I Can….
LEARNING TARGETS FOR REHEARSAL EXPECTATIONS
By Shari Tarleton
Like most of you in the past few years, I am in the midst of curriculum development,
part of which includes placing those all-important learning targets, or “I Can”
statements up for each class. Don’t get me wrong I am not against “I Can” statements.
My problem seems to be that I expect my student “can” do everything all the time, thus
creating too many “I Can” statements and a learning environment that is impossible to
manage. The question then becomes: Do I change these statements every rehearsal or
do I develop a set of universal targets that are displayed at all times? My answer seems
to be, “Yes.” I want to have learning targets that are specific to content that change
every rehearsal dependent on the rehearsal and learning process. But I also want to have
a set of learning targets that are expected all of the time; those rehearsal expectations
that form the foundation of learning and the creative process in the performing arts
classroom. These “I can” statements are always there; they do not change and are
expected in every rehearsal.
I sat down at one point with my colleague at Brunswick Junior High School, Heidi
Anderson, and together we developed a check list for rehearsal expectations. They fall
under three categories that we feel define qualities that develop musicianship.
Musicians need to be prepared, engaged, and focused. The rubric we developed looks
like this: