“I can” understand quantum physics. Teachers are not so sure.
New this school year, teachers at the West Bend High Schools are required to have “I can” statements posted around the classroom. Teachers write these statements each day, which outline what students should be able to do after the day’s lesson. The main goal is to put the learning objectives into student-friendly language.
However, like most things, the new “I can” statements come with challenges. Kristen Becker, West English teacher, says that one of the hardest things about them is trying to find a place for them to go. There is only so much board space in a classroom.
“When you have multiple classes, I know there are some teachers who have five or six different classes they are teaching in a day, that’s a lot of different ‘I can’ statements,” Becker said.
Another challenge faced with the “I can” statements is whether or not they work with the lesson. East social studies teacher Dave Talma says that some of his classes are designed for students to discover the lessons on their own.
“There are some times where it certainly makes sense to say this is what you’re learning today and I think there are other times where it doesn’t make sense,” Talma said.
Becker wonders if her “I can” statements are too vague.
“I try to make my ‘I can’ statements broad enough so it’s kind of covering all that we’re doing, but again, I don’t know if it’s too broad and I’m not really hitting upon the things I’m supposed to,” Becker said.
When asked about whether they would use the “I can” statements if they were not required, both Becker and Talma said no.
“I just feel like that’s not necessarily what’s going to suddenly make students successful is if they see the ‘I can’ statement up on the board,” Becker said.
Assistant principal Dave Uelmen says that the “I can” statements are ultimately for the students who are learning the material, and a way for teachers to clarify academic goals for students. He also says that the “I can” statements are not new this year at all, and that they’ve been around forever. Learning objectives, lesson objectives and guided practice are just a few examples of the different names of the statements.
“I just think it’s important,” Uelmen said. “It’s just another level of being totally transparent with what you’re doing today in the class.”
(Top image: Two “I Can” Statements for classes led by West English teacher Kristen Becker. Photo by Alexis George, Current Staff.)
The West Bend Current 
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