By Jennifer Wilson
One of your students is asked, “What are you learning about today in class?”
How does your student respond?
- “Nothing”
- “Math”
- “The questions on this worksheet”
- “Deciding if two figures are congruent”
During class, one of your students asks you, “Is this going to be on the test?”
How do you respond?
- Pretend like you didn’t hear the question
- With an eye roll
- “Everything I say is going to be on the test”
- “Let’s see how what we’re doing is connected to today’s learning goals”
We know from years of math education research that establishing and sharing learning goals are important for both teachers and students. Even so, we don’t always agree with when and how they should be shared.