Below is an example of what Carly does with the rather useless and clumsy daily objectives requirement that is another way admins have of keeping control over us. In her school, she is required to write them in a specific format:
I can _______ by/in order to__________.
Carly explains:
I also think it is unnatural in language class but I am reasonably pleased with my lazy nod to the directive. I’ll share in case it helps anyone else:
I have a side bulletin board where I post the learning target. Since we are chatting in French pretty much every day I leave this poster up every day:
“I can engage in a conversation in French by answering questions, using body language and asking for clarification”
Underneath is some space where I add an additional poster depending on what else we are doing that day.
For reading: “I can engage with a text by answering questions, translating to English and/or asking for clarification.”
For read and draw or listen and draw: “I can draw an illustration to demonstrate my understanding of written/spoken French.”
For dictee: “I can write what I hear in French to show what the language looks like in my mind.” and “I can correct errors in my writing to improve my awareness of spelling and grammar in French.”
For write and discuss: “I can co-create a text with my class based on our discussion to demonstrate my comprehension.”
For timed writing: “I can compose sentences (later on in the school year I’ll change it to “describe a character” or “write a story”) in French to demonstrate my writing fluency.”
For Team Word Chunk Game: “I can translate written/spoken French into English to demonstrate my understanding.”
Whenever I have a rubric for something: “I can use a rubric to evaluate my _____ habits” fill in the blank with Communication Skills or Writing or whatever I have a rubric for.
If I am being observed I tell the kids to turn and talk and read the learning target to their partner and explain what they did to reach it. The targets just describe what class is so they say what they just did and everyone gets a pat on the back.