/behavior-specific-praise-elementary

     

    Teacher Tool: 

    efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/misc_media/fss/pdfs/2018/IRIS_fundamental_skill_sheet_behavior-specific_praise.pdf

     

     

    From Practice: During my work as a Behavior Specialist, I supported teachers in identifying behaviors they wanted to increase and developing strategies for reinforcing those behaviors. This work demonstrated how intentionally recognizing positive student behavior could support classroom expectations while strengthening teacher-student interactions.

     

     

    Strategy 2 —Community Circles

    Impact

    Community circles provide students with structured opportunities to communicate, listen, build relationships, and develop a sense of belonging within the classroom. When used proactively and consistently, circles can help educators establish classroom community before problems arise while creating opportunities for student voice and relationship building.

    Steps/Process

       

      • Establish expectations for respectful participation.
      • Arrange participants so they can see and listen to one another.
      • Introduce the purpose of the circle.
      • Present an intentional prompt or question.
      • Establish a predictable process for taking turns.
      • Allow participants to share without interruption.
      • Model active listening and respectful responses.
      • Close with a reflection, takeaway, or commitment.
      • Use circles consistently as part of classroom community building.

       

       

       

      Resources

      Watch it in Action: 

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR8xcFuckEM

      Teacher Tool: 

      https://www.iirp.edu/resources/guides-for-implementation