Communicating Purpose for Instruction

Purpose is defined as the reason something exists or is being done. For the learner it resolves, “Why I’m in this class today?” Effective teachers clearly communicate both the Sunshine State Standard's and the Daily Learning Objective for their students. The daily learning objective is not always the standard. Here’s an example. Refer to the 7th grade Learning Schedule, day 48. The Sunshine State Standard LA.7.1.7.2 states, “The student will analyze the author’s purpose and perspective in a variety of texts and understand how they affect meaning.” The Daily Learning Objective states, “Students will use the strategy of breaking down long sentences and analyze their parts to clarify meaning.” Hence, whereas the standard identifies the essential knowledge and skills students should learn and for which the state will hold schools accountable, the learning objective defines a much narrowed focus supported by an explicit activity/skill/task designed to help students master the standard(s).