The Best Way To Post Student Objectives That No One Is Talking About... Yet - Monday Made It

Hi, Teachers!

I'm super excited to be linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It linky party!

I know that posting student objectives is a popular frustration among many teachers. Some schools require objectives to be posted every day. My current school does not, but I have worked in schools where this was standard practice. I'll be honest--at first I thought this was annoying and a waste of time until I realized... posting your objectives is meant to be valuable for the students. 

Research proves that when you restate your teaching point more often, your lesson becomes more powerful for kids. In fact...

Studies show that lessons are more effective when teaching points are repeated 7 or more times!!

That means I have to say the same thing 7 times!!! When you're in a mini-lesson that is 10 minutes long, and lots of that time is taken up by kids turning and talking or trying a strategy, that's tricky. It's even trickier when it's a short strategy group or a 5 minute private one-on-one conference. Posting your objective for each lesson becomes really important no matter what type of lesson you're teaching--it keeps kids aware of what they are learning about. I came up with a CRAZY EASY way to do this that also addresses my visual learners. Ready for it??

All I do is write my objective for the day on my handy-dandy thought bubble! I created a thought bubble on a piece of white paper and wrote the word "Readers" on the top corner. I laminated it so that I fill in the rest of the sentence with the teaching point in student-friendly language by using a dry-erase marker. Do you notice anything interesting about the handwriting there?? THAT'S RIGHT--IT'S KID WRITING!!!! I'm sure the spelling of "charater" tipped you off. -_-

Want to give your kids an extra job at the end of the day? I have my kids peek at my lesson plans and write the objectives for the following day on my thought bubble. On the back of my reading thought bubble is my writing thought bubble. Now there's 2 less things I have to do for the next day. Phew!!

I talk with the kids about using writing that everyone can read and spelling properly. After all, all the kids do is copy exactly what teaching point is listed in my lesson plans. Clearly we need to have a talk about paying close attention to spelling and copying the words properly. This is what you DON'T want to see! However, when you do see it, you know when you have to model how to do this skill again.

This is a totally do-able Make It Monday for you--it won't take you more than 5 minutes to make if you have a laminator! I also find that when I look at the objective posted, I refer to it more during my lesson! Good news all around--it's a reminder for ME and for the kids! This sits on top of my easel for every reading and writing lesson, and I have a similar strategy set up for math. I also make sure to write my objectives/teaching points quickly on a post-it note when I teach strategy groups or confer 1-on-1 with kids. Then the kids take the sticky note(s) to refer to as needed when they go off and work independently. It's always great when kids have something tangible to help them learn.

One more thing I put up with my students today was our Fall In Love With Reading bulletin board. I talk about how I make those here. I suggest checking out the link. Bulletin boards will not take you more than 20 minutes ever again. I found THE BEST way use bulletin boards to build your classroom community! In fact, the more you use my system, the shorter the amount of time it takes to make your board!

Do you have to post objectives in your room? Will you try this strategy? How do you make sure your students remember what you're teaching? And also... have you spotted any good Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals for fellow teachers?! Comment below!!