Goal Setting

Another one of my staple "first week of school" activities is an exercise in goal setting. I use this activity for a number of different purposes. First, it is just one more tool in my box of "getting to know you" tasks, the more I can learn about my students then I better I am to develop and create a learning environment that is responsive to their unique personalities and interests. Second, I like to refer to their goals when I right the report cards. A friend who is also a teacher once shared with me her bank of report card comments and I loved her idea of using the student's own words to reflect on in the learning skills section of the reports. I ask the students to no only identify a goal (or goals), to explain their plans but also at the end of the term they are given the opportunity to reflect, comment and plan ahead.

I usually begin with showing two video clips that I hope shows that setting a goal is the easy part, but actually working towards it and sticking to it (I'm reminded of my own blog writing goals) is much harder. The first is the music video to Garth Brooks' "Standing Outside the Fire" and the second is a classic "Mr. Bean" sketch. For the digital generation anything that can be found on Youtube brings a certain sense of "authenticity" to the activity...lol! After a brief discussion, and some laughter I try to bring out the idea and trying new things can be scary and its okay to fail, the attempt and the determination and the effort are so much more important.

This year, I have used some of the Catholic Graduate Expectations (read more here) to shape these goals;

• A self-directed, responsible, life-long learner who develops and demonstrates his/her God-given potential;
• A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good;

These expectations are posted in the classroom and I will refer to them often in order to remind and re-focus all us throughout the year,

My students were asked to identify both an academic goal as well as goal on how they might contribute to our classroom, school and community. I really want to encourage my students to set goals that are not only self-directed but also community directed. I am hoping that this activity starts us on the right path.