Not Sure Where to Start? When in Doubt, Consider Learning Targets
A principal or superintendent may enter a new situation and identify that improvement is necessary to better support student learning. However, they may be unsure which approach makes the most sense to launch the effort, support improvement, or ultimately yield the desired outcomes. Of course, there are many factors that could potentially be in play, and there is no one right answer. However, in my opinion, when in doubt start with learning targets. One practical reason to start with learning targets when looking for instructional improvement is that although some degree of pushback on anything "new" is to be expected, learning targets are something that any teacher can realistically do. Secondly, one can start at a fairly rudimentary level and still experience some benefits while they grow in their ability to use learning targets more effectively. The primary reason that I think that learning targets are a great entry point for most priority areas is their ability to leverag...