One thing I have learned is to never underestimate the power of I Can Statements for your students! Think differentiation – engagement – focus.
Have you ever sat in a faculty meeting or professional development session and suddenly realized you have no idea what they are talking about? It’s not because you’re clueless – you were probably daydreaming – or distracted by something or someone in the room.
That’s what happens to our students a lot. With 20+ students in a classroom, there is always something distracting them. Or it’s someone on the intercom, or a para coming into the room.
When you realize that you weren’t listening in that staff meeting or PD – what did you do to get yourself back in the flow of what’s happening? Check your notes, ask a friend, look at the speaker?
What can our students do that won’t distract others or stop the flow of the lesson?
How about a visual reminder?
I Can Statements – Powerful Benefits for Students:
When I begin a lesson with a new skill or standard, I introduce it with the I Can Statement. This tells my students what we will be working on and what they need to learn. We usually spend 5 minutes or so breaking it down – especially the verbs, so that students truly understand what it is asking.
This creates a visual focal point for students who may forget or daydream during the lesson.
During practice, students can check and align their thinking by looking at the I Can for clarification.
After the lesson, they can use it to check their progress with the skill or standard. (success criteria)
I Can Statements – Powerful Benefits for Teachers:
I Can Statements get a Bad Rap
For sure, I Can Statements have gotten a bad rap by teachers, but not because they aren’t worthwhile and beneficial. The bad rap comes from the expectations of how they should be used and where they should be displayed.
A Way to Make Everyone Happy
One way I have gotten around this issue is to have all of my I Can Statements printed and ready to go at the beginning of the school year. It saves SO much time and stress during the year when I have a million other things to do.
That’s why I absolutely LOVE these I Can Statements! The colors go with almost any classroom decor, so I can use them year after year. I just print and laminate and they are ready to go!
Everyone is happy! Your admin sees the I Can Statements in your classroom and you have this powerful visual for you and your students! That’s a Win-Win in my book!
If you teach 3rd or 4th grade, I have ELA, math, science, and social studies ready for you! They are editable too, so you can make changes as you need to.
Also, if you teach all subjects, the I Can Statements bundle packs are a 20% savings!
How do you use I Can Statements in your teaching and learning? Please share!
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