I Declare

We assess students to discover their strengths and to find what they need most to help them become better readers. There is a transition from assessment to instruction that helps us have meaningful conversations as we guide our students toward the goals and strategies they need. Part of this transition includes identifying these goals, and part of it is student ownership. After goals have been set, students declare them on the CAFE Menu by writing their names on a sticky note and placing them under the correct heading. This is done for two reasons:

1. Every student, and even the teacher, has goals they are working on. Having everyone declare a goal helps every member in the classroom community see we are all working to improve.

2. It helps to anchor learning to the CAFE Menu. When a child is reading, they have a visual anchor for possible strategies specific to their goal.

We declare goals under CAFE Menu headings instead of specific strategies because as readers it is very difficult to use strategies in isolation, and we want to promote multiple strategy use. By visually declaring a goal, a child is making the statement, “I am a reader working on ____________, and there are many strategies I learn and practice to help me with it.” 

Declaring goals is just one way we assist our students with purpose, engagement, and accountability.