Why it works
Clear learning intentions and success criteria are consistently linked to higher achievement, because they let students focus effort, self-assess, and receive feedback against a shared standard. Objectives framed around learning rather than activities, and criteria that describe what good work looks like, make the target visible.
The research: Hattie on learning intentions and success criteria.
The run-of-show
Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.
The core activity: write the objective and the criteria
Teachers leave with a learning objective and success criteria for one lesson, plus a self-assessment plan.
- Pick a lesson.
- Write the objective as what students will be able to do or understand, not the activity.
- Write two or three success criteria that describe what good work looks like.
- Plan when you will refer to them, and how students will self-assess against them.
Objectives aim at learning, not activities'Complete the lab' is a task. 'Explain what the results show' is learning. Write the objective for the learning the task is meant to produce.
Facilitator notes
- Make the criteria student-friendly.
- Revisit them during the lesson, not just at the start.
- Use them for self-assessment and feedback.
Do not post and forgetAn objective written on the board and never mentioned again does nothing. Refer to it and the criteria throughout.
Adapt it
- <b>Elementary:</b> student-friendly 'I can' statements with examples.
- <b>Secondary:</b> criteria co-constructed from exemplars.
- <b>Students who need support:</b> worked exemplars that show the criteria met.
Participant handout
One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.
K12 Academics · Professional Learning
Objectives & Success Criteria: aim it, show it, check it
<b>Make the target visible:</b> objectives aimed at learning and criteria that describe good work.
- The lesson:
- The learning objective (not the activity):
- Two or three success criteria:
- When I will refer to them:
- How students self-assess:
Make it stick
Keep the target visible:
- Write objectives for learning, not tasks.
- Use criteria for self-assessment and feedback.
- Bring success criteria that sharpened feedback to the next PLC.
Common questions
Isn't an objective just the activity for the day?
No. 'We will do a worksheet' is an activity. 'We will be able to explain why...' is a learning objective. Aim at learning, not tasks.
What are success criteria?
A short description of what success looks like, so students and teacher share the same picture of good work and can judge progress against it.
Do I have to post them every day?
Posting helps, but what matters is that students understand and use them, so refer back during and at the end of the lesson.